- Education – Shrewsbury school and Christchurch college, Oxford
- Career - Poet, Courtier and Diplomat
- Famous Works of Sir Philip Sydney – Old Arcadia and the poem ‘Sleep’
Facts & History about the life of Sir Philip Sydney - Poet, Courtier and Diplomat
The following are additional facts about the life and history of Sir Philip Sydney: - Philip Sydney was born at Penshurst on 30 Nov 1554 the son of Sir Henry Sidney and Mary Dudley
- He attended Oxford University
- Philip Sydney came from a noble and wealthy family and had many influential friends
- Travelled around Europe to complete his education
- On August 24 1572 Sydney witnessed the St Bartholomew's Day massacre where French Protestants were massacred by French Catholics in Paris
- In 1576 served as ceremonial cup bearer to Queen Elizabeth
- He fought in Ireland
- Undertook various diplomatic missions on behalf of Queen Elizabeth
- Was a patron of the Arts. He was patron to the great Elizabethan poet Edmund Spenser
- Argued against the possible marriage of Elizabeth to the Catholic Henri, Duke of Anjou and argued with other courtiers - and temporarily retired from court
- He wrote Arcadia at the house of his sister, Mary Sydney
- Philip Sydney returned to court and the Queen's favour in 1583
- He married wealthy Frances Walsingham who was the daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham
- In 1586 he fought in the Netherlands with his uncle Robert Dudley and was fatally wounded
- He died on 17 Oct 1586, Arnheim, Netherlands
- The court went into mourning
- Philip Sydney was buried in St Paul's Cathedral in London
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