Born – 16th July 1517
Died – 20th November 1559
Father – Charles Brandon (1484 – 1585)
Mother – Mary Tudor (French Queen) (1496 – 1533)
Spouses – m. 1533 – Henry Grey (1517 – 1554); m. 1554 – Adrian Stokes (1519 – 1586)
Children – by Henry Grey – Jane (1537 – 1554), Katherine (1540 – 1568), Mary (1545 – 1578); by Adrian Stokes – Elizabeth (1555 – 1556)
1517 (16th July)
Frances Brandon was born to Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire.
1519 (16th July)
Frances’ sister, Eleanor, was born to Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk at Westhorpe Hall, Westhorpe, Suffolk.
1522 (during)
Frances’ elder brother, Henry, died.
1523 (around)
Frances’ brother, Henry, was born to Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII and Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk at Hatfield House, Hertfordshire. He was given the same name as the couple’s elder son who had died in 1522.
1533 (May)
Frances married Henry Grey at Suffolk Place, Southwark, London.
1533 (25th June)
Frances’ mother, Mary, died at Westhorpe Hall.
1533 (September)
Frances’ father, Charles Brandon, married his ward, Catherine Willoughby de Eresby.
1534 (around)
A son, was born to Frances and Henry Grey. He only lived a few months.
1535 (around)
A daughter, was born to Frances and Henry Grey. She only lived a few months.
1535 (18th September)
Frances’ half-brother, Henry, was born to Charles Brandon and Catherine Willoughby.
1537 (around)
Frances’ half-brother, Charles, was born to Charles Brandon and Catherine Willoughby.
1537 (Spring)
A daughter, Jane, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1540 (25th August)
A daughter, Katherine, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1545 (around)
A daughter, Mary, was born to Frances and Henry Grey at Bradgate House, Leicestershire.
1547 (28th January)
King Henry VIII died at Whitehall Palace in the early hours of the morning. He was succeeded by his son as King Edward VI. Edward’s maternal uncle, Edward Seymour declared himself ‘Protector of all the Realm and Dominions of the King’s Majesty’.
1547 (Spring)
Frances’ daughter, Jane, went to live in the household of Thomas Seymour and Katherine Parr. The Grey’s hoped that Seymour would make a good match for their daughter.
1548 (5th September)
Katherine Parr died shortly after giving birth to a daughter, Mary.
1549 (January)
Thomas Seymour was found guilty of treason for trying to abduct the King. Frances’ daughter, Jane returned home.
1549 (10th March)
Thomas Seymour was executed.
1550 (February)
John Dudley, Earl of Warwick became leader of the Council.
1551 (during)
John Dudley became Duke of Northumberland.
1551 (during)
Frances’ half brothers, Henry and Charles, died of sweating sickness at Buckden, Huntingdonshire.
1551 (October)
Frances’ husband, Henry Grey, became Duke of Suffolk.
1553 (Spring)
King Edward VI was taken ill and it became clear he was dying.
1553 (25th May)
Frances’ daughter, Jane, married Guildford Dudley, son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, at Durham House. Her daughter Katherine married Henry Herbert son of the Earl of Pembroke in the same ceremony.
1553 (June)
Devise for the Succession
King Edward opposed the succession of either of his half-sisters due to their illegitimacy and Mary’s Catholicism. This document passed the succession to Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII’s younger sister, Mary in the event of of there being no legitimate male heir on his death.
King Edward opposed the succession of either of his half-sisters due to their illegitimacy and Mary’s Catholicism. This document passed the succession to Lady Jane Grey, granddaughter of Henry VIII’s younger sister, Mary in the event of of there being no legitimate male heir on his death.
1553 (6th July)
Edward VI died.
1553 (10th July)
Frances’ daughter, Jane, was proclaimed Queen of England. She and her husband, Guildford Dudley went to the Tower of London to await coronation.
1553 (14th July)
The Duke of Northumberland left London at the head of a force to capture Mary Tudor. However, after he had left London the Privy Council, seeing that popular support was for Mary, decided to support Mary’s claim.
1553 (19th July)
Mary Tudor, eldest daughter of Henry VIII, Edward’s half-sister, was proclaimed Queen Mary I.
1553 (3rd August)
Queen Mary made her formal entry into London. She was accompanied by her half-sister Elizabeth and Anne of Cleves.
1553 (13th November)
Frances’ daughter, Jane, was tried for high treason. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to death. The date of her execution was not set because Mary believed that she and her husband were innocent parties in a plot by Northumberland to take control of the throne and she remained imprisoned in the Gentleman Gaoler’s Quarters of the Tower of London.
1554 (February)
Wyatt’s Rebellion
Thomas Wyatt organised a rebellion against Catholic Mary’s plans to marry King Philip of Spain. He was supported by Frances’s husband, the duke of Suffolk. The rebellion was suppressed but Mary decided she had no choice but to execute Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley to prevent them becoming a focus for further anti-Catholic rebellions.
Thomas Wyatt organised a rebellion against Catholic Mary’s plans to marry King Philip of Spain. He was supported by Frances’s husband, the duke of Suffolk. The rebellion was suppressed but Mary decided she had no choice but to execute Jane Grey and Guildford Dudley to prevent them becoming a focus for further anti-Catholic rebellions.
1554 (12th February)
Frances’ daughter, Jane Grey, was beheaded within the walls of the Tower of London.
1554 (23rd February)
Frances’ husband, Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, was executed for his part in Wyatt’s Rebellion. All his possessions were forfeited to the Crown leaving Frances with nothing.
1554 (9th March)
Frances married Adrian Stokes, her Master of the Horse.
1554 (July)
Frances, was made a member of Queen Mary’s household. Katherine and her sister, Mary joined her at court.
1554 (November)
Frances gave birth to a stillborn daughter.
1555 (Summer)
A daughter, Elizabeth, was born to Frances and Adrian Stokes. She only lived a few months.
1554 (November)
Frances gave birth to a stillborn son.
1559 (20th November)
Frances died at Charterhouse in London. She was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Published Apr 26, 2018 @ 2:52 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2018 – 2020). Frances Brandon 1517 – 1559. https://www.thetimelinegeek.com/frances-brandon-1517-1559 Last accessed [date]