Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 1st Viscount Lisle, KG
(c. 1484 – 22 August 1545) was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII
. His father was the standard-bearer
of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond (later King Henry VII
) and was slain by Richard III
in person at the battle of Bosworth Field
. Suffolk died of unknown causes at Guildford
.
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
in 1513, and received many valuable grants of land. On 15 May 1513, he was created Viscount Lisle
, having entered into a marriage contract with his ward, Elizabeth Grey
, suo jure
Viscountess Lisle, who, however, refused to marry him when she came of age.
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
, 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
, although he was careful to disclaim (on 4 March 1514) any complicity in the project to her father, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
.
After his marriage to Mary, Suffolk lived for some years in retirement, but he was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in 1520. In 1523 he was sent to Calais
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
troops, and laid waste the north of France, but disbanded his troops at the approach of winter.
After Wolsey's disgrace, Suffolk's influence increased daily. He was sent with Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
, to demand the Great Seal
from Wolsey; the same noblemen conveyed the news of Anne Boleyn's
marriage to King Henry, after the divorce from Queen Catherine; and Suffolk acted as High Steward
at the new Queen's coronation
. He was one of the commissioners appointed by Henry to dismiss Catherine's household, a task he found distasteful.
His family had had a residence on the west side of Borough High Street
, London, for at least half a century prior to his building of Suffolk Place
at the site.
He 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
, Surrey, on 24 August in the following year. At Henry VIII's expense he was buried at Windsor
in St George's Chapel.
, Henry's sister, with Louis XII of France
. He was accredited to negotiate various matters with Louis, and on Louis' death was sent to congratulate the new King, Francis I
, and to negotiate Mary's return to England.
Love between Suffolk and the young Dowager
Queen Mary had existed before her marriage, and Francis roundly charged him with an intention to marry her. Francis, perhaps in the hope of Queen Claude
's death, had himself been one of her suitors in the first week of her widowhood, and Mary asserted that she had given him her confidence to avoid his importunities.
Francis and Henry both professed a friendly attitude towards the marriage of the lovers, but Suffolk had many political enemies, and Mary feared that she might again be sacrificed to political considerations. The truth was that Henry was anxious to obtain from Francis the gold plate and jewels which had been given or promised to the Queen by Louis in addition to the reimbursement of the expenses of her marriage with the King; and he practically made his acquiescence in Suffolk's suit dependent on his obtaining them. The pair cut short the difficulties by a private marriage, which Suffolk announced to Thomas Wolsey, who had been their fast friend, on 5 March 1515.
Suffolk was saved from Henry's anger only by Wolsey, and the pair eventually agreed to pay to Henry £24,000 in yearly instalments of £1000, and the whole of Mary's dowry from Louis of £200,000, together with her plate and jewels. They were openly married at Greenwich Hall
on 13 May. The Duke had been twice married already, to Margaret Neville (the widow of John Mortimer) and to Anne Browne, to whom he had been betrothed before his marriage with Margaret Mortimer. Anne Browne died in 1511, but Margaret Mortimer, from whom he had obtained a declaration of nullity on the ground of consanguinity
, was still living. He secured in 1528 a bull
from Pope Clement VII
assuring the legitimacy of his marriage with Mary Tudor and of the daughters of Anne Browne, one of whom, Anne, was sent to the court of Margaret of Savoy.
Mary Tudor died on 25 June 1533 and in September of the same year Suffolk married his ward Catherine Willoughby
(1520–1580), suo jure Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, then a girl of fourteen. She had been betrothed to his son Henry Brandon, Earl of Lincoln, but the boy was too young to marry and Suffolk did not wish to risk losing Catherine's lands, so he married her himself. By Catherine Willoughby he had two sons who showed great promise, Henry (1535–1551) and Charles (c. 1537 – 1551), Dukes of Suffolk. They died of the sweating sickness
within an hour of one another.
and Isabel Ingaldesthorpe. The marriage was annulled in 1507. No issue.
, Standard Bearer of England 1485 and Eleanor Oughtred.
Issue:
of the third creation in 1513, but the contract was annulled and he surrendered this title before 1519 or in 1523. No issue.
Issue:
.
Issue:
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(c. 1484 – 22 August 1545) was the son of Sir William Brandon and Elizabeth Bruyn. Through his third wife Mary Tudor he was brother-in-law to Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. His father was the standard-bearer
Standard-bearer
A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...
of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond (later King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
) and was slain by Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
in person at the battle of Bosworth Field
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
. Suffolk died of unknown causes at Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
.
Political career
Charles Brandon was brought up at the court of Henry VII. He is described by DugdaleWilliam Dugdale
Sir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
as "a person comely of stature, high of courage and conformity of disposition to King Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, with whom he became a great favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
". Brandon held a succession of offices in the royal household, becoming Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
in 1513, and received many valuable grants of land. On 15 May 1513, he was created Viscount Lisle
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 viscountcy became extinct and the barony abeyant.In 1475, the...
, having entered into a marriage contract with his ward, Elizabeth Grey
Elizabeth Grey, Viscountess Lisle
Elizabeth Grey, Viscountess Lisle was an English noblewoman.Elizabeth was the daughter of John Grey, 2nd Viscount Lisle and Muriel Howard. After the death of her stepfather, Sir Thomas Knyvet, in August 1512, Elizabeth was left an orphan and became the ward of Sir Charles Brandon, a favourite of...
, suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
Viscountess Lisle, who, however, refused to marry him when she came of age.
He distinguished himself at the sieges of Thérouanne
Thérouanne
Thérouanne is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Thérouanne is located 10 miles southwest of Saint-Omer, on the D157 and D341 road junction.-Population:-History:...
and Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
in the French campaign of 1513. One of the agents of Margaret of Savoy, governor of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, 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
Duke of Suffolk is a title that has been created three times in British history, all three times in the Peerage of England.The third creation of the dukedom of Suffolk was for Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, in 1551. The duke also held the title Baron Ferrers of Groby...
, although he was careful to disclaim (on 4 March 1514) any complicity in the project to her father, Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor
Maximilian I , the son of Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor and Eleanor of Portugal, was King of the Romans from 1486 and Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 until his death, though he was never in fact crowned by the Pope, the journey to Rome always being too risky...
.
After his marriage to Mary, Suffolk lived for some years in retirement, but he was present at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in 1520. In 1523 he was sent to Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
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
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
troops, and laid waste the north of France, but disbanded his troops at the approach of winter.
After Wolsey's disgrace, Suffolk's influence increased daily. He was sent with Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal was a prominent Tudor politician. He was uncle to Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, two of the wives of King Henry VIII, and played a major role in the machinations behind these marriages...
, to demand the Great Seal
Great Seal of the Realm
The Great Seal of the Realm or Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is used to symbolise the Sovereign's approval of important state documents...
from Wolsey; the same noblemen conveyed the news of Anne Boleyn's
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
marriage to King Henry, after the divorce from Queen Catherine; and Suffolk acted as High Steward
Lord High Steward
The position of Lord High Steward of England is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord...
at the new Queen's coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
. He was one of the commissioners appointed by Henry to dismiss Catherine's household, a task he found distasteful.
His family had had a residence on the west side of Borough High Street
Borough High Street
Borough High Street is a main street in Southwark, London running south-west from London Bridge, forming part of the A3 road, which runs from London to Portsmouth.- Overview :...
, London, for at least half a century prior to his building of Suffolk Place
Suffolk Place
Suffolk Place was a mansion located on the west side of Borough High Street in Southwark belonging to the Dukes of Suffolk. It was built in the fifteenth century and rebuilt in fine Renaissance style in 1522 by Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and boyhood friend of Henry VIII...
at the site.
He supported Henry's ecclesiastical policy, receiving a large share of the lands after the dissolution of the monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
. In 1544, he was for the second time in command of an English army for the invasion of France. He died at Guildford
Guildford
Guildford is the county town of Surrey. England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the administrative headquarters of the South East England region...
, Surrey, on 24 August in the following year. At Henry VIII's expense he was buried at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
in St George's Chapel.
Marriage to Mary Tudor
Suffolk took part in the jousts which celebrated the marriage of Mary TudorMary Tudor (queen consort of France)
Mary Tudor was the younger sister of King Henry VIII of England and queen consort of France through her marriage to Louis XII. The latter was more than 30 years her senior. Following his death, which occurred less than two months after her coronation as his third wife, she married Charles Brandon,...
, Henry's sister, with Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
. He was accredited to negotiate various matters with Louis, and on Louis' death was sent to congratulate the new King, Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, and to negotiate Mary's return to England.
Love between Suffolk and the young Dowager
Dowager
A dowager is a widow who holds a title or property, or dower, derived from her deceased husband. As an adjective, "Dowager" usually appears in association with monarchical and aristocratic titles....
Queen Mary had existed before her marriage, and Francis roundly charged him with an intention to marry her. Francis, perhaps in the hope of Queen Claude
Claude of France
Claude of France was a princess and queen consort of France and ruling Duchess of Brittany. She was the eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany....
's death, had himself been one of her suitors in the first week of her widowhood, and Mary asserted that she had given him her confidence to avoid his importunities.
Francis and Henry both professed a friendly attitude towards the marriage of the lovers, but Suffolk had many political enemies, and Mary feared that she might again be sacrificed to political considerations. The truth was that Henry was anxious to obtain from Francis the gold plate and jewels which had been given or promised to the Queen by Louis in addition to the reimbursement of the expenses of her marriage with the King; and he practically made his acquiescence in Suffolk's suit dependent on his obtaining them. The pair cut short the difficulties by a private marriage, which Suffolk announced to Thomas Wolsey, who had been their fast friend, on 5 March 1515.
Suffolk was saved from Henry's anger only by Wolsey, and the pair eventually agreed to pay to Henry £24,000 in yearly instalments of £1000, and the whole of Mary's dowry from Louis of £200,000, together with her plate and jewels. They were openly married at Greenwich Hall
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
on 13 May. The Duke had been twice married already, to Margaret Neville (the widow of John Mortimer) and to Anne Browne, to whom he had been betrothed before his marriage with Margaret Mortimer. Anne Browne died in 1511, but Margaret Mortimer, from whom he had obtained a declaration of nullity on the ground of consanguinity
Consanguinity
Consanguinity refers to the property of being from the same kinship as another person. In that respect, consanguinity is the quality of being descended from the same ancestor as another person...
, was still living. He secured in 1528 a bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
from Pope Clement VII
Pope Clement VII
Clement VII , born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici, was a cardinal from 1513 to 1523 and was Pope from 1523 to 1534.-Early life:...
assuring the legitimacy of his marriage with Mary Tudor and of the daughters of Anne Browne, one of whom, Anne, was sent to the court of Margaret of Savoy.
Mary Tudor died on 25 June 1533 and in September of the same year Suffolk married his ward Catherine Willoughby
Catherine Willoughby
Catherine Willoughby, Duchess of Suffolk, suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby , was an English noblewoman living at the royal courts of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI and later, Queen Elizabeth I...
(1520–1580), suo jure Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, then a girl of fourteen. She had been betrothed to his son Henry Brandon, Earl of Lincoln, but the boy was too young to marry and Suffolk did not wish to risk losing Catherine's lands, so he married her himself. By Catherine Willoughby he had two sons who showed great promise, Henry (1535–1551) and Charles (c. 1537 – 1551), Dukes of Suffolk. They died of the sweating sickness
Sweating sickness
Sweating sickness, also known as "English sweating sickness" or "English sweate" , was a mysterious and highly virulent disease that struck England, and later continental Europe, in a series of epidemics beginning in 1485. The last outbreak occurred in 1551, after which the disease apparently...
within an hour of one another.
First marriage
Before February 1506 he married Margaret Mortimer (née Neville), daughter of John Neville, 1st Marquess of MontaguJohn Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....
and Isabel Ingaldesthorpe. The marriage was annulled in 1507. No issue.
Second marriage
About 1508 he married Anne Browne (d. 1511) daughter of Sir Anthony BrowneAnthony Browne (died 1506)
Sir Anthony Browne was the son of Sir Thomas Browne, Sheriff of Kent and his wife Eleanor FitzAlan, the daughter of Sir Thomas FitzAlan of Beechwood at Betchworth.He is to be associated with the Brownes of Betchworth in Surrey....
, Standard Bearer of England 1485 and Eleanor Oughtred.
Issue:
- Anne BrandonAnne Brandon, Baroness Grey of PowisLady Anne Brandon, Baroness Grey of Powys was an English noblewoman, and the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk by his second wife, Anne Browne. Anne's mother had died in 1511. In 1514, Anne's father secured a place for her at the court of Archduchess Margaret of Savoy...
(1507–1557) – she married firstly Edward Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Powis, and, after the dissolution of this union, Randal Harworth - Mary BrandonMary Brandon, Baroness MonteagleLady Mary Brandon, Baroness Monteagle , was an English noblewoman, and the daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his second wife, Anne Browne...
(1510 – c. 1542) – she married Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Monteagle
Contract
He contracted to marry Elizabeth Grey, 5th Baroness Lisle (1505–1519). He was thus created 1st Viscount LisleViscount 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 viscountcy became extinct and the barony abeyant.In 1475, the...
of the third creation in 1513, but the contract was annulled and he surrendered this title before 1519 or in 1523. No issue.
Third marriage
In May 1515 he married Mary Tudor, Queen Dowager of France (18 March 1496 – 25 June 1533).Issue:
- Lord Henry Brandon (11 March 1516 – 1522)
- Lady Frances BrandonLady Frances BrandonFrances Grey, Duchess of Suffolk , born Lady Frances Brandon, was the second child and eldest daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France...
(16 July 1517 – 20 November 1559) – she married Henry Grey, Marquess of DorsetHenry Grey, 1st Duke of SuffolkHenry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, 3rd Marquess of Dorset, KG was an English nobleman of the Tudor period and the father of Lady Jane Grey.-Henry VIII's reign:...
and was the mother of Lady Jane GreyLady Jane GreyLady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed... - Lady Eleanor BrandonLady Eleanor BrandonLady Eleanor Brandon was the third child and second daughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Princess Mary Tudor, the Dowager Queen consort of France. She was a younger sister of Lady Frances Brandon and an elder sister of Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln...
(1519 – 27 September 1547) – she married Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of CumberlandHenry Clifford, 2nd Earl of CumberlandHenry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676. He was married to Lady Eleanor Brandon, a niece of Henry VIII of England.-Family:... - Henry Brandon, 1st Earl of LincolnHenry Brandon, 1st Earl of LincolnHenry Brandon, 1st Earl of Lincoln 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 of England. Thus Henry Brandon was nephew to Henry VIII of England...
(c. 1523 – 1 March 1534)
Fourth marriage
On 7 September 1533 he married Catherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby (1 April 1520 – 19 September 1580); after widowing she remarried Richard BertieRichard Bertie (courtier)
Richard Bertie was an English landowner and religious evangelical. He was the second husband of Catherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, Duchess Dowager of Suffolk and a woman who Henry VIII was considering as his seventh wife shortly before his death; she also received a proposal...
.
Issue:
- Henry Brandon, 2nd Duke of SuffolkHenry Brandon, 2nd Duke of SuffolkHenry Brandon, 2nd Duke of Suffolk , styled Lord Henry Brandon before 1545, was an English nobleman, the son of the 1st Duke of Suffolk, by his fourth wife, the suo jure 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
(18 September 1535 – 14 July 1551); sweating sickness - Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of SuffolkCharles Brandon, 3rd Duke of SuffolkCharles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk , 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....
(1537/1538 – 14 July 1551); sweating sickness
Illegitimate children
- Sir Charles Brandon, married Elizabeth, widow of Sir James Strangways
- Frances Brandon, married firstly William Sandon, then Andrew Bilsby
- Mary Brandon, married Robert Ball of Scottow, Norfolk
Fictional portrayals
- The romance between Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon is fictionalised in When Knighthood Was in Flower, by American author Charles Major written under the pseudonym, Edwin Caskoden. It was first published by The Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1898 and proved an enormous success. At least three movies have been based on this novel, the most successful being The Sword and the Rose, below.
- The Reluctant Queen by Molly Costain HaycraftMolly Costain HaycraftMolly Costain Haycraft is a Canadian author. She was born in Toronto, Canada, and spent her childhood in Philadelphia, where her father, the well-known novelist Thomas B. Costain, was an editor for The Saturday Evening Post. She is the author of several novels about women in English royal history...
presents another fictionalised version of the relationship between Brandon and Mary Tudor. - Brandon is briefly fictionalised in the historical fiction novel The Last BoleynThe Last BoleynThe Last Boleyn is a novel by Karen Harper.Previously published as Passion's Reign in 1983, The Last Boleyn tells the story of the middle Boleyn child: Mary. Unlike her siblings, Anne and George, Mary Boleyn was left wholly forgotten by history...
by author Karen HarperKaren HarperKaren Harper is an historical fiction and contemporary fiction author. She is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.-Writing career:...
. - He is portrayed by Richard ToddRichard ToddRichard Todd OBE was an Irish-born British stage and film actor and soldier.-Early life:Richard Todd was born as Richard Andrew Palethorpe-Todd in Dublin, Ireland. His father, Andrew William Palethorpe Todd, was an Irish physician and an international Irish rugby player who gained three caps for...
in The Sword and the RoseThe Sword and the RoseThe Sword and the Rose, is a United States family and adventure film, produced by Perce Pearce and Walt Disney and directed by Ken Annakin...
, an account of his romance with Mary Tudor in 1515. - Brandon is portrayed by actor Henry CavillHenry CavillHenry William Dalgliesh Cavill is a British actor. He has appeared in the films The Count of Monte Cristo and Stardust, and played the role of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, on the Showtime series The Tudors, from 2007 until 2010...
in the Showtime series The TudorsThe TudorsThe Tudors is a Canadian produced historical fiction television series filmed in Ireland, created by Michael Hirst and produced for the American premium cable television channel Showtime...
. - He is a character in the novel Mary, Queen of France by author Jean Plaidy.
- He also appears as a character in the Man Booker PrizeMan Booker PrizeThe Man Booker Prize for Fiction is a literary prize awarded each year for the best original full-length novel, written in the English language, by a citizen of the Commonwealth of Nations, Ireland, or Zimbabwe. The winner of the Man Booker Prize is generally assured of international renown and...
winning novel Wolf HallWolf HallWolf Hall is a multi-award winning historical novel by English author Hilary Mantel, published by Fourth Estate. Set in the period from 1500 to 1535, Wolf Hall is a fictionalized biography documenting the rapid rise to power of Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex in the court of Henry VIII of...
by author Hilary MantelHilary MantelHilary Mary Mantel CBE , née Thompson, is an English novelist, short story writer and critic. Her work, ranging in subject from personal memoir to historical fiction, has been short-listed for major literary awards...
. - He is portrayed as an attempted rapist in the novel Dear Heart, How Like You This? based on the life of Sir Thomas WyattThomas WyattThomas Wyatt may refer to:* Thomas Wyatt , English poet* Thomas Wyatt the younger , rebel leader* Thomas Henry Wyatt , British architect...
- In the novel The Serpent Garden by Judith Merkle RileyJudith Merkle RileyJudith Merkle Riley was a U.S. writer and academic who wrote six historical romance novels from 1988 to 1999.-Biography:...
, Brandon is portrayed as an immensely strong but rather dimwitted noble with a poor sense of spelling.
Further reading
- The life and career of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, c.1484–1545 by S. J. Gunn
- Catherine Willoughby by Evelyn Read (primarily on his wife, Catherine)
- Sisters to the King by Maria Perry (primarily on his wife, Mary Tudor)