Thomas Brandon

Background

He was from a Lancastrian family, the son of William Brandon (d1491) of Southwark and Elizabeth Wingfield (d1497), daughter of Sir Robert Wingfield of Letheringham, Suffolk.

Career

A contemporary manuscript speaks of Sir Thomas as having ‘greatly favoured and followed the party of Henry, earl of Richmond.’ He was appointed to the embassy charged with concluding peace with France in 1492, and again in 1500 he formed one of the suite which accompanied Henry VII to Calais to meet the Archduke Philip of Austria. In 1503, together with Nicholas West, he was given the mission of concluding a treaty with the Emperor Maximilian at Antwerp. The main object of this treaty was to induce Maximilian to withdraw his support from Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, and banish him and the other English rebels from his dominions.

Maximilian was indecisive and allowed the English ambassadors to leave.

On his return to England, Brandon was given offices, including master of the king"s horse. He was noted for his prowess as a knight and skill in military affairs

In the records of a tournament held in 1494 to celebrate the creation of the Prince Henry as Knight of the Bath and Duke of York, Brandon is mentioned as having distinguished himself. He was made a Knight of the Garter.

In October 1507 he was sent to meet Balthasar de Castiglione, ambassador for the Duke of Urbino, who came to England to receive the Garter for his master.

Brandon died on 27 January 1510.

Achievements

• Other points touched upon were the treatment of Milan and the question of Maximilian receiving the Order of the Garter.