Cecilius Calvert

Timeline

1. 1631–1640London · LondonIn 1632 Cecilius inherited his father George Calvert's Maryland charter, coordinating colonial recruitment, funding, and governance charters from London. In 1634 his brother Leonard led settlers in founding St. Mary's City on the Chesapeake Bay; the proprietor drafted the framework of the Maryland Toleration Act, allowing Catholics and Protestants to coexist, in contrast to Massachusetts's Puritan model.
2. 1641–1675England · EnglandCecilius lived in England all his life, directing Maryland's affairs remotely through the charter, appointed governors, and correspondence. Colonial ownership was repeatedly challenged during the English Civil War and Cromwell era; he strived to maintain the family's proprietary rights and the tradition of religious toleration, passing the lordship to an heir after his death in 1675.