Thomas Bendish
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Bendish, 2nd Baronet (c.1607–1674), served as the English ambassador
to the Ottoman sultanate
in the mid-17th century.
Son of Sir Thomas, 1st Baronet of Steeple Bumpstead
in the county of Essex, Bendish the younger enrolled in Middle Temple
in 1626, after earlier studying at St John's College, Cambridge
. Later in life, he would donate fifty books to St John's, of which forty are still kept today.
Sir Thomas succeeded to the Baronetcy on 1636. A decades later he was banned from Essex
, had his estates seized, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
after siding with King Charles I
during the English Civil War
. He was released on 28 September, 1644, after paying a 1,000 pound fine - although he remained banned from coming within 20 miles of Essex.
On January 29, 1647, the House of Lords
named Sir Thomas ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, although upon his entrance to Istanbul he was confronted by the earlier ambassador who refused to relinquish his post, and had to be forcibly removed from office.
While in office, it is known that Sir Thomas personally saw to Isaac Barrow
, during the latter's visit to Constantinople
. He was imprisoned by the Ottomans at one point due to a commercial dispute with clerics. Bendish was recalled from his post some time before 1655. He died in 1674. He was succeeded by son and heir Sir John Bendish, 3rd Baronet (1630–1707).
, daughter of General Henry Ireton
and Bridget, Oliver Cromwell's
eldest daughter.
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Ottoman sultanate
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
in the mid-17th century.
Son of Sir Thomas, 1st Baronet of Steeple Bumpstead
Steeple Bumpstead
Steeple Bumpstead is a village near Braintree, Essex, England, south of Haverhill.The parish church does not actually have a steeple, however the Congregational Church has a small Victorian one. It is believed that the Steeple referred to was actually located on the A1307 close to what is now the...
in the county of Essex, Bendish the younger enrolled in Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in 1626, after earlier studying at St John's College, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
. Later in life, he would donate fifty books to St John's, of which forty are still kept today.
Sir Thomas succeeded to the Baronetcy on 1636. A decades later he was banned from Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, had his estates seized, and was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
after siding with King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. He was released on 28 September, 1644, after paying a 1,000 pound fine - although he remained banned from coming within 20 miles of Essex.
On January 29, 1647, the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
named Sir Thomas ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, although upon his entrance to Istanbul he was confronted by the earlier ambassador who refused to relinquish his post, and had to be forcibly removed from office.
While in office, it is known that Sir Thomas personally saw to Isaac Barrow
Isaac Barrow
Isaac Barrow was an English Christian theologian, and mathematician who is generally given credit for his early role in the development of infinitesimal calculus; in particular, for the discovery of the fundamental theorem of calculus. His work centered on the properties of the tangent; Barrow was...
, during the latter's visit to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. He was imprisoned by the Ottomans at one point due to a commercial dispute with clerics. Bendish was recalled from his post some time before 1655. He died in 1674. He was succeeded by son and heir Sir John Bendish, 3rd Baronet (1630–1707).
Family
Sir Thomas and his wife Anne the daughter of Henry Baker, had two sons John (1645-6) and Thomas (1646). Anne She died before 1661 in Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey and was buried at Steeple Bumstead, Essex, England. Thomas his younger son married BridgetBridget Bendish
Bridget Bendish , was a daughter of General Henry Ireton and Bridget, Oliver Cromwell's eldest daughter. She married Thomas Bendish, in 1670 and is said to have compromised herself in the Rye House Plot of 1683.-References:...
, daughter of General Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton was an English general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell.-Early life:...
and Bridget, Oliver Cromwell's
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
eldest daughter.
See also
- List of baronetcies in the Baronetage of England: Bendish of Steeple Bumpstead, created 1611, extinct 1717.
Further reading
- Oliver Cromwell's letter to Sultan Han, mention of Bendish