Mary Tudor (1495-1533), queen of France and duchess of Suffolk. Mary Tudor was Henry VIII's younger sister and from her descended the claim of Lady Jane and Lady Catherine Grey to the throne. In 1514, she was married to the elderly king of France, Louis XII. She was queen of France for three months, her husband dying on 1 January 1515. She had previously claimed from Henry the right to choose for herself should she be widowed and within a few weeks had made a private marriage to Charles Brandon, duke of Suffolk. Her brother's wrath was assuaged by gifts of money and jewels.

A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.