Henry VII isn’t remembered for being a womanizer, but he was a dark horse, and during his time in exile in Brittany there’s no reason to think he didn’t have some flirtations and relationships. So in this youtube video we look at a man I have only just discovered: Roland de Velville, Henry VII’s illegitimate son (?).
Read on for a rough transcript, or watch the video below!
Hey friend, welcome back to the YouTube channel for the Renaissance English History Podcast. I am your host Heather. I’ve been podcasting on Tudor England since 2009 with my show making it the original Tudor History Podcast. This channel is where I put all of my episodes from all of my shows as well as lots of extra content like this video right here.
Today we are talking about a person I only just discovered. Recently, I’ve been podcasting for 15 years on Tudor England, and I only just discovered this person. Some of you probably know him and are gonna be like, Heather, how did you not know this person? I don’t know, but I just discovered him. I thought I would share him with you.
It is Roland de Velville. He is probably the illegitimate son of Henry VII. So, I think like I was reading some different books that he was mentioned in and I’ve read those books, but it just didn’t click for me. So Henry VII had probably an illegitimate son when he was in exile and he never officially claimed him, but there’s a lot of evidence to support that he was Henry’s illegitimate son.
So we are going to dig into that. If you would like to see more Tudor history in your YouTube feed, why not go ahead and hit subscribe right now so you never miss a video that I put out. All right, Roland de Velville. His life remains one of the most Fascinating, yet little known stories from the Tudor period.
Who was Roland de Velville?
He was born around 1474 in Brittany. de Velville has long been speculated to be the illegitimate son of Henry VII. His background and position at court have sparked intrigue among historians, with debate about his lineage continuing until the present day. 1967, Professor S. B. Crimes published a paper that controversially dismissed de Velville’s royal connection, causing historians to question his place in history. However, more recent analyses have revived the possibility that Roland was indeed Henry VII’s son. In fact, I came across a Facebook post that Alison Weir had done about six months ago, just straight out saying this was Henry’s illegitimate son, like not even a question.
Anyway, his life at court as a companion and soldier with his close, almost familial relationship to the Tudor kings hints at a unique and probably royal background that warrants further examination.
So Roland de Velville was born, like I said, in 1474 in Brittany, in a region that was then under the governance of Duke Francis II. His mother’s identity remains a mystery, but it’s thought that she may have been connected to the Counts of Dortal in Nant, potentially placing her within Henry Tudor’s orbit during his time in exile.
At this time, Henry was not yet a king, but a young, landless noble closely monitored by his Breton host. While in Brittany, he had little hope of ever regaining his titles or his wealth, and his future appeared quite bleak. This context raises the possibility that Henry might have developed a relationship with a Breton noblewoman, leading to Roland’s birth, a theory further supported by their physical proximity in Nantes during this period. Now, Roland did eventually arrive in England, although when is still a mystery. Some accounts say that he arrived as early as 1485 when Henry took the throne. He would have only been about 11 or 10 or 11 by then. Others place him in England by 1494. Regardless of the exact timing, de Velville was firmly settled within the royal household by the early 1490s.
His first notable appearance came in 1494 when he participated in a joust celebrating the elevation of Henry’s young son, Prince Henry. future Henry VIII, when he became Duke of York. This participation was remarkable, as jousts were exclusive to knights and nobles, an indication of this unspoken recognition that de Velveille had in court.
During his early years in England, de Velveille lived in the royal apartments in Westminster. Henry This arrangement was unusual for someone without an official title or a known noble lineage, hinting again at special status conferred upon him by the king. Henry VII’s decision to house him within the royal residence raised eyebrows, particularly given the king’s notoriously cautious demeanor.
Spending. Henry even granted de Velville a pension of 40 marks per year, an uncommon gift from the miserly monarch, who was famously frugal with court expenditures. This financial support along with his prestigious residence indicated that de Velville had a very unique position at court, which went beyond just favoritism
though he had no formal title beyond knighthood, De Velveel became an unofficial royal companion to Henry VII. He spent much of his time jousting, a passion that made him a skilled soldier and later a respected commander. Beyond the tilt yard, he engaged in hunting and hawking with the king, as well as gambling, pastimes generally reserved for those of high social standing.
Now, despite his close bond with the king, de Velville never received an elevated title or land grants, which would typically reflect a noble lineage. His knighthood and royal proximity, however, hint at a deeply valued connection with Henry that extended beyond just loyalty.
So de Velville spent his life at court in a very lively and unconventional role, best described as a royal companion. Unlike other noblemen who might have sought titles, or states, or a firm social position, de Velville seemed content to live a freer and less strict life. structured life. Much of his time was spent indulging in the courtly pastimes of the day.
He jousted, he gambled, and he drank, sometimes to excess. He was apparently known for his obsessive jousting, and he honed his skills as both a soldier and a commander, spending countless hours practicing in the tilt yard. However, his passion for gambling and less prudent financial habits suggested that he may not have been as driven by long term ambitions as his peer.
Despite his close relationship with the king, De Velville made little effort to accumulate property or wealth. Unlike other courtiers who climbed the social ladder by marrying advantageously or building estates, De Velville seemed content to live off of his pension and the king’s favor. He never built up a substantial estate, he rarely invested in land, a decision that showed his really kind of carefree, almost adolescent approach to life.
You know what? It seems like maybe he was the Tudor version of like a beach bum or a hippie. I’m totally okay with it. I’m not going to hate on it. Anyway, in 1509, after Henry VII, his probable father, died, Rowland’s status shifted. Henry VIII appointed him as constable of Bowmary Castle in Anglesey in North Wales, making his first formal position, and it was a very significant one at that.
This role provided a respectable income, second only to that of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, in North Wales, but it also established De Velville as a prominent local figure. He spent his later years in Bomari overseeing the castle’s upkeep and maintaining local peace, though he did return to court when summoned.
This prestigious appointment allowed de Velveel to operate independently of court life, marking his transition from court companion to a trusted official of the crown. Henry VIII’s support for de Velville went beyond that of the initial appointment. When Parliament attempted to suspend his pension, Henry personally intervened, ensuring that the funds continued.
This reinforcement of de Velville’s status hints at a close bond, perhaps even a sense of family loyalty. An episode in 1517 also further suggests a connection briefly imprisoned for, quote, slandering the king’s council, a very serious offence. His release, however, was conditional upon his remaining near the king, implying that his presence was valued by Henry VIII.
This was a pretty unusual punishment. So it shows that Henry, you know, probably wanted, wanted to have him around for whatever reason, family loyalty, we don’t know. DeVilleville’s military career is marked by notable campaigns as well. He participated in the 1513 Battle of the Spurs, a victory for Henry VIII’s forces against the French.
His skills honed through years of jousting and courtly training made him a valuable commander. He was also part of Henry VIII’s royal entourage at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. His presence at key court ceremonies further cemented his role as a trusted courtier.
He attended the funerals of Henry VII in 1509 and Henry VIII’s young son, Henry, Duke of Cornwall in 1511, signifying his deep connection to the royal family.
So what are the arguments for him being Henry VII’s son? First, his mother’s likely connection to Breton nobility suggests a plausible context for his relationship with Henry VII and Henry Tudor. Henry, during his years in exile, was frequently housed in or near Nantes, close to where de Velville’s maternal family is believed to have lived.
The proximity and timing make a romantic liaison between the young landless Henry and a noblewoman in Brittany very feasible. Heraldic clues also support the theory. De Velville wore a coat of arms similar to that of the Coscare family in Brittany, who were of noble blood and known for their emblem of a black boar.
Additionally, descriptions of his physical appearance add weight to the claim. He was known to be tall and fair, resembling Henry VIII. His physical similarity to the Tudor’s shows potential familial ties, further suggesting a relationship to the king.
Also, Henry VII wasn’t really known for being a big gift giver to people who weren’t close to him.
So the idea that he was just randomly giving out money to strange Breton people, it doesn’t really add up to me. So that seems like a pretty strong case for.
But then in 1967, Professor S. B. Chrimes published a paper dismissing his alleged royal lineage, claiming it was an allegation by an amateur historian. assertion, though, faced significant challenges.
Research in subsequent decades, including Welsh Bardic poems from de Velville’s era, suggests that the claims of his royal parentage was not simply an invention of later historians. Welsh poets frequently refer to him as of kingly blood, a phrase that implies a royal connection, obviously. These references Combined with newer assessments have called crimes stance into question, reviving the belief that deve vi’s closeness to the Tudor throne may not have been merely coincidental.
The other question against would be, why didn’t Henry just claim him it, it happened before he was married. It’s not like it was. Before he was married to Elizabeth of York, why didn’t he just claim him as his son? And I don’t have an answer to that. Maybe he wanted the English people to think that he was really, you know, chaste.
I don’t know. I don’t know why he wouldn’t have claimed him. It wasn’t unusual. Edward IV had illegitimate children. It wasn’t particularly an unusual thing to have. So I’m not sure why he wouldn’t have claimed him, but that is definitely an argument against as well. Roland de Velville died in 1535, uh, but he was still remembered by Henry VIII and people at court. Even years later in 1544, Henry VIII learned that Bomari could no longer raise troops as it had during de Velville’s tenure, and he expressed surprise and said he missed the loss of his trusted constable there.
This is a rare statement of regret that’s recorded from the often callous king, shows a deep respect that he had for de Velville.
So what do you think, my friend? It seems like there’s too much happening, too many coincidental gifts and privileges that are just unexplained.
Seems like a little too much to just be random. So I suspect he probably is a son of Henry VII, but I don’t know why Henry wouldn’t have just said so. What do you think? I would love to know. So leave a comment and let me know what your thoughts are on Roland de Velville. So thank you so much for watching.
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast, the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop.
She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 30 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history (how exciting when she got to interview Alison for the first time!). In addition to history, she is passionate about travel, and has lived in 3 countries and 4 states (not counting her perpetual state of confusion), and her family (who help her host her YouTube channel occasionally).
