Daughter of Henry VII and sister of Henry VIII Mary was intelligent, beautiful, spirited and willful. She was one of the most desired women of her time. She was persuaded to marry the old, gouty French king Louis XII at the age of 18. Three months later Louis died, exhausted by trying to impregnate Mary.
As a young widowed Queen of France she was a useful pawn for her brother Henry. In defiance of Henry’s scheming Mary quickly married one of Henry’s best friends, Charles, Duke of Brandon. Henry’s anger was volcanic.
She and Brandon came back to England after Henry’s temper cooled and lived the rest of her life bearing children and living in the country.