Ralph Winwood
Encyclopedia
Sir Ralph Winwood was an English
diplomat and politician
.
e in Northamptonshire
and educated at St John's College, Oxford
.
In 1599 he became secretary to Sir Henry Neville (c. 1562-1615), the English ambassador in France
, and he succeeded Neville in this position two years later, retaining it until 1603. In this year Winwood was sent to The Hague
as agent to the States-General of the United Provinces
, and according to custom he became a member of the Dutch council of state. His hearty dislike of Spain
coloured all his actions in Holland; he was anxious to see a continuance of the war between Spain and the United Netherlands
, and he expressed both his own views and those of the English government at the time when he wrote, "how convenient this war would be for the good of His Majesty's realms, if it might be maintained without his charge."
In June 1608 Winwood signed the league between England and the United Provinces, and he was in Holland when the trouble over the succession to the duchies of Jülich
and Cleves
threatened to cause a European war. In this matter he negotiated with the Protestant princes of Germany on behalf of James I
.
Having returned to England Sir Ralph became secretary of state
in March 1614 and a member of parliament. In the House of Commons
he defended the king's right to levy impositions, and other events of his secretaryship were the inquiry into the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury
and the release of Raleigh
in 1616. Raleigh was urged by Winwood to attack the Spanish fleet and the Spanish settlements in South America
, and the secretary's share in this undertaking was the subject of complaints on the part of the representatives of Spain. In the midst of this he died in London. It can hardly be doubted, says Gardiner
, that, if he had lived till the following summer, he would have shared in Raleigh's ruin. One of Winwood's daughters, Anne (d. 1643), married Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton
, and their son was Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu
.
.
They are calendared in the Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission on the manuscripts of the Duke of Buccleuch.
See the Introduction to this Report (1899); and also SR Gardiner, History of England, vols. ii. and iii. (1904-1907).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
diplomat and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
.
Life
He was born at AynhoAynho
Aynho is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England, on the edge of the Cherwell valley about southeast of the north Oxfordshire town of Banbury and southwest of Brackley...
e in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
and educated at St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
.
In 1599 he became secretary to Sir Henry Neville (c. 1562-1615), the English ambassador in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and he succeeded Neville in this position two years later, retaining it until 1603. In this year Winwood was sent to The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
as agent to the States-General of the United Provinces
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
, and according to custom he became a member of the Dutch council of state. His hearty dislike of Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
coloured all his actions in Holland; he was anxious to see a continuance of the war between Spain and the United Netherlands
United Netherlands
United Netherlands is an educational student-led organization that focuses on the theory and practice of international relations and diplomacy...
, and he expressed both his own views and those of the English government at the time when he wrote, "how convenient this war would be for the good of His Majesty's realms, if it might be maintained without his charge."
In June 1608 Winwood signed the league between England and the United Provinces, and he was in Holland when the trouble over the succession to the duchies of Jülich
Duchy of Jülich
The Duchy of Jülich comprised a state within the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th to the 18th centuries. The duchy lay left of the Rhine river between the Electorate of Cologne in the east and the Duchy of Limburg in the west. It had territories on both sides of the river Rur, around its capital...
and Cleves
Duchy of Cleves
The Duchy of Cleves was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was situated in the northern Rhineland on both sides of the Lower Rhine, around its capital Cleves and the town of Wesel, bordering the lands of the Prince-Bishopric of Münster in the east and the Duchy of Brabant in the west...
threatened to cause a European war. In this matter he negotiated with the Protestant princes of Germany on behalf of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
.
Having returned to England Sir Ralph became secretary of state
Secretary of State (England)
In the Kingdom of England, the title of Secretary of State came into being near the end of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I , the usual title before that having been King's Clerk, King's Secretary, or Principal Secretary....
in March 1614 and a member of parliament. In the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
he defended the king's right to levy impositions, and other events of his secretaryship were the inquiry into the murder of Sir Thomas Overbury
Thomas Overbury
Sir Thomas Overbury was an English poet and essayist, and the victim of one of the most sensational crimes in English history...
and the release of Raleigh
Walter Raleigh
Sir Walter Raleigh was an English aristocrat, writer, poet, soldier, courtier, spy, and explorer. He is also well known for popularising tobacco in England....
in 1616. Raleigh was urged by Winwood to attack the Spanish fleet and the Spanish settlements in South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, and the secretary's share in this undertaking was the subject of complaints on the part of the representatives of Spain. In the midst of this he died in London. It can hardly be doubted, says Gardiner
Samuel Rawson Gardiner
Samuel Rawson Gardiner was an English historian.The son of Rawson Boddam Gardiner, he was born near Alresford, Hampshire. He was educated at Winchester College and Christ Church, Oxford, where he obtained a first class in literae humaniores. He was subsequently elected to fellowships at All Souls ...
, that, if he had lived till the following summer, he would have shared in Raleigh's ruin. One of Winwood's daughters, Anne (d. 1643), married Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton
Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton
Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton was an English peer and politician.-Life:He was born at Weekley on 11 July 1616, the son of Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton. He was educated at Oundle School and entered Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, on 2 March 1631...
, and their son was Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu
Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu
Ralph Montagu, 1st Duke of Montagu was an English courtier and diplomat.-Life:He was the second son of Edward Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu of Boughton and Anne Winwood, daughter of the Secretary of State Ralph Winwood...
.
Sources
Winwood's official correspondence and other papers passed to the Duke of Montagu. From 1899, they were in the possession of the Duke of BuccleuchDuke of Buccleuch
The title Duke of Buccleuch , formerly also spelt Duke of Buccleugh, was created in the Peerage of Scotland on 20 April 1663 for the Duke of Monmouth, who was the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II of Scotland, England, and Ireland and who had married Anne Scott, 4th Countess of Buccleuch.Anne...
.
They are calendared in the Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission on the manuscripts of the Duke of Buccleuch.
See the Introduction to this Report (1899); and also SR Gardiner, History of England, vols. ii. and iii. (1904-1907).