Sir William Berkeley and the forging of colonial Virginia
Sir William Berkeley (16051677) influenced colonial Virginia more than any other man of his era, diversifying VirginiaÆs trade with international markets, serving as a model for the planter aristocracy, and helping to establish American self-rule. An Oxford-educated playwright, soldier, and diplomat, Berkeley won appointment as governor of Virginia in 1641 after a decade in the court of King Charles I. Between his arrival in Jamestown and his death, Berkeley became VirginiaÆs leading politician and planter, indelibly stamping his ambitions, accomplishments, and, ultimately, his failures upon
eBook, English, 2010
Louisiana State University Press, Baton Rouge, 2010