Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk
Charles Brandon entered the world in 1484, born into a family defined by loyalty and blood. His father, Sir William Brandon, served as Henry Tudor's standard-bearer at the Battle of Bosworth Field. That battle ended on the 22nd of August 1485, and it was there that William Brandon lost his life while fighting for the new king. Charles grew up without his father but with a legacy of service to the Tudor dynasty. He spent his childhood at the court of King Henry VII, where he learned the arts of war and diplomacy. By the time Henry VIII took the throne, Charles had become the young prince's closest friend. They were about seven years apart in age, making Charles a role model for the future monarch after Prince Arthur died. Dugdale described him as comely of stature and high of courage, noting his conformity of disposition to King Henry VIII. This shared temperament forged a bond that would last forty years.
Military success paved the way for noble titles during the early 1500s. Charles distinguished himself at the sieges of Thérouanne and Tournai in the French campaign of 1513. Margaret of Savoy, governor of the Netherlands, called him a second king and advised her to write him a pleasant letter. On the 4th of March 1514, Henry VIII created him Duke of Suffolk. At that moment, only two other dukes existed in the kingdom: Buckingham and Norfolk. As Duke, he traveled around the county to meet local dignitaries and stayed at family homes like Wingfield Castle and Henham Hall. In 1523, he commanded English troops from Calais alongside Floris d'Egmont, Count of Buren. He invaded France but disbanded his troops when winter approached. Later, he served as Earl Marshal of England starting in 1524, though he relinquished the office in 1533 to Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. His administrative roles grew as Wolsey fell from power, increasing Brandon's influence within the court.
The marriage between Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor began with political intrigue and ended in treason. Mary was King Henry VIII's sister and had been married to Louis XII of France until his death in 1515. Love had existed between Mary and Brandon before her French marriage. Francis I of France also pursued Mary during her widowhood, but she refused his overtures. When Brandon returned to France to negotiate matters, he abandoned a promise not to propose to her. The couple wed in secret at the Hotel de Clugny on the 3rd of March 1515. Only ten people witnessed the ceremony, including Francis I himself. This act was technically treason because Brandon married a royal princess without the King's consent. The Privy Council urged imprisonment or execution for this breach of protocol. Wolsey smoothed things over, saving Brandon from the King's full anger. They faced a heavy fine of £24,000 payable in yearly instalments of £1000. Henry later reduced the fine, and the couple were openly married at Greenwich Hall on the 13th of May 1515.
Mary died on the 25th of June 1533, leaving Brandon a widower just months after their public wedding. In September of that same year, he married his ward, Katherine Willoughby, who was only fourteen years old. She held the title Baroness Willoughby de Eresby suo jure. An Imperial ambassador named Eustace Chapuys wrote about the union, noting that Brandon had married her himself because his eldest son was too young to marry. The Earl of Lincoln, Brandon's first surviving son, died in 1534. With Katherine, Brandon had two youngest sons: another Henry born in 1535 and Charles born around 1537. Both boys showed great promise but eventually died of the sweating sickness within an hour of each other. This tragedy struck during the mid-1530s, ending the direct male line from this marriage. Between 1536 and 1543, Brandon gave his London residence Suffolk Place to Henry VIII in exchange for Norwich Place on the Strand. He also leased Hoxne Hall during this period while managing his family estates.
The romance between Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon has inspired numerous fictional adaptations over centuries. American author Charles Major wrote When Knighthood Was in Flower under the pseudonym Edwin Caskoden, publishing it with The Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1898. At least three films have been based on this novel, including a lost 1908 motion picture directed by Wallace McCutcheon. Forrest Stanley portrayed Brandon in the 1922 film adaptation directed by Robert G. Vignola. Richard Todd played him in the 1953 Disney film The Sword and the Rose. Henry Cavill appeared as Brandon in the Showtime series The Tudors, though he incorrectly married Margaret Tudor instead of Mary. Jean Plaidy included him in novels like Mary Queen of France and The Lady in the Tower. Hilary Mantel featured him prominently in Wolf Hall and its sequels Bring Up the Bodies and The Mirror & the Light. Richard Dillane portrayed him in the BBC drama Wolf Hall. Judith Merkle Riley depicted him as an immensely strong but dimwitted noble in
The Serpent Garden. Brian Blessed played Suffolk in the 1972 film Henry VIII and His Six Wives. Jordan Renzo portrayed him in the 2019 Starz series The Spanish Princess.
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Common questions
When was Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk born?
Charles Brandon entered the world in 1484. He grew up at the court of King Henry VII after his father Sir William Brandon died at the Battle of Bosworth Field on the 22nd of August 1485.
How did Charles Brandon become Duke of Suffolk and when?
Henry VIII created him Duke of Suffolk on the 4th of March 1514 following military success at the sieges of Thérouanne and Tournai in 1513. At that moment only two other dukes existed in the kingdom: Buckingham and Norfolk.
Who did Charles Brandon marry and when did they wed secretly?
Charles Brandon married Mary Tudor in secret at the Hotel de Clugny on the 3rd of March 1515. The ceremony had only ten witnesses including Francis I of France and was technically treason because it occurred without the King's consent.
What happened to the sons of Charles Brandon and Katherine Willoughby?
Brandon and Katherine Willoughby had two youngest sons named Henry born in 1535 and Charles born around 1537. Both boys eventually died of the sweating sickness within an hour of each other during the mid-1530s ending the direct male line from this marriage.
Which films and books have featured Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk?
American author Charles Major wrote When Knighthood Was in Flower under the pseudonym Edwin Caskoden publishing it with The Bobbs-Merrill Company in 1898. Richard Dillane portrayed him in the BBC drama Wolf Hall while Jordan Renzo played him in the 2019 Starz series The Spanish Princess.