Charles Howard (courtier)

Charles Howard was a gentleman at the court of Henry VIII of England. He was the second son of Lord Edmund Howard and the elder brother of Sir George Howard. As a scion of the mighty Howard family, his uncle, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk was able to find him a position at court. Charles' fortunes improved in 1540, when his sister, Catherine Howard became the King's fifth wife. Charles went on to create a mesalliance with the King's niece, Margaret Douglas, the daughter of Henry's sister, Margaret Tudor, queen dowager of Scotland.