Cęcilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore (August 8, 1605–November 30, 1675), inherited on the death of his father George in 1632 the grant by Charles I of England of the new colony of Maryland. Cęcilius, called Cecil, thus became Maryland's first Proprietary Governor (1632–1675) though he never visited the colony. He governed through deputies, the last being his only son Charles. He is known to American history as Lord Baltimore.
Calvert, a Roman Catholic, struggled to maintain possession of Maryland during the English Civil War by trying to convince Parliament of his loyalty by appointing a Protestant, William Stone, as his governor. Calvert lost control of the colony for a brief period, however, due to Puritan pressure during the rule of Oliver Cromwell. He regained the colony in 1657.
Calvert's family also had title to Ferryland and the Province of Avalon in Newfoundland and Cecil administered the colony betweeen 1629 and 1632 when he left for Maryland. In 1637, however, Sir David Kirke acquired a charter giving him title to the entire island of Newfoundland superseding the charter granted to his father, Sir George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore. Calvert fought against the new charter and, in 1660, gained official recognition of the old Charter of Avalon but never attempted to retake the colony.
Lord Baltimore, who named the territory in honour of Henrietta Maria, queen consort of Charles I, died before the issue of a royal charter, which later in 1632 was granted to his son CeciliusCalvert, 2ndBaronBaltimore.
In an attempt to conciliate the Puritans, Lord Baltimore consented, in 1650, to the formation of Anne Arundel County, comprising the Puritan settlements in the colony.
Charles Calvert, 3rd BaronBaltimore, son of Cecilius, became Lord Proprietor of the colony in 1675.
In 1632, George Calvert, 1st BaronBaltimore, induced King Charles I of England to grant him the land north of the Potomac River, which had been part of the grant to Virginia colony.
Calvert, a former high adviser to the king and recent convert to Roman Catholicism, wanted to establish a community where fellow Catholics, who were persecuted in England, could worship freely.
CeciliusCalvert proceeded to organize an expedition of about 200 settlers under the leadership of his younger brother Leonard Calvert, who was to serve as provincial governor.
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