Who was Francis Bacon?

 

 

Francis Bacon was born in 1561 in London, England to the lord keeper of the seal (his father) and a classicist (his mother). He was admitted to Trinity College at only twelve years old, and wrote his first book on politics at twenty-three. When James I became king in 1603, Bacon's credibility grew with his knowledge. In 1613, he began his work as attorney general, and over the next five years he would also work as lord keeper of the seal followed by Lord Chancellor. In 1621, Bacon's lifelong rival, Sir Edward Coke, instigated accusations of corruption. More specifically, he was accused of collecting gifts, a custom of the time. Nonetheless, Bacon was found guilty, thus ending his political career in disgrace. In addition, Bacon was fined £40,000, imprisoned in the Tower of London by the king for three days, and prohibited from holding another position in office. He however did not undergo degradation, which would have stripped him of his titles as well as his nobility. Despite having been disgraced, Bacon dedicated the rest of his life to his studies and writings.

 

As for his personal life, Bacon began courting a woman around 1597 by the name of Elizabeth Hatton, whom later left him for a richer man, Sir Edward Coke. This, Bacon later wrote, he regretted. Almost ten years later, Bacon married the fourteen year old daughter of a London alderman, Alice Barnham. The marriage lasted, however it was speculated that she had a secret relationship with Sir John Underhill, which, upon hearing of this, prompted Bacon to remove her from his will. Some authors even believed that, despite his marriage with Barnham, Bacon was primarily attracted to the same sex, based on his personal relationships.

 

On April 9, 1626, Bacon traveled to Arundel mansion at Highgate in Middlesex, England where he contracted pneumonia from being in snow. He was taken to Earle of Arundel's house where he developed a cold, and died no more than a week later.

 

A fall from an esteemed political position lead to great discoveries for Bacon. His writings influenced the next century's thinkers and still hold valuable today. Bacon's Five Functions (of which became the foundation for faculty psychology), Three Realms of Communication, and Four Idols became some of his most notable works in the world of rhetoric and epistemology.