Elizabeth Brooke (1503–1560) facts for kids

Elizabeth Brooke, Lady Wyatt (1503–1560) was an important woman in English history. She was the wife of Sir Thomas Wyatt, a famous poet. Elizabeth was also the mother of Thomas Wyatt the Younger. He led a well-known uprising against Queen Mary I.

Elizabeth's parents were Thomas Brooke, 8th Baron Cobham and Dorothy Heydon. Her brother was George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham. At one point, people even thought she might become the sixth wife of King Henry VIII of England.

Elizabeth's Marriages

Elizabeth Brooke was married two times during her life.

First Marriage: Thomas Wyatt

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–1542) by Hans Holbein the Younger

In 1520, Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Wyatt. He was born in 1503 and passed away in 1542. A year later, they had a son named Thomas.

• Sir Thomas (1521–1554) became famous for leading a rebellion. This uprising was against Queen Mary I in 1554. Its goal was to replace the Catholic Queen Mary with her Protestant half-sister, Elizabeth.

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1521–1554)

Elizabeth and Thomas Wyatt had some problems early in their marriage. They separated in 1526. Thomas Wyatt supported her financially for a while. However, around 1537, he stopped sending money. He sent Elizabeth to live with her brother, Lord Cobham.

Lord Cobham tried to make Wyatt continue his financial support. Wyatt refused at that time. Later, in 1541, Wyatt was arrested for a serious crime. His property was taken away. The Brooke family then helped him get a pardon. A condition for his pardon was that he would take Elizabeth back as his wife.

A Possible Queen?

King Henry VIII was known to pay attention to Elizabeth Brooke. He also noticed another lady named Anne Basset. Both were considered possible choices for his sixth wife. In early 1542, Elizabeth Brooke's name appeared in reports from Spain. These reports said King Henry VIII was interested in her as a potential wife.

However, Elizabeth Brooke was almost 40 years old at this time. It is possible that the reports confused her with her niece. Her niece was Elisabeth Brooke. She was the daughter of George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham. This younger Elisabeth was very beautiful. She was nearly sixteen in January 1542.

Second Marriage: Edward Warner

After Thomas Wyatt passed away, Elizabeth Brooke married again. Her second husband was Sir Edward Warner (1511–1565). He was the Lord Lieutenant of the Tower.

Elizabeth and Sir Edward Warner had three sons:

• Edward, who died when he was very young.
• Thomas
• Henry

Sir Edward Warner lost his job in July 1553. This happened when Queen Mary I began her rule. He was arrested in January 1554. This was because Elizabeth's son, Thomas Wyatt the Younger, rebelled against the Queen. Warner was held for almost a year. Elizabeth's son was executed for his rebellion.

The family's good fortune returned when Elizabeth I became Queen. Sir Edward Warner got his job back at the Tower of London. Elizabeth died there in August 1560. She was buried within the Tower grounds.

Images for kids

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  Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503–1542) by Hans Holbein the Younger

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  Sir Thomas Wyatt (1521–1554)