William Cecil Facts & Worksheets

William Cecil was a well-known loyal, expert adviser to Queen Elizabeth I for most of her rule. Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t be considered one of the most powerful monarchs without the help of her advisors, particularly William Cecil.

See the fact file below for more information on William Cecil, or you can download our 22-page William Cecil worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

Early Life

• William Cecil was born in 1520 in Bourne, Lincolnshire, to Sir Richard Cecil and Jane Heckington.
• William had three female siblings.
• His grandfather, Sir David Cecil, was a Welsh nobleman who served Henry VII, the first Tudor king, and his father, Richard Cecil, was also a courtier.
• He came from an affluent family and was given the privilege of high education and joining elite academic groups.
• William went to The King’s School, Grantham, and Stamford School.
• When he was 14, he attended St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he met two scholars, Roger Ascham and John Cheke, and learned Greek.
• His time at the University exposed him to humanist and Protestant ideas.
• William Cecil married his friend’s sister, Mary Cheke, as soon as he left University.
• The couple had an only son named Thomas.
• In 1541, William left Cambridge without a degree; however, he started attending Gray’s Inn to study law.
• He lost his wife, Mary, after just two years when he entered the parliament.
• In 1546, William married the daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, Mildred Cooke, who was wise and highly educated.
• The couple had three children, Anne, Elizabeth, and Robert.

Career

• William Cecil spent the early years of his career serving Edward Seymour, the Duke of Somerset.
• William Cecil joined him as one of the two judges of the Marshalsea during the Battle of Pinkie.
• His autobiography states that he entered the Parliament in 1543 but was only recognized in 1547 when he got elected for Stamford’s family borough.
• In 1549, William was briefly detained in the Tower of London because Somerset was found guilty of treason.
• William Cecil was later freed.
• He regained favor in 1550 and was appointed, together with Sir William Petre, as secretary of state until 1553.
• In 1551, the Earl of Warwick knighted William Cecil.
• He also became a member of the Order of the Garter.
• The death of King Edward in 1553 brought significant change.
• Things did not go easily when Mary I of England started her reign.
• William Cecil was a private subject during the reign of Mary I.
• He was offered a position but declined to serve in the Catholic court.
• He and his family were never far from the Royal Court, and at times, he also undertook special duties in the government.
• Mary I died in 1558, and Elizabeth I, her half sister, took the throne.

William Cecil During Queen Elizabeth I’s Reign

• William Cecil was appointed by Queen Elizabeth I as Secretary of State and held other different notable offices.
• From 1558 to 1572, he became the Queen’s advisor for her domestic and international affairs.
• In 1572, he was also given the responsibility of Lord Treasurer until his death.
• He created a competent and efficient intelligence service with Francis Walsingham’s instructions.
• With William Cecil’s services, he was deemed the most significant minister during the rule of Queen Elizabeth I.
• However, one thing he couldn’t do successfully was convince Queen Elizabeth I to get married.
• In 1562, Robert Dudley, one of Queen Elizabeth I’s favorites, was appointed to a Privy Council.
• He was considered William Cecil’s great rival.
• However, compared to Dudley, Cecil was someone who preferred peace.
• Robert Dudley had always favored more active encounters and involvements with European affairs.
• Despite this, William Cecil ended French domination in Scotland through direct actions.
• During the reign of Elizabeth I, the Treaty of Edinburgh became the basis for Anglo-Scottish relations and the key to the unity of the two kingdoms.
• However, in 1565, the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Lord Darnley became a threat to the improvement of the Anglo-Scottish relationship.
• William Cecil took part in the Elizabethan Religious Settlement of 1559.
• He shared the same goal with Queen Elizabeth I of bringing modern Catholics in as members of the Church of England.
• William Cecil had always been in sync with Queen Elizabeth I in continuing the English Reformation.
• With this, he became the target of rebellion by the earls of Northumberland and Westmorland.
• The Catholics who demanded William Cecil be removed were forcefully restrained.
• The intelligence network that he formed under Francis Walsingham’s direction became very helpful in intercepting the plots made to oust the queen, specifically the Babington plot.
• Another plot to oust the queen was the Ridolfi plot, planned by the Duke of Norfolk and Robert di Ridolfi, a Florentine banker.
• The treachery was uncovered; William Cecil and his wise team of spies intercepted their plan and deciphered coded letters relatable to the plot.
• In 1587, William Cecil persuaded Queen Elizabeth I to sign an execution warrant for Mary, Queen of Scots, when she plotted to assassinate the queen.
• The execution was done in secret, without the queen knowing.
• The queen got angry and claimed that she only had it signed but had been forbidden it until instructions from her were made.
• With this incident, Queen Elizabeth I felt betrayed by William Cecil.
• William Cecil received criticisms and royal displeasure and was prohibited from entering the court for a month.
• After some time, he was able to come back and regain the queen’s favor.
• Robert Dudley and other officials tried to drive William Cecil away from the center of court politics, but he proved he was an asset to the queen.
• William Cecil was given the title Baron Burghley in February 1571.

William Cecil’s Death

• William Cecil served long and had often been at his peak.
• In 1598, William Cecil’s health deteriorated, and he became gravely ill.
• Prior to his death, Robert, his son from Mildred, was prepared to take his father’s position as the Queen’s principal adviser. 
• William Cecil died on August 1598 at his residence in London and was buried in Saint Martin’s Church, Stamford.

William Cecil Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about William Cecil across 22 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about William Cecil, who was a loyal and expert adviser to Queen Elizabeth I.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

1. William Cecil Facts
2. Profiling
3. Responsibilities
4. Great Work!
5. Do You Know Them?
6. True or False?
7. What Is This?
8. To William Cecil
9. What Happened?
10. Let Him Be Known
11. His Life and Mine

Frequently Asked Questions

What was William Cecil known for?

Cecil was a skilled adviser to the queen in 1571. He also held the position of lord high treasurer from 1572-1598. Cecil is most famous for helping to get Mary, Queen of Scots tried and executed. He did this to make sure a Protestant would succeed to the throne. Cecil’s preparations for the Spanish Armada helped England weather that storm.

How did William Cecil make his money?

Cecil was given a number of important positions, including Principal Secretary and Master of the Court of Wards and Liveries. The latter position was responsible for the collection of royal revenue. This position also allowed Cecil to build up his fortune.

When was William Cecil knighted?

After Somerset’s final fall, Cecil was knighted by Warwick, who became the duke of Northumberland. Cecil originally intended to stay with Northumberland; however, when the Duke planned to shift the succession, Cecil sided with the judges who were against him even though he risked his life.

Link/cite this page

If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.

<a href="https://kidskonnect.com/people/william-cecil/">William Cecil Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com</a> - KidsKonnect, September 9, 2022

Link will appear as William Cecil Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 9, 2022