Career

He became secretary to Sir Robert Cecil, secretary of state to James I, and in 1608 was made one of the clerks of the Privy Council. In 1617 he was knighted and in 1619 was appointed secretary of state. He sat in the parliaments of 1621 and 1624 but was not successful in guiding their deliberations. Calvert was unpopular because he favored a Spanish marriage for Prince Charles (later Charles I). In 1625 he resigned his offices and declared himself a Roman Catholic. He was made first Baron Baltimore in Ireland. In 1621 he had established a small settlement at Ferryland, in Newfoundland, and from 1628 to 1629 he lived there with his family. The rigorous climate and the opposition to his religion convinced Calvert that he should try Virginia, but he was refused permission to settle there. He applied for a grant of land north of the Potomac, but died on Apr. 15, 1632, before it could be made. It was issued to his son, Cecil, who founded the colony of Maryland there.