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William Brereton
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| born - date unknown - executed May 17, 1536 by order of Henry VIII Character's backstory: as the 7th of nine sons, William had to find his own fortune in the world rather than rely on inheritance. William's family was prosperous landed gentry, seated in Cheshire in Northern England. His father had enjoyed substantial favor from the crown, but had little to give to his younger heirs. Like four of his brothers (four others became priests), William entered royal service and by 1524 was a groom of the king's Privy Chamber. William married in 1529 to a widow, Elizabeth Savage, who was a second cousin to Henry VIII which improved his status and his connections to the crown. As a result of his marriage, he received 36 offices in Cheshire and North Wales. After his father's death, William received the office of chamberlain of Chester thanks to his ties with the king. Historical backstory: In 1536, William was one of the five men who were accused of adultery and conspiracy with Queen Anne. Cromwell claimed that the queen had solicited William for sex on November 16, 1533 and the act took place on the 27th. In retrospect, this is highly unlikely, since Anne was still in seclusion after having given birth to Elizabeth in September (Eric Ives). He was not a prominent courtier and was an older man in the background of the Boleyn faction. Despite the dubious nature of the claims made against him, he was arrested on May 4th during a jousting tournament in Greenwich in which William, as the story goes, picked up the token handkerchief of Queen Anne and in doing so set off the king's jealous rage. William Brereton was found guilty of high treason and beheaded at Tower Hill on May 17, 1536. Historian Eric Ives claims that the true reason William Brereton was implicated in the conspiracy is because of Cromwell's interest in Brereton's lands in Wales and Northern England. Gentility: 7th son of Sir Randle Brereton of Malpas Hall Position: By 1521 he was a groom of the King's chamber, from 1524, groom of King Henry VIII's privy chamber and Chamberlain of Chester. In reward for his work for the King, Brereton gained many grants in Cheshire and the Welsh Marches. These eventually brought him more than £10,000 a year. (a veritable fortune in Tudor times). Personality type: ambitious social climber, Using his place at court, he had secured a virtual monopoly of royal appointments in Cheshire & Wales. Signature look: Endearing trait(s): self-made man, loyal friend and servant to the King. He presented Anne Boleyn with the gift of a greyhound named Urian. Annoying trait(s): there's no telling what he'll do or who he'll betray to get ahead. He had managed to get some trumped up charges against a Flintshire gentleman named Eyton who Cromwell had tried to save but failed which resulted in the hanging of this gentleman. Contemporary George Cavendish mentions it. The irony of Brereton hanging an enemy on a flimsy charge of felony and then being executed himself on a flimsy charge of high treason was a moral too good to forget. |   A verse from Thomas Wyatt's poem - a eulogy to those who were executed along with Anne Boleyn: "Brereton farewell, as one that least I knew. Great was thy love with divers as I hear, But common voice doth not so sore thee rue As other twain that doth before appear; But yet no doubt but they friends thee lament And other hear their piteous cry and moan. So doth each heart for thee likewise relent That thou givest cause thus to be dead and gone." |
CHARACTER CONNECTIONSFamily members: Father: Sir Randle Brereton, Chamberlain of Chester Mother: Eleanor Dutton Brother: Sir Randle Brereton of Stocklach and Malpas Brother: Sir Richard Brereton Brother: John Brereton Brother: Thomas Brereton Brother: Peter Brereton Brother: Sir Roger Brereton Brother: Robert Brereton Brother: Sir Urian Brereton of Honford Sister: Anne Brereton Sister: Elizabeth Brereton Sister: Jane Brereton Son: Henry Brereton | Romance(s): second husband to Elizabeth Savage / Somerset, daughter of the 1st Earl of Worcester (she believed her husband's innocence and in her will gave their son a gold bracelet which had been "the last token his father ever gave me") Friends: King Henry VIII Henry Norris Anne Boleyn Enemies: Thomas Cromwell * in the series, Brereton is the hooded assassin out to get Anne Boleyn, in real life he was a lesser important Boleyn supporter. |
UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES
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DEFINING EPISODES | MEMORABLE SCENES
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PHOTOS
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 William Brereton stands behind Anne | |
 Tomb of William's parents, Sir Randel Brereton and Eleanor Dutton, in the Breredon chapel of St. Oswalt's Church in Malpas |  Tower Hill where Brereton and four others were executed May 17, 1536 |
Latest page update: made by MsSquirrly
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Edited by MsSquirrly
92 words added
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Edited by MsSquirrly
92 words added
6 words deleted
view changes
- complete history)
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anne boleyn
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