Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland
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Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, Marquess of Dublin, 9th Earl of Oxford (16 January 1362 - 1392) was a favourite, court companion and close advisor, of Richard II of England.
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[edit] Royal favour
De Vere was originally the 9th Earl of Oxford, but King Richard created him Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland for life. He was thus the first Marquess, and the first non-royal Duke, in England.
De Vere was married to Philippa de Coucy, the King’s first cousin (her mother had been the sister of Richard's father, Edward, the Black Prince), and also had an affair with Agnes de Launcekrona, a Czech lady-in-waiting of Richard's queen, Anne of Bohemia. In 1387, the couple was separated and eventually had a divorce; De Vere took Launcekrona as his second wife.
[edit] Downfall
De Vere was hugely unpopular with the other nobles and magnates and King Richard’s close relationship with him was one of the catalysts for the emergence of an organised opposition to his rule in the form of the Lords Appellant.
In 1387, de Vere 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 forced into exile by parliament in 1388, and his lands were confiscated.
[edit] Death
De Vere was severely wounded by a wild boar while hunting in France in 1392, and died of his wounds at Louvain.[1] In 1395, King Richard II had his embalmed body brought back to England for burial. Many of the Lords refused to attend the funeral, during which King Richard had the coffin opened to kiss his lost friend's hand and to gaze on his face one last time.[2]
[edit] Succession
After his death his uncle Aubrey was restored to the family titles and estates, becoming 10th Earl of Oxford.
[edit] References
- ^ Lowndes, Rev. C. "Chesham", in Records of Buckinghamshire, Or, Papers and Notes on the History, Vol. III by the Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society. Publ. J. Pickburn, 1870.
- ^ Saul, Nigel, Richard II, New Haven; London 1999, p. 461
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Earl of Oxford |
Lord Great Chamberlain 1371–1388 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Exeter |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by Thomas de Vere |
Earl of Oxford 1371–1388 |
Succeeded by Aubrey de Vere |
