biography
| name: |
Essex, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1566–1601)
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| biography:
| English soldier and courtier to Elizabeth I, born in Netherwood, Hereford and Worcester, WC England, UK. He served in The Netherlands (1585–6), and distinguished himself at Zutphen. At court, he quickly rose in the favour of Elizabeth, despite his clandestine marriage in 1590 with Sir Philip Sidney's widow. In 1591 he commanded the forces sent to help Henry IV of France, and took part in the sacking of Cadiz (1595). He became a privy councillor (1593) and earl marshal (1597). However, he alienated the Queen's advisers, and there were constant quarrels with Elizabeth (notably the occasion when he turned his back on her, and she boxed his ears). His six months' lord-lieutenancy of Ireland (1599) proved a failure, and he was imprisoned and deprived of his dignities. He attempted to raise the City of London, was found guilty of high treason, and was beheaded in the Tower. |
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