Thomas Wyatt, the younger

Sir Thomas Wyatt
Portrait of Thomas Wyatt the Younger circa 1540–42
Born	Thomas Wyatt the younger 1521
Died	11 April 1554 (aged 32–33) Tower Hill, London
Resting place	St. Mary the Virgin and All Saints Churchyard, Boxley, Kent
Occupation	Politician and Rebel leader
Spouse(s)	Jane Haute
Children	Francis George Richard Charles Arthur Henry Joyce Ursula Anne Jane
Parent(s)	Sir Thomas Wyatt Elizabeth Brooke

Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger (1521 – 11 April 1554) was an English politician and rebel leader during the reign of Queen Mary I; his rising is traditionally called "Wyatt's rebellion". He was also the son of the English poet and ambassador Sir Thomas Wyatt.

Wyatt was the son of Sir Thomas Wyatt who introduced the sonnet into English literature, a form of verse later popualized by Shakespeare and Elizabeth Brooke, the daughter of Thomas Brooke, 8th Baron Cobham, by Dorothy Heydon, daughter of Sir Henry Heydon and Elizabeth or Anne Boleyn, daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn. He was the grandson of Sir Henry Wyatt and Anne Skinner, the daughter of John Skinner of Reigate, Surrey.

Thomas Wyatt the Younger was raised a Roman Catholic. His godfather, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk had a significant influence on Wyatt's upbringing. Throughout his childhood, Thomas accompanied his father on a delegation to Spain where the Inquisition began. Subsequently, at the young age of sixteen, Thomas was married to Jane Haute.

He inherited at his father's death in 1542 Allington Castle and Boxley Abbey in Kent, but found both estates encumbered by debt. Further financial difficulties arose from the fact that, having been unfaithful to his wife (rumour had it that they were both unfaithful), the elder Wyatt separated from her. He had a child named Francis Wyatt, whose mother was Elizabeth Darrell, an unmarried daughter of Sir Edward Darrell of Littlecote House in Wiltshire. The elder Sir Thomas left Elizabeth property in Dorset, thus diminishing his son's inheritance. Nonetheless, the younger Thomas was evidently on friendly terms with his half-brother Francis, to whom he made a gift of his manor of Tarrant.