Susan de Vere, Countess of Montgomery
Encyclopedia
Susan de Vere, Countess of Montgomery (26 May 1587–1628/29) was an English noblewoman and the youngest daughter of Elizabethan courtier, poet, and playwright Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
.
, the daughter of statesman William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
, Queen Elizabeth's chief advisor and leading member of her Privy Council
. She had two older sisters, Lady Elizabeth
and Lady Bridget
. She also had an illegitimate half-brother, Edward, born out of wedlock to Anne Vavasour
, who reportedly had had an intimate relationship with the Earl.
Following the death of Anne Cecil on 5 June 1588, a year after her birth, Susan and her sisters remained in the household of their maternal grandfather, Baron Burghley where they received an excellent education. In 1591, Elizabeth's father married secondly, Elizabeth Trentham
who gave birth to a son Henry
, who would later succeed as 18th Earl of Oxford.
, Knight of the Garter (1584–1649) an English courtier
and politician active during the reigns of James I
and Charles I
, son of Mary Sidney
. A year after their marriage King James created him Baron Herbert of Shurland and 1st Earl of Montgomery; and in 1630, after Susan's death, would succeed as 4th Earl of Pembroke. Philip Herbert and his older brother William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
were the "incomparable pair of brethren" to whom the First Folio
of Shakespeare's collected works was dedicated in 1623.
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
.
Family and early years
Lady Susan was born on 26 May 1587, the youngest daughter of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford and Anne CecilAnne Cecil
Anne Cecil, Countess of Oxford was the daughter of statesman William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the translator Mildred Cooke. In 1571, she became the first wife of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford...
, the daughter of statesman William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
, Queen Elizabeth's chief advisor and leading member of her Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
. She had two older sisters, Lady Elizabeth
Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Derby
Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Derby, Lord of Mann was an English noblewoman and the eldest daughter of Elizabethan courtier, poet, and playwright Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford....
and Lady Bridget
Bridget de Vere
Bridget de Vere, Countess of Berkshire , was an English noblewoman, the daughter of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford. Bridget was brought up by her maternal grandfather, the powerful statesman William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley...
. She also had an illegitimate half-brother, Edward, born out of wedlock to Anne Vavasour
Anne Vavasour
Anne Vavasour was a Maid of Honour ) to Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the mistress of two aristocratic men. Her first lover was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, by whom she had an illegitimate son - Edward. For that offence, both she and the earl were sent to the Tower of London by the...
, who reportedly had had an intimate relationship with the Earl.
Following the death of Anne Cecil on 5 June 1588, a year after her birth, Susan and her sisters remained in the household of their maternal grandfather, Baron Burghley where they received an excellent education. In 1591, Elizabeth's father married secondly, Elizabeth Trentham
Elizabeth Trentham, Countess of Oxford
Elizabeth de Vere, Countess of Oxford, formerly Elizabeth Trentham , was the second wife of the Elizabethan courtier and poet Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.-Family and early years:...
who gave birth to a son Henry
Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford
Henry de Vere, 18th Earl of Oxford was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier.-Life:He was born on 24 February 1593 at Newington, Middlesex, the only son of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, by his second wife, Elizabeth Trentham. He succeeded his father as on 24 June 1604.He is said to...
, who would later succeed as 18th Earl of Oxford.
Marriage
Shortly after the death of her father, on 27 December 1604, Susan married Philip HerbertPhilip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and 1st Earl of Montgomery KG was an English courtier and politician active during the reigns of James I and Charles I...
, Knight of the Garter (1584–1649) an English courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
and politician active during the reigns of James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
and Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, son of Mary Sidney
Mary Sidney
Mary Herbert , Countess of Pembroke , was one of the first English women to achieve a major reputation for her literary works, poetry, poetic translations and literary patronage.-Family:...
. A year after their marriage King James created him Baron Herbert of Shurland and 1st Earl of Montgomery; and in 1630, after Susan's death, would succeed as 4th Earl of Pembroke. Philip Herbert and his older brother William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke
William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke, KG, PC was the son of Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke and his third wife Mary Sidney. Chancellor of the University of Oxford, he founded Pembroke College, Oxford with King James. He was warden of the Forest of Dean, and constable of St Briavels from 1608...
were the "incomparable pair of brethren" to whom the First Folio
First Folio
Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. is the 1623 published collection of William Shakespeare's plays. Modern scholars commonly refer to it as the First Folio....
of Shakespeare's collected works was dedicated in 1623.
Issue
- Lady Anna Sophia Herbert, married Robert Dormer, 1st Earl of CarnarvonRobert Dormer, 1st Earl of CarnarvonRobert Dormer, 1st Earl of Carnarvon was an English peer. He was the son of Sir William Dormer, and thus a grandson of Robert Dormer, 1st Baron Dormer. His mother was Alice Molyneux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Bt. and Frances Gerard...
and had issue. - Sir Charles Herbert (c. 1619–1635), married Mary Villiers, daughter of George Villiers, 1st Duke of BuckinghamGeorge Villiers, 1st Duke of BuckinghamGeorge Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
and had no issue. - Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of PembrokePhilip Herbert, 5th Earl of PembrokePhilip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke, 2nd Earl of Montgomery , succeeded to the titles in 1649 on the death of his father, also called Philip Herbert....
(c. 1621–1669) - Hon. James HerbertJames Herbert (died 1677)James Herbert was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1645 and 1677.Herbert was the son of Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and his wife Susan de Vere, daughter of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford...
(c. 1623–1677), of Kingsey, Buckinghamshire