NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester

Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (7 September 1532 or 1533 – 4 September 1588) was the long‐standing favourite of Elizabeth I of England. He was born a younger son of the 1st Duke of Northumberland, who was executed in 1553 for his part in the attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne of England. (Lady Jane was married to Robert's youngest brother, Guilford Dudley.) Robert Dudley was temporarily imprisoned, along with his father and brothers Guilford, John, Ambrose and Henry Dudley, in the Tower of London, where his stay coincided with the imprisonment of his childhood friend, Princess Elizabeth Tudor, who had been sent there on the orders of her estranged elder sister, Queen Mary I of England. By this time he was already married to Amy Robsart. Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Shortcut: WP:-( Vandalism is indisputable bad-faith addition, deletion, or change to content, made in a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 444 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (797 Ã— 1075 pixel, file size: 226 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Leceisters Coat of Arms is depicted twice, surrounded by (left) the Collar of the Order of St Michael and (right) the Garter. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 444 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (797 Ã— 1075 pixel, file size: 226 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Leceisters Coat of Arms is depicted twice, surrounded by (left) the Collar of the Order of St Michael and (right) the Garter. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events May 16 - Sir Thomas More resigns as Lord Chancellor of England. ... Events January 25 - King Henry VIII of England marries Anne Boleyn, his second Queen consort. ... is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1588 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Elizabeth I redirects here. ... John Dudley (1501-1553) was a Tudor nobleman and politician, executed for high treason by Queen Mary I of England. ... // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... Lady Jane Grey (October 12, 1537 â€“ February 12, 1554), a great-granddaughter of Henry VII of England, was proclaimed Queen regnant of the Kingdom of England for nine days in 1553. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem - the United Kingdom anthem God Save the Queen is commonly used England() â€“ on the European continent() â€“ in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified - by Athelstan 927 AD Area - Total 130... Guilford Dudley (1536 - 12 February 1554) was a son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, and Jane Guilford; and the younger brother of Robert Dudley, the future earl of Leicester. ... John Dudley, 2nd Earl of Warwick (~1528 - October 18, 1554) was the heir of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. ... Arms of Ambrose Dudley Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick (died February 21, 1589), was the son of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland and a brother of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. ... Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress The Tower of London, more commonly known as the Tower of London (and historically simply as The Tower), is a historic monument in central London, England on the north bank of the River Thames. ... Mary I (18 February 1516 â€“ 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 6 July 1553 (de facto) or 19 July 1553 (de jure) until her death on 17 November 1558. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

A document titled "Leycester's Commonwealth", banned in England when published in Europe, proposes an elaborate conspiracy regarding Dudley. He is said to have poisoned his first wife Amy Robsart, then later poisoned the Earl of Essex in order to marry his widow. Several leading aristocrats became suspicious of his machinations, perceived as motivated to place him at the seat of power, and moved to thwart him.

Relationship with Elizabeth

On Elizabeth's succession, Dudley was appointed Master of the Horse. Rumours about their relationship were rife, and when, in 1560, Dudley's wife died after falling down a flight of stairs in mysterious circumstances, it was widely believed that he had arranged her murder in order to free himself to marry the Queen. Some said that a secret marriage had taken place. Ironically, it would be Amy's death that would put an end to any such ambitions that Dudley may have had. Elizabeth, mindful of public opinion and also doubtful about the desirability of any marriage at all, never gave any cause to think that she intended to take the step of making her favorite into her husband. Historians today think Amy's murder, if it had been murder, was carried out either by someone who believed it would win him or her royal favor or, even more likely, by someone who wanted to prevent the Queen from marrying Dudley. It seems implausible that Elizabeth could have been foolish enough to involve herself in such a crime, even if Dudley were. It has also been suggested that Amy was mortally ill with breast cancer at the time, which would have made murder less likely than suicide or a fatal accident. It has been suggested, in recent years, that metastatic breast cancer can weaken the bones of the neck, causing the sort of collapse at the top of the stairs, and subsequent fall, that occurred in this case. The Master of the Horse was (and in some cases, is) a historical position of varying importance in several European nations. ... Events February 27 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation of Scotland The first tulip bulb was brought from Turkey to the Netherlands. ...

In fact, in 1563, Elizabeth put Dudley up as a candidate for marriage to the widowed Mary, Queen of Scots, whom she hoped to neutralise by marriage to a Protestant. The State Papers record how she hinted that this was to be a reward to Dudley, "whom, if it might lie in our power, we would make owner or heir of our own kingdom," for his loyal service. Mary, insulted by the idea of accepting Elizabeth's former "lover," rejected him. In the following year, Elizabeth bestowed on him the earldom of Leicester. Events February 1 - Sarsa Dengel succeeds his father Menas as Emperor of Ethiopia February 18 - The Duke of Guise is assassinated while besieging OrlÃ©ans March - Peace of Amboise. ... Mary I (popularly known as Mary, Queen of Scots: French: ); (December 8, 1542 â€“ February 8, 1587) was Queen of Scots (the monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland) from December 14, 1542, to July 24, 1567. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Leicester city centre, looking towards the Clock Tower Leicester (pronounced ) is the largest city and unitary authority in the English East Midlands. ...

Romantic life

Dudley was always a ladies' man. He is thought to have secretly married the widowed Lady Douglas Sheffield in 1573, though no witnesses to the marriage could ever be produced, so the legality of any contract between them could not be upheld. He later deserted her in favour of Lettice Knollys, widow of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex and maternal cousin of Queen Elizabeth. Lettice was the daughter of Catherine Carey, daughter of Lady Mary Boleyn and niece of Anne Boleyn. Dudley was required to marry Lettice twice, as her father, Sir Francis Knollys, mindful of Lady Sheffield's misfortune in the matter of her reputed marriage, insisted upon witnessing the ceremony himself. Lady Douglas (or alternatively, Douglass) Sheffield is most widely known as the mother of Robert Dudley, styled Earl of Warwick, the illegitimate son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I of England. ... Year 1573 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Lettice Knollys, Countess of Essex and Leicester The Lady Lettice Knollys, Countess of Leicester (?1540 - 25 December 1634) was born in Rotherfield Greys, Oxfordshire. ... Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541 - 1576), an English nobleman, was the eldest son of Sir Richard Devereux. ... Lady Catherine Carey (c. ... The Lady Mary Boleyn (c. ... Anne Boleyn, 1st Marchioness of Pembroke[1] (ca. ... Francis Knollys may refer to: Francis Knollys (the elder) Treasurer of the Royal Household to Queen Elizabeth I of England Francis Knollys (the younger) Gentleman of Battle Manor, Reading, Berkshire Francis Knollys, 1st Viscount Knollys Private Secretary to Edward VII of England This human name article is a disambiguation page...

The marriage offended the Queen mightily, so she temporarily banished him from court, and never again received the new Lady Leicester, thereafter known to her as 'the she‐wolf'. It was hardly to be expected by anyone other than Elizabeth, at least, that Leicester's devotion to the Queen should have caused him to lead an entirely celibate life during the 19 years that had elapsed since the death of his first wife.

In 1573 it was observed that not only the widowed Lady Douglas Sheffield, but also her sister, Frances Howard, who was unmarried, were "very far in love with him" and also that the Queen "thinketh not well of them, and not the better of him" for encouraging their attentions. Nevertheless, before long a son was borne by Lady Sheffield, and was to be named Robert Dudley, in 1573/4. Other than Elizabeth's threats to incarcerate Leicester, the reason for his deception may have been to protect his wife, the Lady Douglas Sheffield, and their son from his debts (and intrigues) with the Queen. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 437 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (500 Ã— 685 pixel, file size: 412 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Faithful reproductions of two-dimensional original works cannot attract copyright in the U.S. according to the rule in Bridgeman Art Library v. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 437 Ã— 599 pixelsFull resolution (500 Ã— 685 pixel, file size: 412 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Faithful reproductions of two-dimensional original works cannot attract copyright in the U.S. according to the rule in Bridgeman Art Library v. ... Robert Dudley (7 August 1574 Sheen Palace, Surrey â€“ 6 September 1649 Florence) was the son of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester and the author of DellArcano del Mare. ...

Leicester's only surviving brother, Ambrose, was childless, and unless he fathered some legitimate offspring, his family line would perish. "You must think it is some marvellous course, and toucheth my present state very near, that forceth me thus to be cause almost of the ruin of my own house," he observed in a letter to Lady Sheffield, explaining that he was uniquely situated, and unable to take a wife without causing "mine utter overthrow". The secrecy of Leicester's second marriage to Lady Sheffield may well have been a matter of great consideration, given that he did not wish to upset his close association with his childhood companion, Elizabeth. Thus he was to later proclaim the marriage illegal so that he could marry a third time, to Lady Lettice Knollys. Elizabeth herself, feeling betrayed by the later discovery of the marriage to Knollys, reminded Leicester of the rumours that he had been pre‐contracted to Lady Sheffield; if these proved to be true, he could be sent to rot in the Tower. It is therefore not surprising that he should have denied the rumours.

In the 19th century, the question of the Sidneys' legal claim over the Dudley estates was raised when Sir John Shelly‐Sidney laid claim to the titles of De L'Isle and Dudley, to which he clearly would have had no claim, had the first Robert Dudley been honest and forthright about his son's origins. The House of Lords duly investigated the matter, concluding that Sir John Shelley had not in fact succeeded in establishing his right to the Barony, on the grounds that the marriage of Robert Dudley's parents had indeed been legitimate and authentic. Leicester, although he appears to have been fond of his son, never acknowledged his legitimacy. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Death

Eventually restored to Elizabeth's favour, Dudley was placed in command of the Dutch campaign of 1585, culminating in the Battle of Zutphen. He was afforded the title Governor-General of the Dutch Republic under the Treaty of Nonsuch. In 1588, despite having shown himself a failure as a military leader, he was in command of the English land forces against the Spanish Armada. The Spanish never landed, and he died soon after (probably of stomach cancer), near Oxford. By the time of his death, he was already losing his place as Elizabeth's favourite to his stepson, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. He died at his house in Essex on the 4th September 1588. Elizabeth was devastated at the loss of her old friend and companion and, reputedly, locked herself in her apartment for hours, if not days. She treasured the letter that he had sent her only days before his death, and wrote on it "His Last letter." She put it in her treasure box, and it was still there when she died 15 years later. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1536, 1072 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Lettice Knollys Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2304x1536, 1072 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester Lettice Knollys Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added... 1585 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar. ... Combatants Dutch rebels, English soldiers Spain Commanders ? ? Strength ? ? Casualties ? ? The battle of Zutphen was a confrontation of the Eighty Years War on September 22, 1586, in Zutphen, the Netherlands. ... Governor-General (or Governor General) is a term used both historically and currently to designate the appointed representative of a head of state or their government for a particular territory, historically in a colonial context, but no longer necessarily in that form. ... Map of Dutch Republic by Joannes Janssonius United Netherlands redirects here. ... The Treaty of Nonsuch was signed by Elizabeth I of England and the Netherlands on August 20, 1585 at Nonsuch Palace in Surrey. ... 1588 was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Combatants England Dutch Republic Spain Portugal Commanders Charles Howard Francis Drake Duke of Medina Sidonia Strength 34 warships 163 armed merchant vessels 22 galleons 108 armed merchant vessels Casualties 50â€“100 dead[1] ~400 wounded 600 dead, 800 wounded,[2] 397 captured, 4 merchant ships sunk or captured The Spanish... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (10 November 1566 â€“ 25 February 1601), favourite of Queen Elizabeth I of England, is the best-known of the many holders of the title Earl of Essex. ...

Dudley is buried in the Beauchamp Chapel in St. Mary's Collegiate Church, Warwick, Warwickshire, England. When Lettice Knollys died in 1634, she was buried along side Dudley in St. Mary's. Their son, Robert Dudley, styled as Lord Denbigh and known affectionately as the "noble imp," who died about the age of five years, is also entombed in the Beauchamp Chapel across from his parents. Warwick (pronounced or War-ick (silent w in middle)) is the historic county town of Warwickshire in England and has a population of 25,434 (2001 census). ... A detailed map Stratford-upon-Avon Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire (pronounced //, //, or //) is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in central England. ...

Robert Dudley in Popular Culture

Most recently, Dudley was portrayed by Jeremy Irons in the HBO drama Elizabeth I, opposite Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I. Joseph Fiennes played Dudley to Cate Blanchett's Elizabeth in the 1998 movie Elizabeth. In the 1971 BBC mini-series Elizabeth R, Dudley is played by actor Robert Hardy. British actor Tom Hardy played him the the 2005 mini-series The Virgin Queen, and by Leslie Banks in the 1937 feature film Fire Over England. Jeremy John Irons (born September 19, 1948) is an Academy Award, Tony Award, Screen Actors Guild, two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning English film, television and stage actor. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is an American premium cable television network. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 â€“ 24 March 1603 ) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Dame Helen Mirren DBE (born on July 26, 1945) is an Academy Award-winning English stage, television and film actress. ... Elizabeth I (7 September 1533 â€“ 24 March 1603 ) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. ... Joseph Fiennes (IPA: ) (born May 27, 1970) is an English actor. ... Catherine Ã‰lise Blanchett (born on May 14, 1969) is an Academy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning Australian actress. ... Elizabeth is an Academy Award winning 1998 film loosely based on the early reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GBÂ£4 billion. ... A miniseries, in a serial storytelling medium, is a production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. ... Background - Elizabeth R was a BBC TV drama serial broadcast in six parts on terrestrial channel BBC Two during February to March 1971. ... Robert Hardy as Cornelius Fudge in the film Harry Potter and Prisoner of Azkaban Timothy Sydney Robert Hardy, CBE (born October 29, 1925) is one of Britains best-known and most popular actors, and also an acknowledged expert on the longbow. ... Edward Thomas Hardy (born September 15, 1977 in London, England), better known simply as Tom Hardy, is a British actor who is best known for his role of the Romulan Praetor Shinzon, a clone of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). ... Anne Marie Duff as Elizabeth I from the Virgin Queen The Virgin Queen (which presented the life of Englands Queen Elizabeth I from the time she was twenty to her death in 1603 at the age of sixty-nine) was a BBC/Power co-production directed by Coky Giedroyc... Fire Over England is a 1937 film drama produced by London Film Productions. ...

Trivia

Robert Dudley's principal residences were Leicester House on the fashionable Strand in London, Wanstead in Essex and Kenilworth in Warwickshire. For details on the adjacent London Underground station, see Leicester Square tube station Leicester Square in 1750, looking north. ... Wanstead is a suburban area in the London Borough of Redbridge, North-East London. ... Statistics Population: 22,582 (2001) Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: SP295715 Administration District: Warwick Shire county: Warwickshire Region: West Midlands Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Warwickshire Services Police force: Warwickshire Police Ambulance service: West Midlands Post office and telephone Post town: Kenilworth Postal district: CV8...

Contents

Relationship with Elizabeth

Romantic life

Death

Robert Dudley in Popular Culture

Trivia

See Also

Bibliography

External links

Contents

Relationship with Elizabeth GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Romantic life

Death

Robert Dudley in Popular Culture

Trivia

See Also

Bibliography

External links

Relationship with Elizabeth