Robert Devereux: Difference between revisions
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1566-1601. Second Earl of Essex. English soldier and courtier of Queen [[Elizabeth I]]. | |||
Robert Devereux (born on 10 November 1566) | Robert Devereux (born on 10 November 1566) succeeded to the title of Earl of Essex, before held by his father Walter Devereux, at the young age of nine. Essex is especially known for his position as a royal favourite at the court of Elizabeth I. His relationship to the Queen was characterized by an alternation of constant quarrels and the soothing power of Robert's charm, but ended tragically with his execution at the [[Tower of London]] on 25 February 1601 after a failed coup d'état against the Queen. | ||
Essex first caught the Queen's attention after successful military service against the Spanish in the Netherlands in 1586. On his return to court he was appointed Master of the Horse, and became the Queen's favourite. In 1590 he secretly married [[Philip Sidney]]'s widow [[Frances Walsingham]], contrary to the Queen's wishes. | |||
With Frances, he had a son, Robert Devereux, who later became the 3rd Earl of Essex. | |||
The marriage adds to a list of occasions on which Robert's overconfidence beguiled him into defying the Queen's orders and thereby into testing his favourable position at court. In 1594, he commanded the execution of Elizabeth's personal doctor. The execution happened without any concrete allegations, against the Queen's will and was solely based on the Earl's wounded pride and vanity. | |||
Financially, politically and socially ruined, Essex plotted to seize the Queen and take control of the government. | After several successful and unsuccessful expeditions during the Anglo-Spanish War, he was finally appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and sent to Ireland in order to break the [[Nine Years' War|Tyrone's Rebellion]] in 1599. Essex' campaign failed and – still relying on the Queen's affection towards him – he established an unfavourable truce and left Ireland without the Queen's permission. Back in England, the - de facto - deserter was suspended from his offices and placed under house arrest. | ||
Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was found guilty | |||
Financially, politically and socially ruined, Essex plotted to seize the Queen and take control of the government. But on 8 February 1601, his attempted coup failed miserably. | |||
Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was found guilty of treason and executed on 25 February 1601 on Tower Green. | |||
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Cavendish, Richard. "The Execution of the Earl of Essex." History Today, vol. 51, no. 2, 2001, n.pag, http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/execution-earl-essex. Accessed 30 December 2017. | Cavendish, Richard. "The Execution of the Earl of Essex." ''History Today'', vol. 51, no. 2, 2001, n.pag, http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/execution-earl-essex. Accessed 30 December 2017. | ||
"History - Robert, Earl of Essex (1566 - 1601)." ''BBC'', http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/earl_of_essex_robert.shtml. Acessed 29 Decemer 2017. | |||
Lacey, Robert. ''Robert Earl of Essex: An Elizabethan Icarus''. N.p.: Atheneum/Weidenfeld, 1971. Print. | |||
“Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.” Encyclopædia Britannica, www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Devereux-2nd-earl-of-Essex. Acessed 29 Decemer 2017. | “Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.” ''Encyclopædia Britannica'', http://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Devereux-2nd-earl-of-Essex. Acessed 29 Decemer 2017. | ||
Latest revision as of 15:36, 4 January 2018
1566-1601. Second Earl of Essex. English soldier and courtier of Queen Elizabeth I.
Robert Devereux (born on 10 November 1566) succeeded to the title of Earl of Essex, before held by his father Walter Devereux, at the young age of nine. Essex is especially known for his position as a royal favourite at the court of Elizabeth I. His relationship to the Queen was characterized by an alternation of constant quarrels and the soothing power of Robert's charm, but ended tragically with his execution at the Tower of London on 25 February 1601 after a failed coup d'état against the Queen.
Essex first caught the Queen's attention after successful military service against the Spanish in the Netherlands in 1586. On his return to court he was appointed Master of the Horse, and became the Queen's favourite. In 1590 he secretly married Philip Sidney's widow Frances Walsingham, contrary to the Queen's wishes. With Frances, he had a son, Robert Devereux, who later became the 3rd Earl of Essex.
The marriage adds to a list of occasions on which Robert's overconfidence beguiled him into defying the Queen's orders and thereby into testing his favourable position at court. In 1594, he commanded the execution of Elizabeth's personal doctor. The execution happened without any concrete allegations, against the Queen's will and was solely based on the Earl's wounded pride and vanity.
After several successful and unsuccessful expeditions during the Anglo-Spanish War, he was finally appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and sent to Ireland in order to break the Tyrone's Rebellion in 1599. Essex' campaign failed and – still relying on the Queen's affection towards him – he established an unfavourable truce and left Ireland without the Queen's permission. Back in England, the - de facto - deserter was suspended from his offices and placed under house arrest.
Financially, politically and socially ruined, Essex plotted to seize the Queen and take control of the government. But on 8 February 1601, his attempted coup failed miserably. Essex was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was found guilty of treason and executed on 25 February 1601 on Tower Green.
Literature
Cavendish, Richard. "The Execution of the Earl of Essex." History Today, vol. 51, no. 2, 2001, n.pag, http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/execution-earl-essex. Accessed 30 December 2017.
"History - Robert, Earl of Essex (1566 - 1601)." BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/earl_of_essex_robert.shtml. Acessed 29 Decemer 2017.
Lacey, Robert. Robert Earl of Essex: An Elizabethan Icarus. N.p.: Atheneum/Weidenfeld, 1971. Print.
“Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.” Encyclopædia Britannica, http://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Devereux-2nd-earl-of-Essex. Acessed 29 Decemer 2017.