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Thomas Wyatt

Sir Thomas Wyatt (the Elder) as played by James King AKA Jamie Thomas King

Poet, Diplomat, Soldier, Statesman, Scholar
born 1503 (?) - died 1542

Character's backstory: Wyatt was born at Allington Castle, Kent, 20 miles from the Boleyn Home of Hever Castle. His father was a privy councillor for Henry VII and an adviser to King Henry VIII. Thomas entered the King's court at the age of 13 in a position bearing the title of "Sewer Extraordinary." ( The term sewer back then referred to a servant who waited at table.) He studied at Cambridge and, in 1521 married a girl named Elizabeth Brooke who had a Baron as her brother and royal blood in her veins. He separated from his wife after only about three years of marriage, and after accusing her of adultery. He acted as a royal ambassador and traveled all over Europe on the King's business.

During an official trip to Italy in 1527, he became acquainted with the work of the Italian love poets. Later, his translations of Petrarch introduced the sonnet into England. He was a friend of the earl of Surrey and had a strong influence on the writing of the younger man; together Wyatt and Surrey are credited with being the founders of the school of English lyric poetry that flourished during the remainder of the 16th and continued into the 17th century.

He travelled to Rome in an attempt to get the Pope to grant Henry a divorce so that the King could marry Anne Boleyn and was knighted in 1535.

Gentility:He was the elder son of Henry Wyatt, afterward knighted.

Position:held a number of official positions under Henry VIII, including those of Member of the Privy Council, Ambassador to Spain, Member of Parliament, and Commander of the Fleet.
Knighted in 1535.

Personality type: Sensitive & Brilliant, he was the Quintessential Incurable Romantic. Popular and handsome, he was much admired for his skill in music, languages, and arms.
He was highly intelligent, witty, fearless of speech to the point of indiscretion, impulsive and unsteady, spoilt by an admiring father and friends. Very melancholy.

Roger Ascham declares that ‘he was one of the best translators of the Latin poets of the age in which he lived’. his fame rests chiefly on his poetry and diplomacy.

Signature look: the beard.

Leland described him as "tall in stature, with powerful muscles and sinews. His abundant hair was golden in youth, which he lost by degrees, and became bald, but there grew up instead a thick growth of his long beard".

Endearing trait(s):He was the fulfillment of the Renaissance ideal - soldier, statesman, diplomat, courtier, lover, scholar, and poet.

Annoying trait(s): Too sensitive & he could get a bit monotonous about how he was treated by the women he loved.

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"These bloody days have broken my heart

My lust, my youth did them depart

and blind desire of estate

who hasts to climb seeks to revert

Of truth, circa Regnant tonat

(about the throne the thunder rolls)"

After story: On 5 May 1536 Wyatt was arrested on suspicion of treason with Anne Boleyn & the other 5 men. He was bound and fettered and marched to the Tower, by Archers of the King's Boldyguard, "No one dare say a word for him". When arrested Wyatt replied "the King well knows what I told him before he was married". Cromwell wrote to Wyatt's father on 11 May that his life was to be spared. No legal proceedings were taken against him, and he was released on 14 June, 1536. Wyatt however had not forfeited the king's favour, and Cromwell still treated him with marked confidence. In October 1536 he was given a command against the rebels in Lincolnshire in the 'Pilgrimage of the Grace', and he was knighted on 18 Mar 1536/7. In 1537 he became sheriff of Kent. In April of the same year he was appointed Ambassador to the Emperor Charles V, and he remained abroad, mostly in Spain, till Apr 1539. After Cromwell's demise he was arrested again and sent to the Tower for making disprespectful utterances about the King to the Spanish Ambassador. Katherine Howard interceded and he was released. Her mother was a Culpepper , friend and neighbour of Wyatt’s of Kent; "on condition that he take back his wife from whom he had been separated fifteen years". He had been separated from his wife for upwards of fifteen years. Wyatt had cast her away on account of adultery, and had not seen her for many years; he was now obliged to receive her, and should he not do so, and not lead a conjugal life with her, or should he be found to keep up adulterous relations with one or two other ladies that he has since lived with, he is to suffer pain of death and confiscation of property. Notwithstanding, Wyatt retired to Allington; Elizabeth Darrell, Lady Poynings, Wyatt’s son and daughter-in-law; were also there. He was made high steward of the manor of Maidstone, and early in 1542 he was sent to Falmouth to conduct the Imperial Ambassador to London. The heat of the weather and the fatigue of the journey brought on a violent fever, which compelled him to halt at Sherborne in Dorset. There Wyatt died at the age of 39, and on 11 October, 1542 he was buried in the great church of Sherborne

After story:
On 5 May 1536 Wyatt was arrested on suspicion of treason with Anne Boleyn & the other 5 men. He was bound and fettered and marched to the Tower, by Archers of the King's Boldyguard, "No one dare say a word for him". When arrested Wyatt replied "the King well knows what I told him before he was married". Cromwell wrote to Wyatt's father on 11 May that his life was to be spared. No legal proceedings were taken against him, and he was released on 14 June, 1536. Wyatt however had not forfeited the king's favour, and Cromwell still treated him with marked confidence. In October 1536 he was given a command against the rebels in Lincolnshire in the 'Pilgrimage of the Grace', and he was knighted on 18 Mar 1536/7. In 1537 he became sheriff of Kent.

In April of the same year he was appointed Ambassador to the Emperor Charles V, and he remained abroad, mostly in Spain, till Apr 1539.

After Cromwell's demise he was arrested again and sent to the Tower for making disprespectful utterances about the King to the Spanish Ambassador. Katherine Howard interceded and he was released. Her mother was a Culpepper , friend and neighbour of Wyatt’s of Kent; "on condition that he take back his wife from whom he had been separated fifteen years". He had been separated from his wife for upwards of fifteen years. Wyatt had cast her away on account of adultery, and had not seen her for many years; he was now obliged to receive her, and should he not do so, and not lead a conjugal life with her, or should he be found to keep up adulterous relations with one or two other ladies that he has since lived with, he is to suffer pain of death and confiscation of property.

Notwithstanding, Wyatt retired to Allington; Elizabeth Darrell, Lady Poynings, Wyatt’s son and daughter-in-law; were also there. He was made high steward of the manor of Maidstone, and early in 1542 he was sent to Falmouth to conduct the Imperial Ambassador to London. The heat of the weather and the fatigue of the journey brought on a violent fever, which compelled him to halt at Sherborne in Dorset. There Wyatt died at the age of 39, and on 11 October, 1542 he was buried in the great church of Sherborne

CHARACTER CONNECTIONS

Family members:
Father - Henry Wyatt ( Privy Councillor to Henry VII)
Sister - Margaret Wyatt, Lady Lee

Romance(s):
Anne Boleyn - early to mid 1520's *no evidence that Wyatt's love was reciprocated
Mary Shelton - 1530's
Elizabeth Darrell - 1536/7 - his last and most stable relationship

Married :
Elizabeth Brooke (1521) - sister of George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham - separated c. 1524 when Thomas charged his wife with adultery

Children:
by Elizabeth Brooke :
Thomas Wyatt, the younger
Anne Wyatt

by Elizabeth Darrell :
Henry Wyatt
Francis Wyatt
Edward Wyatt

Friends:
Henry VIII (in reality - not in the series)
Thomas Cromwell
Mark Smeaton
George Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Katherine Howard
Thomas Tallis (in the series - not in reality)

Enemies:
Charles Brandon (in reality - not in the series)

UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES

"And will you leave me thus? Say nay, say nay, for shame.To save you from the blame, of all my grief and grame? And will you leave me so? Say no,say no. And will you leave me thus and have no more pity of he that loves thee? Alas,your cruelty. And will you leave me thus? Say no,say no." Wyatt recites his poem to Anne

"You are a poet as I am a woman. Poets and women are always free with their hearts are they not?" Anne to Thomas Wyatt

"These bloody days have broken my heart, my lust my youth did them depart, for your wit alone, many men would bemoan, and since it is true, many still cry aloud" Wyatt writes of the executions of George Boleyn, Mark Smeaton, Henry Norris and William Brereton

"BUT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO'S GUILTY" Wyatt upon hearing that he is not to be charged of adultery with the Queen

"Thank you, Thomas. I will never forget that we were once true friends" Anne says to Wyatt "I wish I could forget" Wyatt replies

"You cannot give a poem back, or a kiss, or a thought" Wyatt to Elizabeth Darrell

DEFINING EPISODES | MEMORABLE SCENES

"And her accomplices? What of us?”, Wyatt asks Cromwell. “Smeaton, Norris, Brereton and George Boleyn all guilty as charged”, Cromwell replies. “Thomas, what about me? Am I to be tried too?”, Wyatt asks. “No, we found no evidence against you, you’re to be released”, Cromwell informs Wyatt in the tower that he is free to go, eventually!

"I love you, Anne Boleyn, and I always will”, Wyatt tells Anne in a memory, or a fantasy. “Always?”, Anne asks.

"Were you in love with Anne Boleyn? Cardinal Wolsey tells me you were once engaged”, Henry interrogates Wyatt for information about his supposed engagement to Anne Boleyn. “No, that’s not true”, replisWyatt. “Did you love her?”, Henry asks. “Lady Anne is so beautiful, it is the duty of every man to love her. Of course i loved her, but from a distance”, Wyatt replies.

"You are leaving me... Why don't you answer me?" asks Wyatt, "You're married" replies Anne, "Yes, but I'm seperated, I'm going to divorce, I mean, who isn't married?" Wyatt asks.

To read Thomas Wyatt's poetry
- Click this link : Thomas Wyatt's poetry page

PHOTOS & PAINTINGS

	Holbein Portraits of Thomas Wyatt

Allington Castle in Kent which is now a convent and closed to the public.	Allington Castle, Kent -The Wyatt Family home just 20 miles from the Boleyn Home of Hever Castle in Kent.

MsSquirrly	Latest page update: made by MsSquirrly , Oct 21 2009, 3:02 PM EDT (about this update About This Update Edited by MsSquirrly 9 words deleted view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: anne boleyn charles brandon gabrielle anwar henry viii jeremy northam jonathan rhys meyers margaret tudor natalie dormer sam neill showtime the tudors the tudors tudors characters More Info: links to this page

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TudorFan89

I am doing a report in school

Oct 8 2009, 6:13 AM EDT by Reggie19

Thread started: Oct 6 2009, 9:31 PM EDT Watch

Its about Thomas Waytt and Anne Bolyen their relationship and the poems that might be about her. Anyway my question does anyone know any good books website etc that might be good in my research
-Thanks so much !!!!!!!! :)

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Reggie19

Changes to this page!

Sep 23 2009, 5:55 PM EDT by Reggie19

Thread started: Sep 23 2009, 3:26 PM EDT Watch

I made some changes to this page a while ago, which someone just deleted so i'll add a basis for those facts now! Thomas Wyatt dispised Charles Brandon, something Patricia Thompson highlighted on many occasions in her biography based on him. He constantly referred to him as his 'mortal enemy', their servants were constantly embroiled in fights, and while he was imprisoned in the tower on charges of treason where Anne Boleyn was concerned, he believed it was Charles Brandon who was responsible for landing him there! Just thought i'd clarify in case it gets deleted again, i've also highlighted the fact it was in REALITY, not in the SERIES!

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Reggie19

Darrell and Wyatt's children?

Apr 3 2009, 6:13 PM EDT by Reggie19

Thread started: Apr 3 2009, 6:13 PM EDT Watch

I read somewhere that, while their first son Henry died in infancy, it is suspected that maybe Francis, but most certainly Edward, were in fact Thomas Wyatt, the youngers, children, is there much evidence to support this?

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Thomas Wyatt

Poet, Diplomat, Soldier, Statesman, Scholarborn 1503 (?) - died 1542

CHARACTER CONNECTIONS

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Poet, Diplomat, Soldier, Statesman, Scholar
born 1503 (?) - died 1542