Review: The Brandon Men - Sarah Bryson

Sarah Bryson's new book, The Brandon Men: In the Shadow of Kings, has an interesting title. I knew, or thought I knew, about Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. So who were the others?

Of course, when one stops to think, Charles Brandon didn't appear from nowhere. As the blurb for this excellent new book says:

Four generations of Brandon men lived and served six English kings, the most famous being Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, best friend and brother-in-law to King Henry VIII. Yet his family had a long history tied closely to the kings of the Wars of the Roses back to Henry VI. Charles Brandon’s father, Sir William Brandon, supported Henry Tudor’s claim on the throne and became his standard bearer, dying at the Battle of Bosworth. Charles’s uncle, Sir Thomas Brandon, was Henry VII’s Master of the Horse, one of the three highest positions within the court. Charles’s grandfather had ties with Henry VI, Edward IV and Richard III. These men held important offices, made great sacrifices, walked the fine line between being loyal courtiers and traitors, and even gave their lives, all in the name of loyalty to the king they served. No more shall the Brandon name be an obscure reference in archives. It is time for them to emerge from the shadows of history.

The author explains at the outset that of the earlier Brandon men, there is less in the way of historical record, but she makes the most of what is available, detailing as vividly as possible the careers of the men who brought the family up from rather humble beginnings to the highpoint at which Charles Brandon became Henry VIII's trusted friend.

What is evident is that this was far from a foregone conclusion. As Ms Bryson points out, Sir William Brandon II was the only member of the nobility on Henry Tudor's side to be killed at Bosworth. This left his wife, and her son Charles, then only one, in somewhat of a precarious position.

However, Charles Brandon thrived and, inevitably, most of the book's pages are taken up with his story. Some of it, such as his treasonous marriage to Henry VIII's sister, I knew, but this very readable book gives the background to that, tells us about Charles' earlier and subsequent marriages, and explains, wherever possible, what happened to the various Brandon women, too.

There is also extensive detail about his dealings in East Anglia, his diplomatic missions and military enterprises, and what comes across is a real sense of his character. Whilst reading, I felt I was really getting to know the man.

It's easy, I suppose, to assume that Charles was just another rich playboy at the young Henry VIII's court and this simply isn't the case. His family had risen through loyal service and Charles fared better than many of Henry's friends for, as the author points out, he knew Henry the man, as well as Henry the king. He wasn't universally liked, but he kept his head, and the friendship of the king where others failed in both those respects.

It is astonishing that a family could rise to such lofty heights in relatively few generations, and sobering that it all fell away so quickly, too.

Ms Bryson has a very engaging style, and the book, whilst being packed with historical detail and lengthy quotations from primary source documents, is also an easy and enjoyable read.

Highly recommended.

[Thank you to Amberley Books for providing me with an advance copy, with no obligation to review.]

The book is available from:

Amberley Books

Amazon 

Review: The Bastard's Sons by Jeffrey James

The lovely folk at Amberley have a habit of sending me review copies of their history books and I'm always delighted to read them.

Those who know me and my historical preferences and sympathies might be surprised that I said "Yes please" to the offer of a copy of this book. You might also think that the title shows some bias, calling William of Normandy a bastard, rather than the Conqueror.

However, there is no bias, but the title accurately reflects the real and ongoing problem faced not only by William but also his children. William was, indeed, illegitimate, and his succession to the dukedom of Normandy was never a given. Even as a child, he had guards sleeping in his bed, protecting him at all times.

We pretty much all know what happened in 1066, and that England fell under his boot. Things were far from settled, even then, and William had uprisings to deal with.

Where things got a tad messier though, was when his sons came of age. Robert, William (Rufus) and Henry all expected a chunk of inheritance from their father, but it was tricky. You'd think England would be the prize catch but no, the 'family' lands in Normandy were more of a prize than some conquered country.

Robert rose up against his father and I was at times reminded of the travails of Henry II, who had similar tussles with his adult sons - a point made by the author here.

This a very accessible account of the lives, careers and fortunes of William's sons, full of interesting insights. The author points out that the Normans, though reference is often made to their 'Viking' heritage, were no "better or worse in a fight than any other Frenchman" and that at Hastings they fought like the Franks whereas it was the English who fought more like the Vikings of old. 

Henry's shrewd character comes across particularly well, and the author notes that as soon as his father died, Henry secured the pre-weighed coinage that would come to him, knowing that no land would. 

As I've already hinted, this is not a period which I've researched in any great depth, but the author uses primary sources, and analyses them, so I'm confident that the history is sound.

His writing style is conversational, and I found it an easy, but satisfyingly detailed read. There are maps aplenty, the colour plates are numerous and informative, and the author has also included a timeline and three useful and interesting appendices, including a touching letter from Stephen of Blois to Adela, his wife (daughter of William).

Available Amberley Books, from Amazon  and from all book shops.

Review: Tithe Barns by Joseph Rogers

Tithe Barns by Joseph Rogers is a little gem of a book. 

Crammed with lovely photographs and illustrations, it takes the reader on a fireside journey and makes you feel rather nostalgic looking at and reading about these wonderful medieval buildings and their quaint village settings.

Perhaps lockdown heightened my enjoyment too, going some way to satisfying my craving for trips out to different parts of the country.

When I get out and about again I shall keep my eye out for these and other such buildings, with a new appreciation for them and their history.

It was especially interesting to see how some have survived, some have fallen to decay and some have been repurposed, in an astonishing variety of ways: as MOT garages, restaurants, and wedding and rock convert venues.

Mr Rogers writes in a conversational style, and clearly has a great affection for his subject matter.

A real little jewel and well worth reading.

[I was sent a copy of this book by the publishers, with no obligation to review.]

Available to pre-order at: Amberley Books

and at Amazon

Tithe Barns will be released on 15 June 2021