Anthony Denny

Sir Anthony Denny (16 January 1501 – 10 September 1559) was a confidant of Henry VIII of England. Denny was the most prominent member of the Privy Chamber in Henry's last years, having charge of the dry stamp of Henry's signature, and attended Henry on his deathbed. He also served as Groom of the Stool. He was a scholar, a patron of literature and a member of the reformist circle that offset the conservative religious influence of Gardiner. A wealthy man by his death, he seems to have been a good and religious person.

Along with the Earl of Hertford, John Dudley and William Paget (in 1547), Denny helped to finalise Henry VIII's will upon his deathbed. Denny Specifically argued to Henry on several occasions) against the removal of Stephen Gardiner from the will. Denny was himself the man to tell Henry of his coming death, advising the old King 'to prepare for his final agony'. It has also been recently discovered that through his control of the Privy Chambers Denny had a distinct influence on Henry's choice of protector for his still minor successor, Edward VI. Denny's position gave him both the power to control who saw Henry in his last years (in which he spent excessive time in the Privy Chambers), and influence through his personal relation ship with the aging King. Along with Sir William Paget (Private Secretary of the King) it is suspected that Denny fixed the choosing of the 'Progressive' appeals, headed by Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset.

Sometime before 1548, Anthony married Joan Champernowne, sister to Katherine Ashley, the governess of the future queen Elizabeth.