Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk |

CHARACTER CONNECTIONS Family members: Paternal Grandfather: Sir William Brandon, Marshal of Marshalsea Prison Paternal Grandmother: Elizabeth Wingfield Maternal Grandfather: Sir Henry Bruyn Maternal Grandmother: Elizabeth Darcy Father: Sir William Brandon (standard-bearer of Henry VII slained by Richard III in person in Bosworth Field) Mother: Elizabeth Bruyn Marriages: 1st: Margaret Mortimer nee Neville - anulled in 1507 2nd: Anne Browne - died in 1511 3rd: Mary Tudor, Queen Dowager of France - died 24 June 1533 (in the series "The Tudors" this character was Princess Margaret Tudor) 4th: Catherine Willoughby (his ward. his son's betrothed & just 15 yrs old) - married September 7, 1534 Children: with Anne Browne Anne Brandon Mary Brandon with Mary Tudor Henry Brandon Lady Frances Brandon Lady Eleanor Brandon with Catherine Willoughby Henry Brandon Charles Brandon Romance(s): Mary Tudor, Elizabeth Grey (was contracted to marry her, she refused when she came of age) Friends: King Henry VIII Enemies: Cardinal Wolsey, Duke of Norfolk

Scandals: Young Charles had undergone an embarrassing marital situation which revealed his ambition and callousness. In 1505, he had become engaged to Anne Browne, a young woman of impressive lineage.Charles and Anne were betrothed per verba de praesenti, a binding contract under canon law. In such cases, there was no ceremony or witnesses; as one can imagine, this led to several unpleasant cases of men and (more rarely) women repudiating their betrothed if they lacked proper respect for church law. Charles apparently did. He and Anne slept together, as evidenced by the birth of a daughter in 1506, but he did not marry her. Instead, he married her aunt, a very wealthy widow named Margaret Neville Mortimer. The marriage was never taken seriously due to its mercenary nature and, more importantly, legal action begun by Anne's angry family. Eventually, the Mortimer marriage was annulled due to the previous contract and Charles married Anne in a well-attended public ceremony. They had another daughter in 1510; Anne Browne died just two years later. By late 1512, Charles had recovered from his grief enough to contemplate yet another union. This was perhaps even more mercenary since his betrothed was an eight-year-old orphan. It was common practice for the Crown to assume guardianship of an orphaned minor child who had inherited property. The Crown then sold the guardianship to the highest bidder, often the child's own relatives who wanted to receive the property revenues until the child came of age and decide whom they would marry. Charles had been given the wardship of Elizabeth Grey, the heiress to Lord Lisle of Sparsholt in Berkshire. This, along with various offices, grants & pensions, was a mark of Henry's continued favor. In early 1513, Charles announced his engagement to the girl and, on 15 May 1513, the king created him Viscount Lisle, in right of his betrothed wife. Charles Brandon finally had a noble title and even more property. He made a fool of himself by flirting with Margaret, the twice-widowed, 33-year-old daughter of Hapsburg Emperor Maximilian. Once again, Charles Brandon was demonstrating his heavy-handed flair for the ladies. In the end, he greatly offended Margaret by encouraging gossip about their meeting. In particular, it stressed her attraction to him and a possible marriage. As a Hapsburg princess, she was not amused and Henry VIII was forced to make a public apology. But he was not angry with his friend because soon after, he made him Duke of Suffolk.