? Eleanor Brandon – Countess of Cumberland ?
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? Eleanor Brandon was the daughter of Henry VIII’s little sister Mary Tudor, and his best buddy Charles Brandon.
After her brief stint as Queen of France, Mary Tudor married Charles Brandon.
They had two children who survived childhood, Frances and Eleanor.
Her maternal grandparents were Henry VII of England and his queen consort Elizabeth of York.
? Being a close relative of a Tudor monarch was not a very comfortable position to be in…
According to Henry VIII’s Third Act of Succession of 1544, Eleanor was designated as eighth in line behind Henry’s three children, Eleanor’s sister Frances, and Frances’ three daughters Lady Jane, Katherine and Mary Grey.
Despite being so near to the throne, Eleanor managed to live a full and satisfying life.
? All of Frances’ three daughters were blighted by their Tudor blood, and their claim to the throne.
Lady Jane Grey was exEcuted by her cousin Queen Mary whilst Catherine and Mary became “heir presumptives”
Each married for love, and each in turn was imprisoned by their other cousin, Elizabeth I.
? Eleanor Brandon, no doubt the lesser known sister, was born some time between 1518 and 1521.
Eleanor’s uncle King Henry VIII, was a guest at her wedding to Henry Clifford, the eldest son of the Earl of Cumberland who was also distantly related to King Henry VIII, in 1535.
The young couple spent much of their early married life at Brougham Castle.
? Eleanor gave birth to two sons and a daughter.
Sadly, in 1542, Eleanor and Henry lost their two sons.
Baby Charles died first.
The eldest, named Henry after his father, lived to be about two or three and was buried in the family vault in Skipton Church next to his brother.
This must have been very hard on Eleanor, who was now left with just her daughter, Margaret.
? While she did spend some time at court after the death of her sons, Eleanor mostly lived in retirement at Brougham and Skipton.
Her father Charles Brandon, died on 22nd August 1545 and in his will, he left Eleanor £200 worth of plate, along with jewels and other household items.
She is listed as a frequent recipient of New Year’s and other holiday gifts from Henry VIII, perhaps indicating she was a favorite niece of the king.
? In January 1536, Eleanor was chief mourner at Katharine of Aragon’s funeral in Peterborough Cathedral.
That same year Eleanor was rescued from the Pilgrims of the Pilgrimage of Grace, and taken to safety, ending up holed up in Skipton Castle.
Eleanor appears to have suffered from ill health for quite some time after this, but by 1546 she is listed in the household of Queen Katherine Parr.
? Eleanor died in November 1547, aged 27/28.
She was buried at Skipton Church.
When Eleanor’s tomb in Skipton Church was opened in the seventeenth century, her skeleton was found to be in perfect condition.
The skeleton indicated she was very tall and large boned.
She was described as having fair hair, possibly a strawberry blond.
? Eleanor’s husband Henry, was so overcome with grief when told Eleanor was dead, he fainted.
He lay as if dead.
His attendants believing he was dead, stripped his body and were preparing to have him embalmed, when he shocked them by reviving, and struggling to sit up in his coffin.
The servants put him in a warm bed and fed him warm milk and bread until he fully recovered.
Sir Henry would marry again to the Lady Anne Dacre. He lived until 1570 and was buried between his two wives in Skipton Church.
? Portrait by Hans Eworth of either Lady Eleanor or her daughter, Lady Margaret.
The coat of arms in the top left corner, are the impaled arms of Henry Clifford and his wife Eleanor.
As a result, the painting has been frequently exhibited in the past as a portrait of Eleanor.
The National Portrait Gallery has an online sketch of this portrait identified as Lady Eleanor, but the portrait remains in dispute.
