Catherine Brandon, Duchess of Suffolk (22 March 1519 – 19 September 1580) was an English noblewoman living at the courts of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth I. She was the fourth wife of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk.
Biography[]
Catherine Willoughby was born at Parham Old Hall, Suffolk, England on 22 March 1519, the daughter of William Willoughby, 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby and one of Queen Catherine of Aragon's Spanish ladies-in-waiting. Catherine was one of the greatest heiresses of her generation following her father's death in 1526, and her wardship was sold by King Henry VIII to Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk in 1528. As early as 1531, Suffolk was interested in the young Willoughby, and the 49-year-old Suffolk married the 14-year-old Willoughby in 1533. She was known for her wit, sharp tongue, and devotion to learning, and she became an outspoken supporter of the English Reformation. During the reign of Queen Mary I of England, she was forced to go into exile in the German city of Wesel and in Poland-Lithuania to evade persecution, and she returned during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. She died in Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire in 1580 at the age of 61.