Thomas Wharton, 1st Baron Wharton facts for kids

Sir Thomas Wharton (born 1495 – died 1568) was an important English nobleman who served King Henry VIII. He is most famous for his big win at the Battle of Solway Moss in 1542. Because of this victory, he was given the special title of baron, becoming the 1st Baron Wharton.

Early Life and Beginnings

Thomas Wharton was born in a place called Wharton in Westmorland, England. He was the oldest son of Sir Thomas Wharton and Agnes Warcup. His younger brother, Christopher Wharton, became a famous English martyr (someone who dies for their beliefs).

When his father passed away around 1520, young Thomas began his military career. In April 1522, he joined a group that went on a raiding trip into Scotland.

Serving on the Scottish Border

Thomas Wharton quickly became an important figure in the north of England, especially along the border with Scotland.

In 1524, he joined the "commission for the peace" in Cumberland. This meant he was part of a group responsible for keeping law and order. In 1527, he was made a knight at Windsor, which was a great honor.

He also served in Parliament for Appleby. Later, he was chosen as the High Sheriff of Cumberland, a top law enforcement officer for the county.

In 1531, he was put in charge of sorting out problems and crimes happening on the Anglo-Scottish Border. He also became a Justice of the Peace in different parts of England, showing how much the King trusted him.

Thomas Wharton bought a large estate called Healaugh near Tadcaster. He lived there for the later part of his life.

Important Jobs

By 1532, Thomas Wharton was the captain of Cockermouth Castle. He worked closely with Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, who was in charge of the border areas. Wharton helped Northumberland with military duties, especially as Northumberland was not well.

In 1534, he became the captain of Carlisle, another key border fortress. He also investigated a nobleman named William Dacre, 3rd Baron Dacre, who was accused of working against Northumberland.

During the uprisings in the north of England in 1536, Thomas Wharton stayed loyal to King Henry VIII. He even had to escape his home to join the King's forces. For his loyalty, he was considered for the important job of Warden of the West Marches. This role meant he was the main defender of the western border with Scotland. While he didn't get the top job right away, he became the deputy warden in 1537.

He was one of the "new men" that the Tudor kings relied on, rather than the old noble families. This sometimes made him unpopular with his neighbors. In 1541, he gave King Henry a report on the situation in Scotland. The King then ordered him to strike back against the Scots for burning some barns near Bewcastle.

Warden of the West Marches

In 1542, Thomas Wharton was officially made the Warden of the West Marches. This was a very important job, as he was responsible for defending a large part of the border and dealing with Scottish raids. He also became a Member of Parliament for Cumberland.

The Battle of Solway Moss

In 1542, both England and Scotland were getting ready for war. Thomas Wharton suggested a plan to raid Scotland and even capture King James V. The King's council didn't approve this bold idea.

However, Wharton did lead raids. He burned the town of Dumfries in Scotland in October. On November 23rd, he led another raid, causing a lot of damage.

Meanwhile, the Scots had planned a huge invasion of the western border. Wharton knew about this thanks to his spies. On the evening of November 23rd, he got definite news that the Scots would attack the next day. The Scottish army was said to be huge, with 14,000 or even 20,000 soldiers. Wharton only had a few hundred men.

On November 24th, Wharton and his small force watched the Scots cross the River Esk. Towards evening, he bravely attacked their left side. The Scots, led by Oliver Sinclair, got stuck in the muddy ground of Solway Moss near the river's mouth. Many Scottish soldiers, including nobles, were captured, killed, or drowned. The English lost very few men.

This was a huge victory for Thomas Wharton! The King's council heard about his success and praised him.

The Rough Wooing

After his victory at Solway Moss, Thomas Wharton was busy with more raids into Scotland. He also tried to convince some Scottish nobles to switch sides and support England. The goal was to gain control of southwest Scotland and arrange a marriage between Mary, Queen of Scots and Prince Edward, King Henry's son. This period of conflict and marriage attempts was known as the Rough Wooing. For his great service, Thomas Wharton was made a Baron in 1544, becoming "Lord Wharton."

Wharton had a network of spies, including a Scottish woman named Katherine Robinson. She told him that some Scottish lords might be willing to capture Mary, Queen of Scots. Wharton was careful, though, as he didn't want the young queen to be harmed.

In 1544, Wharton helped make agreements with Scottish nobles who were willing to support the English invasion and the proposed marriage. He also held musters (gatherings of soldiers) in places like Keswick and Penrith.

While the Earl of Hertford burned Edinburgh in May 1544, Wharton stayed at Carlisle, guarding the border as Warden of the West March. He also helped plan a raid on Jedburgh, led by William and Ralph Eure. For the rest of King Henry VIII's reign, Wharton continued to lead border raids and work with Scottish nobles who supported the marriage plan.

War Under Edward VI

When Edward VI became king, the "Rough Wooing" continued. The Lord Protector, Somerset, wanted to complete the marriage between Mary and Edward. In March 1547, a Scottish raid gave England a reason to invade.

In September, while Somerset invaded Scotland from the east, Wharton and the Earl of Lennox attacked from the west. They left Carlisle with many soldiers and captured several Scottish castles like Milk Castle, Annan, and Dronok. They had to return to Carlisle because they ran out of supplies.

Later, Wharton had some disagreements with another warden, William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton. In February 1548, Wharton and Lennox led another invasion into Scotland. Wharton's son, Henry Wharton, went ahead to burn towns like Drumlanrig. However, some Scottish soldiers who had promised to help the English changed sides and attacked Henry Wharton.

News reached Carlisle that the whole English expedition was lost, but this wasn't true. While Henry Wharton's group faced trouble, his father, Thomas Wharton, fought back. Many Scots were captured or killed, but Wharton had to retreat, and Dumfries fell back into Scottish hands. Because of this betrayal, Wharton hanged the Scottish hostages he held, starting a long-lasting feud between the Wharton and Maxwell families.

After Somerset lost power in 1549, Wharton's rival, Baron Dacre, took over as warden. But in 1550, Wharton was appointed to help arrange peace with Scotland and divide the disputed border lands. He was also one of the nobles who judged and sentenced Somerset in 1551. In 1552, Wharton and Dacre finally made up.

Serving Under Queen Mary

When Queen Mary became queen, Baron Dacre quickly supported her. There were rumors that Wharton might be against Dacre, but Queen Mary trusted Wharton and kept him as warden. His oldest son also became a trusted advisor to the Queen.

Wharton's own religious beliefs were traditional. He had voted against laws that allowed priests to marry and against laws that destroyed old church books.

Even though he was getting older, Wharton remained warden throughout Queen Mary's reign. In 1557, the Earl of Northumberland joined him as warden because new problems with Scotland were expected.

Later Life and Family

In 1560, there was a suggestion for Wharton to become captain of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a very important border town. However, he couldn't return to his old job in the west marches because of his ongoing feud with the Maxwell family, who were now friendly with the English.

Thomas Wharton didn't serve in the military anymore after that. He passed away at his home in Healaugh on August 23 or 24, 1568. He was buried there.

Family Life

Thomas Wharton was married twice. His first wife was Eleanor Stapleton, and they had several children:

• Thomas Wharton, 2nd Baron Wharton, who inherited his title.
• Sir Henry Wharton, a brave leader of cavalry (horse soldiers). He fought in many border raids and was knighted for his service. He died around 1550 without having children.
• Joanna, who married William Penington.
• Agnes, who married Richard Musgrave and later Humphrey Musgrave.

His second wife was Anne Talbot, but they did not have any children together.

Legacy

Even today, some people near Kirkby Stephen speak negatively about Thomas Wharton. They say he tore down the town of Wharton because it blocked his view of the valley.