Book
Brandon – Tudor Knight
First published 2018
Charles Brandon rises from the son of a dead Lancastrian standard-bearer to become one of Henry VIII’s closest companions, a champion jouster, soldier and Duke of Suffolk. His most dangerous decision is personal rather than military: he marries the king’s widowed sister Mary Tudor in France before securing Henry’s consent. The marriage survives, but Brandon must continue to serve a monarch whose favour is both the source of his status and a permanent threat to it.
The novel follows Brandon through campaigns in France and the increasingly unstable politics of Henry VIII’s court. Catherine of Aragon’s displacement, Anne Boleyn’s ascent and Thomas Cromwell’s growing authority force him to balance friendship with the king against family loyalties and political survival. Charles Brandon’s unusual proximity to Henry makes the story a study of patronage under an absolute-minded ruler: military success and personal intimacy can bring extraordinary advancement, but neither provides immunity when royal policy changes.
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