Mary Fillis facts for kids

Mary Fillis was a seamstress in Tudor England.

Biography

Mary Fillis, of Moorish descent, was born to Fillis of Morisco, a Moroccan craftsman specializing in basket weaving and shovel making. Born into a Muslim family, Fillis expressed a desire for baptism to her employer, Porter, signifying her willingness to assimilate into the culture of Britain. The consequent baptism was held at St Botolph's in Aldgate, London, in 1597.

Fillis migrated to London around 1583–4, and first served as a servant to merchant John Barker before becoming a seamstress under Millicent Porter in East Smithfield by 1597.

Following Porter's death in 1599, Fillis's subsequent fate remains unknown. Her residence in London occurred amidst diplomatic negotiations between England and Morocco against their mutual opponent, Spain, influencing the societal context of her life in Tudor England.