William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
(1520 or 1521-1598), Lord High TreasurerSitter associated with 45 portraits
William Cecil served both Edward VI and Mary I but exercised most power when chief minister to their sister Elizabeth I. When she ascended to the throne, Elizabeth's first appointment was to make Cecil her principal secretary of state, making him the youngest member of her council. Throughout his life he was the queen's most influential minister, tempering her actions with cautious but decisive advice. As a result, the Queen nicknamed Cecil her 'Spirit'. He was created Baron Burghley in 1571, and was Lord High Treasurer and Chief Minister from 1572. The only serious threat to his influence came from Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, whose great dislike he returned.
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown Anglo-Netherlandish artist
oil on panel, 1560s
On display in Room 1 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 2184
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, after 1572
NPG 715
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, after 1572
NPG 604
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, after circa 1585
NPG 1905
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, after circa 1585
NPG 525
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on panel, after 1587
NPG 362
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Unknown artist
oil on canvas, 1590s
NPG 4881
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Rogers, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1572-1604
NPG D21159
Procession of the Knights of the Garter (sheet 5)
after Marcus Gheeraerts the Elder
photograph of engraving, (1576)
NPG D31857
Queen Elizabeth I, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, Sir Francis Walsingham
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly early to mid 17th century
NPG D25033
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Thomas Cecill
line engraving, possibly early to mid 17th century
NPG D25114
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly 17th century
NPG D25115
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly 17th century
NPG D25116
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly 17th century
NPG D25117
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Magdalena de Passe, after Willem de Passe
line engraving, 17th century
NPG D21163
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
possibly by Willem de Passe
line engraving, 1620
NPG D25112
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Thomas Cecill, after William Rogers
line engraving, 1620s-1630s
NPG D21160
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Magdalena de Passe, by Willem de Passe
line engraving, published 1620
NPG D21164
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Marshall
line engraving, 1642
NPG D25111
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Marshall
line engraving, 1642
NPG D25113
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Marshall
line engraving, published 1642
NPG D19050
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Marshall, after Magdalena de Passe, after Willem de Passe
line engraving, published 1642
NPG D21161
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Marshall, after Magdalena de Passe, after Willem de Passe
line engraving, published 1642
NPG D21162
Queen Elizabeth I; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley; Sir Francis Walsingham
by William Faithorne
line engraving, 1655
NPG D22722
Queen Elizabeth I; Sir Francis Walsingham; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Faithorne
line engraving, 1655
NPG D31830
Queen Elizabeth I; Sir Francis Walsingham; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Faithorne
line engraving, 1655
NPG D19080
Queen Elizabeth I; Sir Francis Walsingham; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Faithorne
line engraving, 1655
NPG D21165
Queen Elizabeth I; William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley; Sir Francis Walsingham
by William Faithorne
line engraving, published 1691
NPG D21065
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly 18th century
NPG D25106
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by John Goldar
line engraving, probably mid to late 18th century
NPG D25107
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly mid 18th century
NPG D25109
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
line engraving, probably mid 18th century
NPG D25110
Hugh Latimer, John Jewl, Sir Nicholas Bacon, Sir Francis Walsingham, William Cecil
after Unknown artist
line engraving, possibly mid 18th century
NPG D25216
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Jacobus Houbraken, after Unknown artist
line engraving, published 1738
NPG D32414
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Jacobus Houbraken, after Unknown artist
line engraving, published 1738
NPG D32415
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton
line engraving, published 1738
NPG D42896
A View of the Court of Wards and Liveries
by George Vertue
line engraving, published 1747
NPG D11100
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
published by Edward Evans, after Silvester (Sylvester) Harding
stipple engraving, circa 1775-1800
NPG D20134
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by William Nelson Gardiner
stipple engraving, possibly early 19th century
NPG D25105
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by R. Cooper
stipple engraving, probably early 19th century
NPG D25108
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
after Unknown artist
stipple engraving, possibly early 19th century
NPG D25118
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Henry Bone, after John De Critz the Elder, or after Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, December 1811
NPG D17108
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Henry Bone, after Unknown artist
pencil drawing squared in ink for transfer, February 1816
NPG D17134
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by John Samuel Agar, after William Hilton, after Unknown artist
stipple engraving, published 1818
NPG D32416
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
by Jacobus Houbraken, published by John & Paul Knapton, after Unknown artist
line engraving, published 1738
NPG D19920
Comments back to top
We are currently unable to accept new comments, but any past comments are available to read below.
If you need information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service . Please note that we cannot provide valuations. You can buy a print or greeting card of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at around £6 for unframed prints, £16 for framed prints. If you wish to license an image, select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Use this image button, or contact our Rights and Images service. We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.