![Coat of arms of Sir Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, KG](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Coat_of_arms_of_Sir_Charles_Brandon%2C_1st_Duke_of_Suffolk%2C_KG.png)
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, (22 August 1545) was an English military leader and courtier. Through his third wife,
Mary Tudor, he was brother-in-law to
King Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disag ...
.
Biography
Charles Brandon was the second but only surviving son of
Sir William Brandon,
Henry Tudor's standard-bearer at the
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Augu ...
, where
Richard III
Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
was slain. His mother, Elizabeth Bruyn (d. March 1494), was daughter and co-heiress of Sir Henry Bruyn (died 1461).
Charles Brandon was brought up at the court of
Henry VII, and became
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
's closest friend. He is described by
Dugdale as "a person comely of stature, high of courage and conformity of disposition to King Henry VIII, with whom he became a great favourite." Brandon held a succession of offices in the royal household, becoming
Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today.
(Ancient Rome)
The original Master of the Horse ( la, Magister Equitu ...
in 1513, and received many valuable grants of land. On 15 May 1513, he was created
Viscount Lisle
The title of Viscount Lisle has been created six times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, on 30 October 1451, was for John Talbot, 1st Baron Lisle. Upon the death of his son Thomas at the Battle of Nibley Green in 1470, the viscoun ...
, having entered into a marriage contract with his ward,
Elizabeth Grey, ''
suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
'' Viscountess Lisle. The contract was ended and the title was forfeited as a result of Brandon's marriage to
Mary Tudor in 1515.
He distinguished himself at the
sieges of Thérouanne and Tournai in the French campaign of 1513. One of the agents of
Margaret of Savoy, governor of the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
, writing from before Thérouanne, reminded her that Lord Lisle was a "second king" and advised her to write him a kind letter.
At this time, Henry VIII was secretly urging Margaret to marry Lisle, whom he created
Duke of Suffolk
Duke of Suffolk is a title that has been created three times in the peerage of England.
The dukedom was first created for William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk, William de la Pole, who had already been elevated to the ranks of earl and marquess ...
on 4 March 1514, although he was careful to disclaim any complicity in the project to her father,
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I (22 March 1459 – 12 January 1519) was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1508 until his death. He was never crowned by the pope, as the journey to Rome was blocked by the Venetians. He proclaimed himself El ...
. When Brandon was made Duke of Suffolk, he became only the third duke in the kingdom.
After his marriage to Mary, Suffolk lived for some years in retirement, but he was present at the
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of the Cloth of Gold (french: Camp du Drap d'Or, ) was a summit meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France from 7 to 24 June 1520. Held at Balinghem, between Ardres in France and Guînes in the English P ...
in 1520.
In 1523 he was sent to
Calais
Calais ( , , traditionally , ) is a port city in the Pas-de-Calais department, of which it is a subprefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's prefecture is its third-largest city of Arras. Th ...
to command the English troops there.
He invaded France in company with
Floris d'Egmont, Count of Buren, who was at the head of the
Flemish
Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...
troops, and laid waste the north of France, but disbanded his troops at the approach of winter.
Brandon was appointed
Earl Marshal of England
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
in 1524, a position previously held by
Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (144321 May 1524), styled Earl of Surrey from 1483 to 1485 and again from 1489 to 1514, was an English nobleman, soldier and statesman who served four monarchs. He was the eldest son of John Howard, 1st Duk ...
. However, in 1533 he relinquished the office to
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, (1473 – 25 August 1554) was a prominent English politician and nobleman of the Tudor era. He was an uncle of two of the wives of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both of whom were beheade ...
, "whose auncesto
r of longe tyme hadde the same until nowe of late."
After
Wolsey
Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure ...
's disgrace, Suffolk's influence increased. He was sent with
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, (1473 – 25 August 1554) was a prominent English politician and nobleman of the Tudor era. He was an uncle of two of the wives of King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, both of whom were beheade ...
, to demand the
Great Seal from Wolsey; and Suffolk acted as
High Steward at the new queen's
coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
. He was one of the commissioners appointed by Henry to dismiss Catherine's household, a task he found distasteful.
His family had a residence on the west side of
Borough High Street
Borough High Street is a road in Southwark, London, running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 route which runs from London to Portsmouth, on the south coast of England.
Overview
Borough High Street continues southwest a ...
, London, for at least half a century prior to his building of
Suffolk Place
Suffolk Place (or Suffolk House) was a mansion house located on the west side of Borough High Street in Southwark, Surrey, on the south bank of the River Thames opposite the City of London. It was the London town house of the Dukes of Suffolk, ...
at the site.
Charles supported Henry's ecclesiastical policy, receiving a large share of the lands after the
dissolution of the monasteries. In 1544, he was for the second time in command of an English army for the invasion of France. He died at
Guildford
Guildford ()
is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...
, Surrey, on 24 August in the following year. At Henry VIII's expense he was buried at
Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
in
St George's Chapel. Brandon was perhaps the only person in England who successfully retained Henry VIII's affection for most of a period of forty years.
Marriage to Mary Tudor
Charles Brandon took part in the jousts which celebrated the marriage of
Mary Tudor, King Henry VIII's sister, with King
Louis XII of France
Louis XII (27 June 14621 January 1515), was King of France from 1498 to 1515 and King of Naples from 1501 to 1504. The son of Charles, Duke of Orléans, and Maria of Cleves, he succeeded his 2nd cousin once removed and brother in law at the tim ...
. Later, on King Louis XII's death in 1515, he was accredited to negotiate various matters with the King; and was sent to congratulate the new King,
Francis I of France
Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin once ...
, as well as to negotiate Princess Mary's return to England.
Love between Charles and the young
Dowager
A dowager is a widow or widower who holds a title or property—a "dower"—derived from her or his deceased spouse. As an adjective, ''dowager'' usually appears in association with monarchy, monarchical and aristocracy, aristocratic Title#Aristocr ...
Queen Mary had existed before her marriage, and King Francis I roundly charged him with an intention to marry her. King Francis, perhaps in the hope of his wife
Queen Claude
Claude of France (13 October 1499 – 20 July 1524) was Queen of France by marriage to King Francis I. She was also ruling Duchess of Brittany from 1514 until her death in 1524. She was a daughter of King Louis XII of France and his second wif ...
's death, had himself been one of Mary's suitors in the first week of her widowhood, in which Mary had asserted that she had given him her confidence in order to avoid his overtures.
King Francis I and King Henry VIII both professed a friendly attitude towards the marriage of the lovers, but Charles had many political enemies, and Mary feared that she might again be sacrificed for political considerations. The King's Council, not wishing to see Charles Brandon gain further power at court, were opposed to the match. The truth was that King Henry was anxious to obtain from King Francis the gold plate and jewels which had been given or promised to his sister Mary by King Louis XII as well as the reimbursement of the expenses of her marriage with King Louis; and he practically made his acceptance in Charles's suit dependent on Charles obtaining them. However, when Charles was sent to bring Mary back to England, King Henry VIII made him promise that he would not propose to her. Once in France though, Charles was persuaded by Mary to abandon this pledge. The couple wed in secret at the Hotel de Clugny on 3 March 1515 in the presence of just 10 people, among whom was King Francis I. Charles announced their marriage to Thomas Wolsey who had been their fast friend.
Technically, this was
treason
Treason is the crime of attacking a state authority to which one owes allegiance. This typically includes acts such as participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplo ...
as Charles Brandon had married a royal princess without King Henry's consent. Thus, King Henry VIII was outraged, and the
privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
urged that Charles should be imprisoned or executed. He was only saved from King Henry's anger by Wolsey and from the affection that the King had for both his sister and for him. Hence, the couple got off easily and were charged only with a heavy fine of £24,000 to be paid to the King in yearly instalments of £1000, as well as the whole of Mary's dowry from King Louis XII of £200,000, together with her plate and jewels. Nonetheless, the fine was later reduced by the King. They were then openly married at
Greenwich Hall on 13 May 1515 in the presence of King Henry VIII and his courtiers. The Duke of Suffolk had been already twice married, to Margaret Neville (the widow of John Mortimer) and to Anne Browne, to whom he had been betrothed before his marriage with Margaret Neville. Anne Browne died in 1511, but Margaret Neville, from whom he had obtained a declaration of nullity on the ground of
consanguinity
Consanguinity ("blood relation", from Latin '' consanguinitas'') is the characteristic of having a kinship with another person (being descended from a common ancestor).
Many jurisdictions have laws prohibiting people who are related by blood fr ...
, was still living. He secured in 1528 a
bull
A bull is an intact (i.e., not castrated) adult male of the species ''Bos taurus'' (cattle). More muscular and aggressive than the females of the same species (i.e., cows), bulls have long been an important symbol in many religions,
includin ...
from
Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII ( la, Clemens VII; it, Clemente VII; born Giulio de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the ...
that assured the legitimacy of his marriage with Mary Tudor.
Mary died on 25 June 1533, and in September of the same year, Charles married his ward, the 14-year-old
Katherine Willoughby
Katherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, ''suo jure'' 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby ( Willoughby; 22 March 1519 – 19 September 1580), was an English noblewoman living at the courts of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. ...
(1519–1580), ''suo jure'' Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. Katherine had been betrothed to his eldest surviving son,
Henry, Earl of Lincoln, but the boy was too young to marry. Not desiring to risk losing Katherine's lands, Charles married her himself in the end.
[ In a letter to Emperor ]Charles V Charles V may refer to:
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
* Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690)
* Infan ...
, the Imperial ambassador Eustace Chapuys
Eustace Chapuys (; c. 1490/92 – 21 January 1556), the son of Louis Chapuys and Guigonne Dupuys, was a Savoyard diplomat who served Charles V as Imperial ambassador to England from 1529 until 1545 and is best known for his extensive and detaile ...
wrote: 'On Sunday next the duke of Suffolk will be married to the daughter of a Spanish lady named lady Willoughby. She was promised to his son, but he is only ten years old...'
By Katherine Willoughby, he had his two youngest sons who showed great promise,
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
(1535–1551) and
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
(c. 1537–1551), who later became Dukes of Suffolk. However, they eventually died of the
sweating sickness
Sweating sickness, also known as the sweats, English sweating sickness, English sweat or ''sudor anglicus'' in Latin, was a mysterious and contagious disease that struck England and later continental Europe in a series of epidemics beginning ...
within an hour of each other.
Between 1536–1543, Charles gave his London residence Suffolk Place, rebuilt by him in fine
Renaissance style
Renaissance architecture is the European architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 16th centuries in different regions, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of Ancient Greece, ancient Greek and ...
in 1522, to King Henry VIII in exchange for
Norwich Place on the
Strand
Strand may refer to:
Topography
*The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a:
** Beach
** Shoreline
* Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida
Places Africa
* Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa
* Strand Street ...
, London. He also leased
Hoxne manor
Hoxne manor is an estate in Hoxne, Suffolk, England. It was originally a manor house belonging to East Anglian bishops. However following the dissolution of the monasteries, the land was handed over to favourites at the court of Henry VIII.
Mid ...
at this time.
Marriages and children
Before 7 February 1507, Charles Brandon firstly married Margaret Neville (born 1466), widow of Sir John Mortimer (d. before 12 November 1504), and daughter of
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu (c. 1431 – 14 April 1471) was a major magnate of fifteenth-century England. He was a younger son of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, and the younger brother of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwic ...
(slain at the
Battle of Barnet
The Battle of Barnet was a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England. The military action, along with the subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury, secured the throne for Edward IV. On Sunday 14 April ...
) by Isabel Ingaldesthorpe (or Ingoldesthorpe), daughter and heiress of Sir Edmund Ingaldesthorpe (or Ingoldesthorpe) and his wife,
Joanna Tiptoft, by whom he had no issue. The marriage was declared void about 1507 by the
Archdeaconry Court
The Court of the Archdeacon, or Archdeaconry Court, is an obsolete ecclesiastical court of the Church of England. The court's original responsibilities included trial for minor criminal matters falling within the territory of the archdeacon. App ...
of London, and later by
papal bull dated 12 May 1528. Margaret (née Neville) subsequently married Robert Downes, gentleman.
In early 1508, in a secret ceremony at
Stepney
Stepney is a district in the East End of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The district is no longer officially defined, and is usually used to refer to a relatively small area. However, for much of its history the place name appl ...
, and later publicly at
St Michael's, Cornhill
St Michael, Cornhill, is a medieval parish church in the City of London with pre-Norman Conquest parochial foundation. It lies in the ward of Cornhill. The medieval structure was lost in the Great Fire of London, and replaced by the present bui ...
, Charles secondly married Anne Browne (the step-daughter of Margaret Neville's sister, Lucy Neville), daughter of
Sir Anthony Browne (Standard Bearer of England in 1485), by his first wife, Eleanor Ughtred, the daughter of Sir Robert Ughtred (c. 1428c. 1487) of
Kexby, North Yorkshire
Kexby is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of the City of York in North Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Derwent and on the A1079 road about east of York not far from the East Riding of Yorkshire border.
The village ...
and Katherine Eure, daughter of Sir William Eure of
Stokesley
Stokesley is a market town and civil parish in the Hambleton District of North Yorkshire, England, formerly a part of the historic North Riding of Yorkshire. It lies on the River Leven. An electoral ward, of the same name, stretches north to ...
,
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
. By Anne Browne, he had two daughters:
*
Lady Anne Brandon (1507–1557), who married firstly Edward Grey, 3rd
Baron Grey of Powis
The title Baron Grey of Powis (1482–1552) was created for the great-grandson of Joan Charleton (c. 1400–1425), co-heiress and 6th Lady of Powis (Powys) and her husband, Sir John Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville (1384–1421) after the death of ...
, and after the dissolution of this union, Randal Harworth.
*
Lady Mary Brandon (1510c. 1542), who married Thomas Stanley, 2nd
Baron Monteagle
Baron Monteagle or Baron Mount Eagle is a title that has been created three times; in the Peerage of England, in the Peerage of Ireland and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
The first creation, in the Peerage of England, was in 1514 when Edwa ...
.
Charles was then contracted to marry
Elizabeth Grey, 5th Baroness Lisle (1505–1519), and was thus created 1st
Viscount Lisle
The title of Viscount Lisle has been created six times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, on 30 October 1451, was for John Talbot, 1st Baron Lisle. Upon the death of his son Thomas at the Battle of Nibley Green in 1470, the viscoun ...
of the third creation in 1513, but the contract was annulled, and he surrendered the title either before 1519 or in 1523.
![Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/Mary_Tudor_and_Charles_Brandon2.jpg)
In May 1515, Charles thirdly married
Mary Tudor, Queen Dowager of France (18 March 149625 June 1533). After their marriage, Charles and Mary resided at
Westhorpe Hall
Westhorpe Hall was a manor house in Westhorpe, Suffolk, England.
Westhorpe Hall was the residence of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and of Princess Mary (daughter of King Henry VII and sister of King Henry VIII), a love match and secon ...
where they raised all their children. They had two sons who died young, and two daughters:
*Lord Henry Brandon (11 March 15161522)
*
Lady Frances Brandon
Frances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk (née Lady Frances Brandon; 16 July 1517 – 20 November 1559), was an English noblewoman, the second child and eldest daughter of King Henry VIII's younger sister, Princess Mary, and Charles Brandon, 1st Duke ...
(16 July 151720 November 1559), who married
Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, by whom she was the mother of
Lady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey ( 1537 – 12 February 1554), later known as Lady Jane Dudley (after her marriage) and as the "Nine Days' Queen", was an English noblewoman who claimed the throne of England and Ireland from 10 July until 19 July 1553.
Jane was ...
.
*
Lady Eleanor Brandon (151927 September 1547), who married
Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland.
*
Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln
Henry Brandon, Earl of Lincoln (c. before 18 June 1523 – 1 March 1534) was the youngest child and second son born to Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor, Queen of France, who was a daughter of Henry VII, King of England. Thus ...
(c. 15231 March 1534)
On 7 September 1533, Charles fourthly married
Katherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
Katherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk, ''suo jure'' 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby ( Willoughby; 22 March 1519 – 19 September 1580), was an English noblewoman living at the courts of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI and Queen Elizabeth I. ...
(22 March 151919 September 1580), the daughter and heiress of
William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1482–1526), was an English baron and the largest landowner in Lincolnshire.
He was the son of Sir Christopher Willoughby (died c. 1498) and Margaret or Marjery Jenney (daughter of Sir Willi ...
, by his second wife,
María de Salinas
María de Salinas, Baroness Willoughby de Eresby (c. 1490 – 1539) was an English noblewoman and courtier from Spain. She was a confidante and lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England.
Family background
María was the daughter of ...
. He had two sons by her, both of whom died young of the
sweating sickness
Sweating sickness, also known as the sweats, English sweating sickness, English sweat or ''sudor anglicus'' in Latin, was a mysterious and contagious disease that struck England and later continental Europe in a series of epidemics beginning ...
:
*
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (18 September 1535 – 14 July 1551), styled Lord Henry Brandon before 1545, was an English nobleman, the son of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his fourth wife, Catherine Willoughby.
His father h ...
(18 September 153514 July 1551)
*
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk (12 October 1537 – 14 July 1551), known as Lord Charles Brandon until shortly before his death, was the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk and the ''suo jure'' 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby.
His father ha ...
(153714 July 1551)
After Charles Brandon's death in 1545, his widow, Katherine married
Richard Bertie.
Charles also had a number of illegitimate children:
*Sir Charles Brandon, who married Elizabeth Pigot, widow of Sir James Strangways.
*Frances Brandon, who married firstly William Sandon, and secondly Andrew Bilsby.
*Mary Brandon, who married Robert Ball of
Scottow,
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
, the uncle of
Temperance Flowerdew
Temperance Flowerdew, Lady Yeardley (1590 – 1628)Dorman, John Frederick, ''Adventurers of Purse and Person'', 4th ed., v.3, pp861-872 Through her paternal grandmother she was the grand-niece of Amy Robsart. Her paternal grandparents were William ...
and
John Pory
John Pory (1572–1636) was an English politician, administrator, traveller and author of the Jacobean and Caroline eras; the skilled linguist may have been the first news correspondent in English-language journalism. As the first Speaker of ...
.
Fictional portrayals
* The romance between Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon is fictionalized in ''
When Knighthood Was in Flower'', by American author
Charles Major writing under the pseudonym Edwin Caskoden. It was first published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1898 and proved an enormous success. At least three films have been based on this novel.
** A 1908 motion picture of the same name or under the title ''When Knights Were Bold '' was directed by
Wallace McCutcheon. This is considered a
lost film
A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress.
Conditions
During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...
.
** He is portrayed by
Forrest Stanley
Forrest Stanley (August 21, 1889 – August 27, 1969) was an American actor and screenplay writer best known for his work in silent film. He is particularly known for his role as Charles Brandon in the historical film '' When Knighthood Was in ...
in the 1922 film adaptation ''
When Knighthood Was in Flower'', directed by
Robert G. Vignola
Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...
.
**
Richard Todd
Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd (11 June 19193 December 2009) was an Irish-British actor known for his leading man roles of the 1950s. He received a Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male, and an Academy Award for Best Actor n ...
portrays Brandon in ''
The Sword and the Rose
''The Sword and the Rose'' is a family/adventure film produced by Perce Pearce and Walt Disney and directed by Ken Annakin. The film features the story of Mary Tudor, a younger sister of Henry VIII of England.
Based on the 1898 novel '' When Kn ...
'', an account of his romance with Mary Tudor in 1515.
*''The Reluctant Queen'' by
Molly Costain Haycraft
Molly Costain Haycraft (6 December 1911 – 5 June 2005) was a Canadian author. She was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and spent her childhood in Philadelphia, where her father, the well-known novelist Thomas B. Costain, was an editor for ''The ...
presents another fictionalised version of the relationship between Brandon and Mary Tudor.
* Brandon was portrayed by actor
Henry Cavill
Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill ( ; born 5 May 1983) is a British actor. He is known for his portrayal of Charles Brandon in Showtime's ''The Tudors'' (2007–2010), DC Comics character Superman in the DC Extended Universe (2013–2022), Gera ...
in the
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
series ''
The Tudors
''The Tudors'' is a historical fiction television series set primarily in 16th-century England, created and written by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime. The series was a collaboration among ...
''. In this series he is incorrectly portrayed as being married to Margaret Tudor, when in fact he was married to Mary Tudor. He served as a confidant to his best friend
Henry VIII
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
, and therefore a number of Brandon's storylines are fictionalized for dramatic purposes. For example, he is married twice and is
estranged from second wife
Catherine Willoughby Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk (Rebekah Wainwright). He takes on an
official mistress, a French
expatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...
(played by
Selma Brook), who cares for him up until his death. Also, he only has one son here, Edward (Michael Winder), presumably a representation of
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk
Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk (18 September 1535 – 14 July 1551), styled Lord Henry Brandon before 1545, was an English nobleman, the son of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his fourth wife, Catherine Willoughby.
His father h ...
.
* He is a character in the novels ''
Mary, Queen of France'', ''
The Lady in the Tower
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' and ''The Shadow of the Pomegranate'' by
Jean Plaidy
Eleanor Alice Hibbert (née Burford; 1 September 1906 – 18 January 1993) was an English writer of historical romances. She was a prolific writer who published several books a year in different literary genres, each genre under a different pen ...
.
* He appears as a character in the
Man Booker Prize
The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Booker Prize for Fiction (1969–2001) and the Man Booker Prize (2002–2019), is a literary prize awarded each year for the best novel written in English and published in the United Kingdom or Ireland. ...
winning novel ''
Wolf Hall
''Wolf Hall'' is a 2009 historical novel by English author Hilary Mantel, published by Fourth Estate, named after the Seymour family's seat of Wolfhall, or Wulfhall, in Wiltshire. Set in the period from 1500 to 1535, ''Wolf Hall'' is a symp ...
'' by
Hilary Mantel
Dame Hilary Mary Mantel ( ; born Thompson; 6 July 1952 – 22 September 2022) was a British writer whose work includes historical fiction, personal memoirs and short stories. Her first published novel, ''Every Day Is Mother's Day'', was releas ...
, and in its sequels, ''
Bring Up the Bodies
''Bring Up the Bodies'' is an historical novel by Hilary Mantel; sequel to the award-winning ''Wolf Hall;'' and part of a trilogy charting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, the powerful minister in the court of King Henry VIII. It won the ...
'' and ''
The Mirror and the Light
''The Mirror & The Light'' is an historical novel by the English writer Hilary Mantel. Following ''Wolf Hall'' (2009) and '' Bring Up the Bodies'' (2012), it is the final instalment in her trilogy charting the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell, ...
''.
** He is portrayed by actor
Richard Dillane
Richard Dillane (born 1964) is a British actor. He appears in a lead role of the Netflix series ''Young Wallander'', based on the character Kurt Wallander created by novelist Henning Mankell. He played British intelligence agent Peter Nicholls i ...
in the BBC drama ''
Wolf Hall
''Wolf Hall'' is a 2009 historical novel by English author Hilary Mantel, published by Fourth Estate, named after the Seymour family's seat of Wolfhall, or Wulfhall, in Wiltshire. Set in the period from 1500 to 1535, ''Wolf Hall'' is a symp ...
'', based on Mantel's book.
* In the novel ''
The Serpent Garden'' by
Judith Merkle Riley
Judith Merkle Riley (January 14, 1942 – September 12, 2010) was an American writer, teacher and academic who wrote six historical romance novels.
Biography
Judith Astria Merkle was born in 1942 and grew up in Livermore, California. Her grea ...
, Brandon is portrayed as an immensely strong but rather dimwitted noble with a poor sense of spelling.
*
Brian Blessed
Brian Blessed (; born 9 October 1936) is an English actor, presenter, writer and mountaineer.
Blessed is known for portraying PC "Fancy" Smith in ''Z-Cars'', Augustus in the 1976 BBC television production of ''I, Claudius'', King Richard IV i ...
portrayed Suffolk in the film ''
Henry VIII and His Six Wives
''Henry VIII and His Six Wives'' is a 1972 British historical film adaptation, directed by Waris Hussein, of the BBC 1970 six-part miniseries '' The Six Wives of Henry VIII''. Keith Michell, who plays Henry VIII in the TV series, also portrays ...
'' (1972).
*Brandon is portrayed by actor
Jordan Renzo
Jordan Renzo (born February 11, 1993) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Matteusz Andrzejewski in the BBC Three '' Doctor Who'' spin-off '' Class'' (2016) and Charlie Brandon in the Starz historical drama ''The Spanish Princess'' ...
in the 2019
Starz
Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consist ...
series ''
The Spanish Princess
''The Spanish Princess'' is a historical drama television limited series developed by Emma Frost and Matthew Graham for Starz. Based on the novels ''The Constant Princess'' (2005) and ''The King's Curse'' (2014) by Philippa Gregory, it is a seque ...
'' based on the novels ''
The Constant Princess
''The Constant Princess'' is a historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory, published in 2005. The novel depicts a highly fictionalized version of the life of Catherine of Aragon and her rise to power in England.
Plot summary
Catalina of Ara ...
'' and ''
The King's Curse
''The King's Curse'' is a 2014 historical novel by Philippa Gregory, part of her series ''The Cousins' War''. A direct sequel to '' The White Princess'', it follows the adult life of Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, the daughter of George Pl ...
'' by
Philippa Gregory
Philippa Gregory (born 9 January 1954) is an English historical novelist who has been publishing since 1987. The best known of her works is ''The Other Boleyn Girl'' (2001), which in 2002 won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award from the Roman ...
.
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
* (primarily on his wife, Mary Tudor)
* (primarily on his wife, Catherine)
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suffolk, Charles Brandon, 1st Duke Of
1480s births
1545 deaths
201
Year 201 ( CCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Fabianus and Arrius (or, less frequently, year 954 '' Ab urbe condi ...
Ambassadors of England to France
Knights of the Garter
Lord-Lieutenants of Buckinghamshire
Charles
Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...
Lord-Lieutenants of Oxfordshire
Lord Presidents of the Council
Military leaders of the Italian Wars
Burials at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle
16th-century English diplomats
16th-century English nobility
1
Peers of England created by Henry VIII