Christopher Ambrose

Christopher Ambrose was a 15th century Florentine merchant who made an enviable career in England, became naturalized and served as mayor of Southampton as “a man of great might within the town”.

Born in Florence as Cristoforo Ambruogi, he was educated in Italian trading methods and sent to Southampton in 1462 to work for the Florentine factor, Angelo de’Aldobrans. Four years later, he took over the business trading mainly in Mediterranean luxuries such as wines, confectionery and textiles which were distributed further to merchants in London, Newbury, Oxford and Salisbury, as well as to individual customers of wealth and prominence. Together with James Harrison, an apprentice in his service, Ambrose traded in a multitude of goods in Southern England.

Ambrose’s business success was accompanied by his naturalization in 1472 and election on the post of sheriff in 1484 and mayor in 1486 and 1497.