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John Griffith

1505 – 1609

Welsh lawyer and politician (?-1609)

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About John Griffith

Lived 1505 – 1609 (aged 103–104). John Griffith was an English university teacher and politician.

John Griffith (died 1609) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1571 to 1609.

Griffith was the son of William Griffith (died 1587) of Plas Mawr, Caernarfon.

He became a Fellow of All Souls College, Oxford in 1548 and was awarded B.C.L. in 1551 and his doctorate in 1563. In 1559 he took over the office of Regius professor of civil law at Oxford, which he held till 1566. He was also Principal of New Inn Hall from 1561 to 1564 after which he was admitted to Doctors' Commons.

He first entered Parliament in 1571 as the member for Caernarfon, and was re-elected in 1572. He was appointed Sheriff of Caernarvonshire for 1582 and Sheriff of Anglesey for 1587 and 1593. In 1604, he was again elected Member of Parliament for Caernarfon and sat until his death in 1609.

He married Margaret, the daughter of Rhys Thomas of Aber and widow of Edward Griffith of Penrhyn. They had four sons, including Nicholas and William Griffith, and 3 daughters.

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Important facts

Born
1505
Birth century
Died
1609
Nationality
Positions held
Member of Parliament in the Parliament of England, Member of the 1571 Parliament, Member of the 1572-83 Parliament, Member of the 1604-11 Parliament
Also known as
John Griffith of Plas Mawr, John ap Gwilym Griffith, of Plas Mawr

People in John Griffith's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Griffith's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Griffith?

Welsh lawyer and politician (?-1609)

When was John Griffith born?

John Griffith was born in 1505.

When did John Griffith die?

John Griffith died in 1609.

What was John Griffith's occupation?

John Griffith was a university teacher and politician.

What nationality was John Griffith?

John Griffith was English.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Griffith

· Wikidata: Q6236375

· DBpedia: John Griffith (of Plas Mawr)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Griffith. https://biography.guide/john-griffith-university-teacher/

MLA: "John Griffith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-griffith-university-teacher/.

Chicago: "John Griffith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-griffith-university-teacher/.

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