Born Herefordshire. Related via the Boleyn family to Queen Elizabeth I. Married a daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham. Became a favourite of the Queen. However he performed badly as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and on his return he was tried and lost his place at court and his income. Desperate, he fortified his town mansion, Essex House and in February 1661 he led a mini rebellion. This failed and Essex was beheaded on Tower Green. His was the last head to roll at that venue. Father of the 3rd Earl.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Commemorated ati
Tower of London execution site
Catling wrote the poem as well as creating the sculpture. Doesn't that cushio...
Other Subjects
Catherine Howard
As lady-in-waiting to Anne of Cleves Catherine attracted Henry's ever-roving eye. Anne was dumped (via the annulment method) and the obese, 49-year old Henry married the 20-year old Catherine. Sh...
Sir Thomas Wyatt
Born near Maidstone, son of the poet of the same name. Opposed the marriage of Queen Mary to Phillip of Spain, he marched on London in 1554 with 4,000 men of Kent but, failing, on 6 February, to g...
Marian Martyrs executed at Smithfield
Queen Mary I (reigned 1553-8) earned the nickname 'Bloody Mary' for the persecution and execution of Protestants and other non-Catholics during her reign. Wikipedia lists abut 40 in an 'incomplete...
Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel
Had been one of the group who arranged for the execution of Simon Burley. King Richard never forgave that, and when Fitzalan joined Gloucester to oppose the King's peace with France the King took ...
Edward Plantagenet, Earl of Warwick
His father, George Duke of Clarence, was executed for treason by being drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine, if we believe Shakespeare. Edward was a potential claimant to the English throne and so imp...