The Tudor Brandons: Mary And Charles - Henry VIII's Nearest & Dearest

by Sarah-Beth Watkins

This fascinating book studies the life and times of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, Henry VIII's dearest sister and his closest companion. Charles rose from being Henry's childhood friend to becoming the Duke of Suffolk; a consummate courtier and diplomat. Mary was always royalty. At first married to the King of France, Mary quickly wed Charles after Louis XII's death in 1515, against her brother's wishes. Their actions could have been construed as treason yet Henry chose to spare their lives. They returned to court and despite their ongoing disagreements throughout the years, especially over the king's marriage to Anne Boleyn, the Tudor Brandons remained Henry's most loyal subjects and perhaps more importantly, his beloved family.

Genres: History, Tudor Period, Biography, Nonfiction, Royalty, Historical, British Literature

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 24, 2016

About the author

Sarah-Beth Watkins is an author, editor and publisher who has written for various publications over the past 20 years. Growing up in Richmond, Surrey she began soaking up history from an early age.

She is the author of Margaret Tudor: Queen of Scots, Catherine of Braganza, The Tudor Brandons, Lady Katherine Knollys and Ireland's Suffragettes. Her next book is due out in October 2018. She is currently working on another historical biography.

Reviews

[David Baird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides the reading I did in school and university this is the first real non-fiction book I’ve set myself down to read. It not that I don’t like non-fiction but I love the possibilities with fiction… I needn’t have worried though.

This book is crammed full of detail but told in such a way that it felt like a story playing out rather than just fact and fact.

We’ve all heard of Henry VIII I would hope but this is my first encounter Charles Brandon a very close friend of the King and I it enlightening to learn more about this period than was covered while I studied it at school many years ago.

Although Charles was not the nicest to woman I felt he must have been a very powerful and likeable man as he managed time and time again to keep on the good side of a king we all very much know wasn’t afraid to get rid of anyone in his way. We see Charles rise up through the ranks which seems to have caused quite a stir at the time, especially when he marries the King's sister.

I’m not going to lie.. I’m not an English expert so I did find it hard to follow some of the text written in Older English but it didn’t take anything away from the tale.. it left me curious if anything so had me looking up little things here and there.

The only thing I would have liked elaborated on a bit further was the value of money at the time. We are told how much certain people were paid but since I’ve no knowledge of the currency system back then I’ve no idea the significance if any… that was the only note I scribbled down while reading.

If I had to pick a word to best describe this book it would have to be fascinating.. There’s so much history out there that isn’t taught at school.. you need to go out and look for it.. and when you do you find there’s some really interesting characters out there.

Anyone with an interest in the Tudors will enjoy this book and I’d highly recommend anyone like myself who has stuck to fiction to give this a go. It really was and enjoyable and engrossing read.

This is a family saga, love and death. It’s something you can really get your teeth into if you enjoy your history

Well worth reading

[G. Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book, easy to read, well researched. Offered a few facts and insights I hadn't come across before. Didn't go into lengthy detail on some of the events of Charles and Mary's lives, but a good introduction to them, their importance within the Tudor court of Henry VIII, and their legacy beyond. Enjoyable and easy to read. Recommend for any with an interest in the Tudors, and especially those just starting out in an obsession with the Tudor court and dynasty!

[Sarrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting subject matter, rarely its own topic, but as usual the author's style lacks maturity. And my God, the apostrophes (or, more appropriately, "apostrophe's"). Note that probably a third of this book is excerpted from source materials.

[Sarah - All The Book Blog Names Are Taken · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too many typos and grammatical errors. Doesn’t seem like it went through much editing. Words are even missing from sentences. However, the fact that Charles Brandon was a douche shines through all of that no matter what.

[Carole P. Roman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book that delves into the lives of Henry VIII's "nearest and dearest." Sarah- Beth Watkins goes into vivid detail about Charles Brandon's origins describing his humble background. She goes back several generations giving insight into his family's service to the crown, his great-grandfather a firm Yorkist. I enjoyed reading about his roguish ancestors, giving Charles a new depth other than Henry's bud. Mary the White Queen, Henry's teenage sister's all too short life is covered. The feisty teen is more than a pretty face, and her canny ability to hold off Francis's of France's advances is as cunning as a seasoned statesman. I enjoyed reading about Charles and Mary's life together, how they impacted the court in their quiet support of Queen Katherine, and will admit to feeling dismayed when Mary dies at in her late thirties. Charles rebounds with his young ward and future daughter-in-law Katherine and manages to carve out a third act with her. When he dies suddenly, I think the whole court must have dimmed for Henry. I really enjoyed this book. The author injects life into what many people see as peripheral players. Mary was Henry's favorite sister, her granddaughter ended up playing a key role when Henry's son dies. Charles Brandon proved you didn't have to be royal to live like one. Fascinating reading. I went out and bought the rest of her books.

[Amy McElroy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been intrigued by Charles Brandon for  a while so you can imagine my excitement on receiving this.  I knew Brandon had been a close companion to Henry before he became king and was aware that his father had died at the Battle of Bosworth. His father was standard bearer for Henry Tudor. However, that was all I knew about Brandon's family.

This book delves into his family including his father and grandfather which was an utter delight to learn about.

Watkins takes us through their marriage, the hardships, celebrations and the events of being favourites of Henry VIII. The book continues following the death of Mary and Brandon's marriage to Katherine Willoughby through to his own death in 1545. What I really enjoyed was how the book didn't end there, it continues to explain the lives of their children and grandchildren including Lady Jane Grey.

I loved this book, it's extremely well written and excellently referenced throughout. I especially enjoyed the contemporary sources being cited throughout.

I've learnt a lot more about Brandon from this book and from the referencing and bibliography now have a whole host of books/sources I want to read.

Highly recommend this to anyone with an interest in the Brandon's especially Charles as it explores his whole life from childhood to the aftermath of his death.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Tudor Brandons is a fascinating look into the life and times of Mary Tudor, the sister of Henry VIII and Charles Brandon his life long friend and companion, who married Mary Tudor in 1515. Mary had agreed to marry Louis, King France in 1514 on the condition that her brother Henry would allow her to marry according to her own choice if the older King died. Her marriage to the king lasted 82 days. After his death, perhaps in an attempt to ensure her safety and return to England, before becoming a pawn of the new French King, Mary persuaded Charles Brandon to marry her, even though Henry had not given them consent to marry. Although, many were not pleased with this decision, the marriage doesn't seem to have damaged the couple, politically, or socially in the long term.

The book charts both the rise of Charles and the complex life of Mary as both a political pawn, and as a woman who tried to do her duty by her brother the king. She was also a woman who tried hard to have some control over her circumstances and build a life of her own choosing. I particularly like that this book paints a well balanced picture of both figures. It examines their ups and downs, financial struggles, family hardships and the role they played within Henry's court, as well as their actions and interactions with leading figures of the time. It was also interesting to read about their descendants and the roles they played after the death of Mary and Charles.

This work seems to show that Charles, while not always fair to the women in his life, was a man who managed to climb the social ladder,acquiring the title of Duke of Suffolk, along the way. Throughout his life he remained favored by the King, which surely was no small feat. It also shows just how precarious the situation of women could be. Having a fortune or a title didn't necessarily mean they would escape a bad marriage or other issues of the time such as illness, death of children or debt. Even Mary and Charles, with their elevated positions seemed to be plagued by financial troubles during their lifetimes.

Overall the book provides an intriguing glimpse into a part of history that so many find remarkable. Anyone interested in the Tudors and Henry VIII's court will no doubt find this a terrific book.

Thanks to Chronos Books for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
More reviews at: www.susannesbooklist.blogspot.com

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very fine exploration of the history and lives of Charles Brandon and Mary Tudor his wife. Mary Tudor has lately begun to be explored along with Margaret her sister Queen of Scotland. I definitely feel this author's work was just as complete and well done as those that have recently bit the best seller lists. I am very much hoping that this treatment by Sarah-Beth Watkins does just as well.

There definitely were many events in the lives of Mary and Charles and their extended family that I never knew and was excited to learn. The recent ancestry of the Brandon line, as well as other children of Charles, both legitimate and illegitimate made riveting reading.

I enjoyed her prior book on Katherine Knollys but this second historical narrative definitely surpassed it, at least in my estimation. There was a lot of detail about illnesses, prior marriages and properties acquired and lost which goes a long way to tell a story about a family.

It was an easy read, but very well developed and the author brought Charles and Mary to life. I recommend it highly and really hoping there is another in the works.

[Sherry Sharpnack · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a horribly written book! It was terribly edited, w/ incorrect names and/or titles used in it, and even actually historically inaccurate in places! I like the love story of Mary Tudor, Henry VIII's younger sister, and Charles
Brandon, Henry's best friend. That was all I liked. In no other history has Lady Jane Grey, Mary's and Charles' granddaughter, been called a "petulant teenager;" all other histories that I have read have considered parents, Frances Brandon (Mary's and Charles' daughter) and Henry Grey, cold and cruel to her. I have also never seen anywhere else that Thomas Seymour's and Katherine Parr's daughter, Mary, was given in wardship to Brandon's next wife after Mary Tudor, Katherine Willoughby, after Thomas' execution. Anyway, this book was a total waste of money and a true disappointment.

[Heidi Malagisi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love stories tend to be rare during the Tudor dynasty. They are often of royal women marrying men well below their station in life and then the ruling monarch throwing them in the Tower until they ended up divorcing or dying. Nothing really romantic about these stories. However, there is one story that breaks the mold of disastrous love. It is the story of Mary Tudor, the sister of King Henry VIII and the Dowager Queen of France, who married the charming knight and best friend of her brother, Charles Brandon. Their story is often told in historical fiction novels, but Sarah-Beth Watkins decided to dive deep into the lives of these two lovebirds, before and after they were married, in her book, “The Tudor Brandons: Mary and Charles- Henry VIII’s Nearest and Dearest”.

I would like to thank Sarah-Beth Watkins and Chronos Books for sending me a copy of this delightful book. The relationship between Mary and Charles has been something that has fascinated me for a while now and I always like learning new information about their lives and their family.

When it comes to studying the relationship between Mary and Charles, one would think that it would be best to start by studying Mary, since she is the Tudor princess. However, Watkins decides to start her book about these two with Charles:

As Charles Brandon lay in his cradle, his father took to the field as standard-bearer for Henry Tudor at the Battle of Bosworth, on 22 August 1485. This defining moment in history, when the Plantagenet dynasty ended and the Tudor began, was also to be a defining moment in this small child’s life. Both Charles’ father and his grandfather were soldiers in the Wars of the Roses and the events leading up to this momentous day. Coming from mercantile beginnings, the men of the Brandon family all rose to positions of importance, but Charles would rise higher than them all to become King Henry VIII’s most favoured companion, and husband to his sister, Mary Tudor. (Watkins, 1).

Watkins explores the origins of the Brandons, starting with Charles’ grandfather, who was quite an interesting figure. After reading what kind of man Charles’ grandfather was, it is kind of amazing to see how the Brandons rose to be loyal to the Tudors. Before Charles fell in love with Mary, he had a complex love life with Anne Browne and Margaret Mortimer, Anne’s rich aunt. Charles eventually married Anne after and she gave him two daughters before she died, Anne and Mary Brandon. During the time after Anne’s death and before he married Mary, Charles got into an international incident when he attempted to woo Margaret of Savoy. Charles may have looked the part of a knight, but his love life was a mess. That was until he went to France to pick up Mary Tudor, who was the Dowager Queen of France after her husband, King Louis XII, died shortly after their marriage.

The two decided to throw caution to the wind and get married to each other. They risked the wrath of Mary’s brother and huge fines, but they overcame it all and were still managed to be in Henry’s good graces. Charles and Mary were in the middle of court life during Henry’s marriage and divorce to Catherine of Aragon while they were taking care of their own family. Mary wasn’t thrilled about Anne Boleyn, but Charles kept his attitude about Henry’s mistress and future second wife to himself. Mary suffered from multiple bouts of illnesses and would die in 1533. Charles would marry again to Catherine Willoughby and have more children before he died in 1545.

The love story of Charles and Mary Brandon comes to life in Watkins book. What I love about this book is the combination of primary sources and poetry with Watkins’ easy to understand writing style. This book is an absolutely fascinating look into the lives of these two remarkable people and how their relationship helped change England. If you want a fantastic book to introduce you to the relationship between Charles and Mary Brandon, I highly recommend you read Sarah-Beth Watkins’ book, “The Tudor Brandons: Mary and Charles- Henry VIII’s Nearest and Dearest”.

[Alyson Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: The Tudor Brandons: Mary and Charles-Henry VIII’s Nearest and Dearest
Author: Sarah-Beth Watkins
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank the author, Sarah-Beth Watkins and the publisher, Chronos Books, for providing me with a free copy.

I must say that I really did enjoy reading this book. I really don’t understand why it has such low ratings. It is really well written and does a great job with covering the Brandons. Right now, I am really interested in all things Tudor. Books like this really do help with my own writing, even though I don’t write nonfiction. I love the everyday tone and language that Sarah uses. I mean, you are still learning, but it doesn’t really feel like it. it feels like you are reading an everyday book for pure pleasure. I really do wish that teachers would use more books like these to engage students in history; I do and my students are a lot more interested in the subject.

Anyway, Sarah covers Mary’s entire life. I like how she focuses more on Mary than Charles. Often times in history, it’s all about the men. I find it very eye rolling whenever historians just focus on the men. There were a ton of important female figures in history, who just never seem to get their time in the spotlight. Yes, we do get to see Charles at work, but it was Mary’s story who I enjoyed the most. I also liked how Sarah pointed out that it was through the female line was how the Greys came into power. Once again, there is so much focus in the male line throughout history that we forget that a lot of power does come through the female line.

As I have already stated, I do like the use of the common everyday language. It really makes it easy to read and follow the story. A lot of times, historians don’t write for the common history reader, but for a university. I really am into this new wave of historians who are writing for the reader. I mean here, Sarah is writing for a Tudor audience, but writes it in a way that most people would be able to follow. It’s nonfiction, but it has that epic storytelling of fiction. I did find myself getting lost in the writing and reading sections of this book at a time.

I really did like how this is a short glimpse into the lives of the Tudors. I do this a lot of time with my own class. I give them a little look into something and then turn them lose to research the subject. I think that this would be a book to do this with. After all, students do learn better whenever they are engaged and actually doing something for themselves. I know they are starting to get into the Tudors once they realized who violent it was-yes, my class is one of those classes who enjoys the violence of history. I guess as long as they are engaged.

Once again, I really did enjoy this book and I cannot wait to read more of Sarah’s books. This is my third one and I must say that it’s a shame that Sarah’s books don’t get more attention.

[Voirrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look at the Tudors, focussing on Henry 7ths youngest child, Mary, and so giving a slightly different angle on her better known father, brother, nephew and nieces.

I found myself wondering what would English, in fact UK, history have been like if Henry had not been so infatuated with Anne Boleyn; Queen Katherine died naturally in time for him to have simply married Jane Seymour without a divorce at all - and Mary Tudor Brandon's granddaughter, Jane Grey, would have probably have come to the throne after Mary's niece Mary died... (Yes I know Henry's sister Margaret, Queen of Scotland, was older... but even so!)

[Michael R. Zuelke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed The Tudor Brandons especially for the many details that were placed together in a very readable format. The life of any family is complex and filled with both good and bad. Sometimes the "bad" is overlooked or made the main point of the narrative and sometimes it is the "good" that takes center stage. Sarah-Beth Watkins finds a balance and a blending of both the good and the bad, the positive and the negative, so that Charles, Mary, Henry VIII and the other players on this particular historical stage become real people with real stories worth telling. If you like the history of the Tudor period, this is a must read.

[Xole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look, I finished it. It's short. But I never want to read another book by this author. The book is riddled with grammatical mistakes and could do with some serious editorial work, but that's probably not going to help the style. The author sets out all the facts (mostly), but that's not what makes a good history book. Simply inserting large chunks of period commentary does not give the reader any insight without the historian actually making the effort of explaining the links. Terrible, boring, lazy writing.

[Coleen Dailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read on the best friend of Henry VIII and his family. One always hears about Charles Brandon but I never knew much about his heritage or his life other than his relationship with Mary and then his ward. I knew he was quite the partier when with Henry but this showed he at least wanted to have a deeper side. Very interesting.

[Marilyn Boyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm giving this book top marks even though I did find some conclusions were drawn that may not have been warranted. It did read well, and Watkins did an admirable job keeping the multiple Marys, Charles, and Henrys straight for the reader. A great addition to previous knowledge of the era.

[Jane Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liked it but then I can never get enough of this period and the people. Tho even with this detailed story, Mary and Charles remained a bit two dimensional. But if you want to know more about the Tudors this is very much worth your while. Especially good on how the Tudors came to power.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes. Yikes! This book has so many grammatical errors I thought maybe it was an older text that had been converted to Kindle via OCR. Reader, it wasn't. What decent history you might find in this is buried under all the typos and grammatical errors.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome detail's of charles brandon....not as much on the mary side of things

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit dry and difficult to get through. However, a good book to expand my knowledge of the people surrounding my favorite historical figure, Henry VII.

[ghostlovesc0re · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting look at a couple that is all too often forgotten - and yet what a romance it was! The circumstances of their marriage looked right off Hollywood.
Enjoyable writing style as well.

[Barbara · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't finish - it read more like a research paper.

[Lauren Albert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't find this very exciting. Charles was not a nice man as far as I'm concerned and I just didn't feel anything for them or their relationship.

[TAMMY CUEVAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most Tudor histories cover the main characters (Henry, Elizabeth, etc.) , so it was nice to learn more about Mary and Charles.

[Tracy Kaiser-Goebel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointing! I was interested in a book about Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon. What I but was another book about Henry VIII.

[D · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a decent overview of Mary Tudor and Charles Brandon, this is a solid work - but far from in depth. It could be improved on analysis, the use of less popular source material, and grammar. I don’t know how the editor let “Tudor Brandon’s” instead of the correct, plural “Tudor Brandsons” slide every time. 3 ⭐️!

[Charity · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, informative, quick read that doesn't sugarcoat either one, and offers up some interesting details here and there. Best, if doing book research, to supplement it with individual volumes on Mary and Brandon, and the Tudor court in general.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a hard time with the characters and keeping them straight. I am fairly well versed in this time period, but there were just too many with the name of Mary, Katherine, Jane, etc.. I was not expecting Charles Brandon to be portrayed as such an opportunist.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very factual. It gave me more detail to the story I loved as a child that was made into a Disney movie, the Sword and the Rose.