William Compton (courtier)

Sir William Compton was one of the most prominent courtiers during the reign of Henry VIII of England. Born around 1482, Compton was about nine years older than his king, but the two became close friends. Compton was the eldest son of Edmund Compton of Warwickshire and became an attendant on young Henry. ["Oxford Dictionary of National Biography": William Compton. Oxford University Press, 2004.] On Henry's accession, he was given the position of Groom of the Stool, the man who was in closest contact to the young king. One of his duties, according to the courtier Elizabeth Amadas, was to procure women for his monarch and arrange trysts with them at his London home, in Thames Street. ["Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, of the Reign of Henry VIII." Vol. VI, No. 923.] Though not a politican, Compton ultimately acquired significant influence over Henry when it came to granting land and favours to the aristocracy, and made a fortune himself.

In 1510, Compton was involved in a public row with Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham over Henry's affair with the Duke's married sister, Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon. Around 1519, Compton became involved with Anne himself, and in 1521 Henry sent Compton to arrest Anne's brother the Duke of Buckingham, who was later executed for treason. Compton made provisions for Anne in his will in 1522. He died in 1528 of the Sweating sickness which killed several courtiers including Anne Boleyn's brother-in-law, Sir William Carey.

Fictional portrayals

Kristen Holden-Ried portrayed a fictionalized William Compton in 2007 on the Showtime television series "The Tudors", loosely based upon the early reign of Henry VIII.

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