Second earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, the second earl of Essex, was born in 1565 in Herefordshire, England. He inherited significant financial challenges following the death of his father, the first earl of Essex, in 1576, leaving him with substantial debts. Raised in a politically charged environment, Essex was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, earning his master’s degree in 1581. His stepfather, Robert Dudley, was a close associate of Queen Elizabeth I, which influenced Essex's early court life. He gained favor with the queen, receiving multiple honors, including the mastership of the queen's horse and membership in the Order of the Garter. However, his military career was marked by financial strain and rivalry, particularly evident during his failed campaign in Ireland in 1599, where he sought to suppress a rebellion led by Tyrone. After returning to England in disgrace, Essex attempted a coup against the queen in 1601 and was subsequently captured, leading to his execution later that year. His life reflects the complexities of court politics, military ambition, and personal relationships in Elizabethan England.
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Subject Terms
Second earl of Essex
Courtier
- Born: November 10, 1565
- Birthplace: Netherwood, Herefordshire, England
- Died: February 25, 1601
- Place of death: London, England
Biography
Robert Devereux, the second earl of Essex, was born in Netherwood, Herefordshire, England, in 1565. In 1572, his father, Walter Devereux, became the first earl of Essex. Despite being titled, Walter Devereux had very little land and large monetary debts; he died in 1576 while attempting to gain control of his land in Ireland. Upon his death, the weight of his debt was transferred to his son, the young Robert Devereux. Devereux’s mother, Lettice, remarried in 1578. Her husband, Robert Dudley, earl of Leicester, was the favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, and the marriage earned the couple the queen’s displeasure.
During this tumultuous time, Essex was attending Trinity College in Cambridge, where he earned his master’s degree in 1581. Essex’s stepfather brought him to court in 1584, and sent him on a military campaign in the Netherlands the following year. Outfitting his private troops for this expedition plunged Essex far deeper into his already considerable debt. He fought a battle by the side of Sir Philip Sidney, a poet famed for his sonnets, and attended to him on his deathbed, where Sidney gave Essex his sword. In 1590, Essex secretly married Sidney’s widow, Frances Walsingham.
In 1586, Essex returned to court after his campaign in the Netherlands and found himself much in favor with the queen, with whom he spent much time. That summer Queen Elizabeth I awarded Essex the mastership of the queen’s horse, the first of many honors and titles she bestowed upon him. Essex spent the next two years engaged in military exploits and was admitted to the Order of the Garter. During this time, he perceived a rival for the queen’s affections in Sir Walter Raleigh. Essex would often pen sonnets for the queen when he feared another noble was poised to take his place in her favor.
In 1599, Essex was made lord lieutenant of Ireland and arrived there with a large force to quell the rebellion of Tyrone. He failed in his efforts and was forced to return to England in disgrace. Essex was stripped of his titles and banished from court. Driven to desperation, Essex attempted a coup, trying to take London with a small personal army. He was quickly captured and imprisoned and sentenced to death by Queen Elizabeth in 1601.