Before Charles Brandon ever dared to marry Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France, sister to Henry

the Eighth, an act that could have cost him his head. He was already well known at court for a

different type of audacity. Tall, handsome, effortlessly athletic, Brandon was Henry the Eighth's

golden boy, his jousting champion and constant companion. But beneath the

chivalric image was a man with a knack for turning romance into opportunity. By the time Mary

entered the picture, Brandon had left behind a trail of broken engagements, quick-turn marriages,

and one notorious flirtation with the European Duchess that had diplomats

sputtering into their wine cups. So grab your own cup of wine or coffee or water, your beverage of

choice, and get settled in because this is one heck of a juicy story.

Music is one heck of a juicy story. Hey friend and welcome back to the YouTube channel for the Renaissance English

History Podcast. I am your host, Heather. I've been podcasting on Tudor England since 2009

with my show, which makes it the original Tudor history podcast.

I'm delighted that you are here with me. Today, we are going to chat about the scandalous,

romantic life of Charles Brandon. Let's get started. Charles Brandon was born around 1484,

the posthumous son of Sir William Brandon, who died carrying

Henry Tudor's standard at Bosworth Field. Raised under the care of his uncle, Sir Thomas Brandon,

master of the horse to Henry the 7th, young Charles was trained for a courtly life. He learned to ride and to joust,

to hunt and to hawk, to move easily in royal company. As a teenager, Brandon met the young

Prince Henry, then still the second son, and the two quickly bonded. Brandon was older and stronger and free to live out the

Tilt Yard victories, the late-night gambling, and the flirtations that the future king, when he

became the heir, could only watch from the sidelines. This easy companionship built on

shared sport and endless days in lists,

...