Birth Quote by Peter Ackroyd
“Thomas More's birth was noted by his father upon a blank page at the back of a copy of Geoffrey of Monmouth's 'Historia Regum Britanniae'; for a lawyer John More was remarkably inexact in his references to that natal year, and the date has been moved from 1477 to 1478 and back again.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Life of Thomas More by Peter Ackroyd, 1998
Thomas More's birth year is historically uncertain due to inconsistent records and later adjustments.
In simple terms: His birth date is unclear because of faulty documentation.
Key Takeaway
Accept uncertainty in historical details.
Themes
history
documentation
uncertainty
Mood
curious
analytical
Type
informative
historical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- genealogy
- historical biography
Key Concepts
chronology
historical recordkeeping
Questions to Reflect On
- How does uncertain data impact our understanding of the past?
- What methods can verify conflicting historical records?
A Different Perspective
Historical dates can be misrecorded, affecting later scholarship.
