Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland
Encyclopedia
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, Marquess of Dublin, and 9th Earl of Oxford KG
(16 January 1362 – 22 November 1392) was a favourite
and court companion of King Richard II
of England
.
, as 9th Earl of Oxford
in 1371, and was created Marquess of Dublin in 1385. The next year he was created Duke of Ireland
. He was thus the first marquess
, and only the second non-princely duke (after Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
in 1337), in England. Richard's close friendship to de Vere was disagreeable to the political establishment. This displeasure was exacerbated by the earl's elevation to the new title of Duke of Ireland in 1386.
His relationship with King Richard was very close and rumored by Thomas Walsingham
to be homosexual.
Ireland was married to Philippa de Coucy
, the King's first cousin (her mother had been the sister of the King's father, Edward, the Black Prince
), and also had an affair with Agnes de Launcecrona, a Czech lady-in-waiting of Richard's Queen, Anne of Bohemia
. In 1387, the couple were separated and eventually divorced; Ireland took Launcecrona as his second wife.
.
In 1387, Ireland led Richard's forces to defeat at Radcot Bridge outside Oxford, against the forces of the Lords Appellant. He fled the field and his forces were left leaderless and compelled into ignominious surrender.
He was attainted and sentenced to death in absentia by the Merciless Parliament of 1388, although he had fled abroad into exile directly after Radcot Bridge; his titles and lands were forfeited.
, was restored to the family titles and estates, becoming 10th Earl of Oxford.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(16 January 1362 – 22 November 1392) was a favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
and court companion of King Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Royal favour
He succeeded his father, ThomasThomas de Vere, 8th Earl of Oxford
Thomas de Vere, 8th Earl of Oxford was the son and heir of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford. Thomas took part in several of the military campaigns of Edward III. At some point before 1350, he married Maud de Ufford, daughter and heir of Sir Ralph de Ufford and Maud of Lancaster...
, as 9th Earl of Oxford
Earl of Oxford
Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, held for several centuries by the de Vere family from 1141 until the death of the 20th earl in 1703. The Veres were also hereditary holders of the office of master or Lord Great Chamberlain from 1133 until the death of the 18th Earl in 1625...
in 1371, and was created Marquess of Dublin in 1385. The next year he was created Duke of Ireland
Duke of Ireland
The title of Duke of Ireland was created in 1386 for Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, the favourite of King Richard II of England, who had previously been created Marquess of Dublin. Both titles were Life peerages. At this time, only the Pale of Ireland was under English rule...
. He was thus the first marquess
Marquess
A marquess or marquis is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The term is also used to translate equivalent oriental styles, as in imperial China, Japan, and Vietnam...
, and only the second non-princely duke (after Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, KG , also Earl of Derby, was a member of the English nobility in the 14th century, and a prominent English diplomat, politician, and soldier...
in 1337), in England. Richard's close friendship to de Vere was disagreeable to the political establishment. This displeasure was exacerbated by the earl's elevation to the new title of Duke of Ireland in 1386.
His relationship with King Richard was very close and rumored by Thomas Walsingham
Thomas Walsingham
- Life :He was probably educated at St Albans Abbey at St Albans, Hertfordshire, and at Oxford.He became a monk at St Albans, where he appears to have passed the whole of his monastic life, excepting a period from 1394 to 1396 during which he was prior of Wymondham Abbey, Norfolk, England, another...
to be homosexual.
Ireland was married to Philippa de Coucy
Philippa de Coucy
Philippa de Coucy, Countess of Oxford, Duchess of Ireland was a first cousin of King Richard II of England and the wife of his favourite, Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, Marquess of Dublin, Duke of Ireland....
, the King's first cousin (her mother had been the sister of the King's father, Edward, the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
), and also had an affair with Agnes de Launcecrona, a Czech lady-in-waiting of Richard's Queen, Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia
Anne of Bohemia was Queen of England as the first wife of King Richard II. A member of the House of Luxembourg, she was the eldest daughter of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor, and Elizabeth of Pomerania....
. In 1387, the couple were separated and eventually divorced; Ireland took Launcecrona as his second wife.
Downfall
Since Robert, Duke of Ireland was hugely unpopular with the other nobles and magnates, his close relationship with King Richard was one of the catalysts for the emergence of an organised opposition to his rule in the form of the Lords AppellantLords Appellant
The Lords Appellant were a group of nobles in the reign of King Richard II who sought to impeach some five of the King's favourites in order to restrain what was seen as tyrannical and capricious rule. The word appellant simply means '[one who is] appealing [in a legal sense]'...
.
In 1387, Ireland led Richard's forces to defeat at Radcot Bridge outside Oxford, against the forces of the Lords Appellant. He fled the field and his forces were left leaderless and compelled into ignominious surrender.
He was attainted and sentenced to death in absentia by the Merciless Parliament of 1388, although he had fled abroad into exile directly after Radcot Bridge; his titles and lands were forfeited.
Death
He died in or near Louvain of illness, possibly disease, in 1392. Three years later, on the anniversary of his death, 22 November 1395, Richard II had his embalmed body brought back to England for burial. It was recorded by the chronicler Thomas Walsingham that many magnates did not attend the re-burial ceremony because they 'had not yet digested their hatred' of him. The king had the coffin opened to kiss his lost friend's hand and to gaze on his face one last time.Succession
After Ireland's death, his uncle Sir Aubrey de VereAubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford
Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford was the second son of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud de Badlesmere, daughter of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Lord Badlesmere....
, was restored to the family titles and estates, becoming 10th Earl of Oxford.