An overview, yet incomplete, of the dense web of relationships linking John Florio with the royal family, influential circles at court, members of the high aristocracy, and the world of culture and letters. Readers are invited to establish the points of contact with the Shakespeare legend for themselves.

Patrons & Patrons/Friends/Pupils

King James I (Florio offered him the Italian translation of Basilikon Doron, 1603) Queen Anne of Denmark (groom of the Privy Chamber and personal secretary to her 1603-1619; she was the dedicatee of the New World of Words, 1611) Princess Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, (pupil) Henry Prince of Wales, (pupil) Henry Wriothesley, 3d Earl of Southampton (pupil, patron-friend, dedicatee of A Worlde of Wordes, 1598) Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex (protector-friend) Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland (pupil, patron-friend; dedicatee of A Worlde of Wordes, 1598) Lady Elizabeth Manners, countess of Rutland, Philip Sidney’s daughter (pupil, patroness, dedicatee of Montaigne’s Essays, 1603) Lady Penelope Rich, the Earl of Essex’s sister, Philip Sidney ‘s Stella, (pupil, dedicatee of Montaigne’s Essays, 1603) Lady Lucy Russell, countess of Bedford (pupil; patroness, dedicatee of A Worlde of Wordes, 1598) Lady Anne Harington, (patroness, dedicatee of Montaigne’s Essays, 1603) Lady Elizabeth Grey, countess of Kent, dedicatee of Montaigne’s Essays, 1603) William Herbert, 3d Earl of Pembroke (pupil, patron-friend named executor of his will) Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke (patron-friend) Mary Sidney, countess of Pembroke, mother of the two Earls, (protector-friend) Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester (patron; dedicatee of First Fruites, 1578) Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, (protector-acquaintance) Edward Wotton (patron; promoted Montaigne’s translation) Sir Edmund Spenser, (writer) Sir Edward Dyer (patron- collection of Proverbs, 1582) Sir Thomas Sackville, Lord Buckhurst, ( writer, patron-friend) Lady Mary Neville, Sir Thomas daughter, (pupil, dedicatee of Montaigne’s Essays, 1603) Sir William Cecil, Lord Burghley (protector) Sir Robert Cecil, Lord Burghley (protector) Sir Walter Raleigh (protector) Sir Francis Walsingham (protector, head of Secret Service) Richard Hakluyt (patron; promoted Jacques Cartier translation, 1580) Sieur Michel De la Mauvissière, (French Ambassador, employer and friend) Henry Stanley, Earl of Derby (patron-friend) Nicholas Saunder (patron of Second Frutes, 1591) Samuel Daniel (poet, writer; very close, brother-in-law) Mattew Gwinne (physician, musician, writer; very close ) Sir Philip Sidney (writer-protector) Giordano Bruno (philosopher, writer and inspiration) John Lyly (writer, admirer) Ben Jonson (writer- admirer) Sir Francis Bacon (writer, philosopher-admirer) Sir Fulke Greville (politician, writer, pupil) Stephen Gosson (writer, pupil) John Healey (writer, translator) Robert Greene (writer) George Pettie (writer) Joseph Hall (bishop, satirist) Gabriel Harvey (scholar, writer) George Champman (writer, translator) William Vaughan (writer, translator) Thomas Nashe (writer, playwright) Vincentio Saviolo (collaborator) Alberico Gentili (jurist, close friend) Giacomo Castelvetro (printed Guarini’s Pastor Fido at his own expense in London) Theodore Diodati ( a physician and tutor of princess Elizabeth, helps Florio with the Montaigne translation) Ottaviano Lotti (representative of the Grand Duke of Tuscany) Thomas Thorpe (publisher of the Sonnets, collaborator; he dedicated a book to JF) Isaac Jaggard (printer, publisher of the First Folio, collaborator) etc.