Duke of Norfolk Thomas Howard III ^1,2,3

  General Notes:

On his father's death in 1524 he inherited the dukedom of Norfolk and was named Lord High Treasurer and Earl Marshal, making Howard one of the premier nobles in the kingdom. He distinguished himself many times in battle, and was an able soldier. His power increased somewhat after his niece Anne Boleyn caught the eye of Henry VIII, sometime around 1527. However, their relationship was fraught with difficulty since Anne found her uncle to be selfish and untrustworthy. Although they were political allies throughout the late 1520s alongside Howard's brother-in-law Thomas Boleyn, Anne's father, Norfolk once complained that Anne used words to him "that one would not use to a dog." She was crowned queen in 1533, and was probably influential in securing the marriage of Norfolk's daughter Mary to Henry Fitzroy.

Queen Anne's religious and political vision was more radical than Norfolk's, and their relationship deteriorated throughout 1535 and 1536 as Henry VIII became increasingly unfaithful, including with Anne's cousin, Mary Shelton. Putting his own security before family loyalties, he presided over Queen Anne's trial in 1536, giving a death sentence despite her probable innocence. The next day, he condemned to death his nephew, Anne's brother George for the crime of incest with his own sister, the Queen.

He used Henry's subsequent marriage to Anne of Cleves as an opportunity to dispose of his long-term enemy Thomas Cromwell, who was beheaded in 1540. After King Henry's divorce from Anne of Cleves, Howard used another of his nieces, the teenaged Catherine Howard, to strengthen his power at court by orchestrating a courtship between her and the 48-year-old king. Queen Catherine's reign was a short one, however, since Thomas Cranmer, the Archbishop of Canterbury, discovered that she was already secretly betrothed before her marriage to Henry and had been extremely indiscreet since. Catherine was beheaded in February 1542, and numerous other Howards were imprisoned in the Tower - including the duke's stepmother, brother, two sisters-in-law and numerous servants.

Catherine Howard's execution was his downfall, despite Norfolk's desperate efforts to heal the rift. He had become the leader of the premier family in England; as the uncle of Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard, and the great-uncle of Jane Seymour[1] He had also benefited from the influence of several of the King's mistresses, his nieces Mary Boleyn and Elizabeth Carew and his wife's aunt, Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon. In 1546, Norfolk allegedly hatched a plot to make his daughter, Mary Howard, the King's mistress, even though she was the widow of Henry's illegitimate son.[2] In December 1546, he was arrested in company with his son Henry and charged with treason. Henry VIII died the day before the execution was due to take place, and Norfolk's sentence was commuted to imprisonment. The Earl of Surrey was less fortunate and had been executed a few days previously
.
Norfolk remained in the Tower throughout the reign of Edward VI of England and his dukedom remained forfeit. He was released by Mary I in 1553, due to the Howards being an important Catholic family, and the dukedom was restored. The Duke showed his gratitude by leading the forces sent to put down the rebellion of Thomas Wyatt, who had protested against the Queen's forthcoming marriage to Philip II of Spain and had planned to put Anne Boleyn's daughter, the future Elizabeth I on the throne in Mary's place. The result of Norfolk's suppression of the Wyatt Rebellion was Princess Elizabeth's imprisonment in the Tower (although there was not enough evidence to convict her on treason, since she clearly had not been party to the rebels' precise intentions) and the execution of the Queen's cousin Lady Jane Grey. Norfolk died not long after the Wyatt Rebellion and was succeeded by his grandson Thomas.Thomas Howard's tomb is situated in Framlingham Church, Suffolk. It is among the best preserved example of ornate stonework in Europe.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Record Change, 23 Oct 2001. ^2,3

• Alt. Birth: Kenninghall, Norfolk, England, Abt 1473. ¹

Thomas married Anne of England, daughter of King Of England IV Edward and Elizabeth Wydeville, between 1474 and 1507.¹ (Anne of England was born on 2 Nov 1475 in Westminister, London, Middlesex, England,¹ died after 22 Nov 1511 in Framlingham, Suffolk, England ¹ and was buried in Framlingham, Suffolk, England ¹.)

Thomas next married Elizabeth Stafford in 1512.¹ (Elizabeth Stafford was born about 1497 in Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, England,¹ died on 30 Nov 1558 in London, London, England ¹ and was buried on 7 Dec 1558 in London, London, England ¹.)