Lord Thomas Howard facts for kids

Lord Thomas Howard (born 1511 – died 1537) was an English nobleman who served at the court of King Henry VIII. He is best known for his marriage to Lady Margaret Douglas. Margaret was the daughter of King Henry VIII's sister, Margaret Tudor. King Henry VIII later said their marriage was not valid. Because of this, Lord Thomas was sent to the Tower of London, where he died on October 31, 1537. His nephew, the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, even wrote about this sad event in a poem.

Who Was Lord Thomas Howard?

Lord Thomas Howard was a younger son of Thomas Howard, who was the 2nd Duke of Norfolk. His mother was Agnes Tilney. He had an older half-brother, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, and people sometimes confused them.

His Early Life at Court

In 1533, Lord Thomas was at the royal court when his niece, Anne Boleyn, married King Henry VIII. She became the King's second wife. Lord Thomas even helped carry the canopy at the christening of Anne's daughter, Elizabeth. He spent a lot of time at court in the years that followed.

It was there that he met Lady Margaret Douglas (1515–1578). Margaret was the daughter of King Henry VIII's sister, Margaret Tudor. Her father was Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. By the end of 1535, Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret had fallen in love. They decided to get secretly engaged.

Imprisonment and His Death

In May 1536, Lord Thomas's niece, Queen Anne, lost her power. This made King Henry VIII very angry when he found out about Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret's secret marriage plans in July 1536. At that time, Lady Margaret was next in line to the throne. This was because the King had declared his own daughters, Mary and Elizabeth, were no longer heirs.

Lord Thomas and Lady Margaret were both sent to the Tower of London. On July 18, 1536, a special law was passed against Howard. This law said he tried to "interrupt" the line of succession to the crown. The law stated that Howard should be put to death. It also said that no one in the King's family could marry without his permission.

Lord Thomas was not executed, but he stayed in the Tower. Lady Margaret was told by the King's minister, Thomas Cromwell, to end their relationship. While in the Tower, Lady Margaret became ill. The King allowed her to move to Syon Abbey under the care of the abbess. Some reports suggest her illness was due to pregnancy, which led to her being moved there. She was released from the Abbey on October 29, 1537.

Lord Thomas remained in the Tower. He caught an illness and died on October 31, 1537. There is a story, though not proven, that he was poisoned. His body was given to his mother, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. She was told to bury him "without pomp," meaning without a grand ceremony. Howard was buried at Thetford Abbey.

In 1540, Lady Margaret Douglas faced trouble again. This time, it was for a similar secret relationship with Lord Thomas's nephew, Sir Charles Howard. Sir Charles was the son of Lord Thomas's half-brother, Lord Edmund Howard. He was also the brother of King Henry VIII's fifth wife, Katherine Howard.

A Poem About His Fate

Lord Thomas's nephew, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, wrote about his uncle's death in a poem. He wrote it for "his Geraldine" (Lady Elizabeth Fitsgerald):