John Dee

John Dee, born in London on 13 July 1527 and dead in December 1608 or March 1609, was an English mathematician, astronomer, teacher, astrologer, occultist and alchemist. He was court astronomer and advisor to Elizabeth I, spent much of his time on alchemy, divination and Hermetic philosophy, and as an antiquarian held one of the largest libraries in England of his time. As a political advisor he advocated the foundation of English colonies in the New World to form a British Empire, a term he is credited with coining. He later left the queen's service, travelled through Europe in search of knowledge of the occult and was accused of spying for the English Crown. On his return he found his home and library vandalised, and he died in poverty in London.