Sir Henry Wyatt, Knight
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Sir Henry Wyatt, Knight, was the father of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet.
As a young man Henry Wyatt attended Eton, where he established a relationship with Henry Tudor. Both boys were born during the War of the Roses. Henry Tudor was forced to spend most of those years in exile.
For two years Henry Wyatt endured the rack and other tortures at the hands of the infamous Richard III. Richard complained that his own men didn’t demonstrate such devotion.
There is a Wyatt family legend about a "caterer cat". Henry was cold and starving in his cell. He "made much" of a cat that slipped through the bars to visit; she returned his love (and saved his life) by bringing him pigeons, which were cooked for him by a friendly jailer.
Wyatt was finally released when Richard III was killed in battle and Henry Tudor was crowned king. Henry VII told Henry Wyatt "study to serve me and I'll study to serve you!"
Henry Wyatt served faithfully and was richly rewarded; he was able to purchase (and restore) his beloved Allington Castle.
In 1492 he was appointed Esquire-of-the-Body, King’s select Bodyguard. He sold “Hall in the Village Solhange” (South Haigh or Upper Haigh) that he had acquired through his first marriage to Margaret, daughter and heiress of Richard Bailiff of Barnsley. Henry purchased and restored Allington Castle.
In 1502 Henry married his second wife, Anne Skinner, daughter of John Skinner of Reigate in Surrey. (One record suggests she was a sister of the Earl of Surrey, but we have no proof.) At the time of their marriage Henry would have been 53 – that was OLD in medieval times. His famous son, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet was born the following year.
When Henry VII died, Henry Wyatt was knighted at Henry VIII's coronation. In time Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey visited him at Allington.
He lived 80 years, which was an incredibly long life in those days. They say all of Sir Henry Wyatt's paintings included the cat and the legend is inscribed on his tombstone.
Sir Henry Wyatt's son Sir Thomas the Poet and his daughter Margaret (a.k.a. Lady Lee) were assumed to be childhood friends of Anne Boleyn, since Allington and Hever were fairly close.
Margaret was with Anne in the tower and was there on the scaffold to the last; Anne gave Margaret her prayerbook, which is probably on display at a museum somewhere.
Sir Henry’s grandson, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger led the rebellion against Queen Mary. He may have "saved" Elizabeth by denying she had any part in his actions. Mary sentenced Thomas to a traitor’s death and his parts were scattered across the countryside.
Sir Henry Wyatt's great grandson George became Anne Boleyn’s first biographer; his works are frequently referred to in the historical works we read today. (Example: The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir.)
Sir Henry Wyatt, Knight, was the father of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet.
As a young man Henry Wyatt attended Eton, where he established a relationship with Henry Tudor. Both boys were born during the War of the Roses. Henry Tudor was forced to spend most of those years in exile.
For two years Henry Wyatt endured the rack and other tortures at the hands of the infamous Richard III. Richard complained that his own men didn’t demonstrate such devotion.
There is a Wyatt family legend about a "caterer cat". Henry was cold and starving in his cell. He "made much" of a cat that slipped through the bars to visit; she returned his love (and saved his life) by bringing him pigeons, which were cooked for him by a friendly jailer.
Wyatt was finally released when Richard III was killed in battle and Henry Tudor was crowned king. Henry VII told Henry Wyatt "study to serve me and I'll study to serve you!"
Henry Wyatt served faithfully and was richly rewarded; he was able to purchase (and restore) his beloved Allington Castle.
In 1492 he was appointed Esquire-of-the-Body, King’s select Bodyguard. He sold “Hall in the Village Solhange” (South Haigh or Upper Haigh) that he had acquired through his first marriage to Margaret, daughter and heiress of Richard Bailiff of Barnsley. Henry purchased and restored Allington Castle.
In 1502 Henry married his second wife, Anne Skinner, daughter of John Skinner of Reigate in Surrey. (One record suggests she was a sister of the Earl of Surrey, but we have no proof.) At the time of their marriage Henry would have been 53 – that was OLD in medieval times. His famous son, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet was born the following year.
When Henry VII died, Henry Wyatt was knighted at Henry VIII's coronation. In time Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey visited him at Allington.
He lived 80 years, which was an incredibly long life in those days. They say all of Sir Henry Wyatt's paintings included the cat and the legend is inscribed on his tombstone.
Sir Henry Wyatt's son Sir Thomas the Poet and his daughter Margaret (a.k.a. Lady Lee) were assumed to be childhood friends of Anne Boleyn, since Allington and Hever were fairly close.
Margaret was with Anne in the tower and was there on the scaffold to the last; Anne gave Margaret her prayerbook, which is probably on display at a museum somewhere.
Sir Henry’s grandson, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger led the rebellion against Queen Mary. He may have "saved" Elizabeth by denying she had any part in his actions. Mary sentenced Thomas to a traitor’s death and his parts were scattered across the countryside.
Sir Henry Wyatt's great grandson George became Anne Boleyn’s first biographer; his works are frequently referred to in the historical works we read today. (Example: The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir.)