DE VERE, Robert

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Magna Carta Baron
• Royalty & Nobility: 3rd Earl of Oxford
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_de_Vere,_3rd_Earl_of_Oxford
• Web Address: https://frontlinestates.ltd.uk/robert-de-vere/
• Web Address: https://magnacarta800th.com/schools/biographies/the-25-barons-of-magna-carta/robert-de-vere/
• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/De_Vere-309
• Residence: Castle Hedingham, Essex, England; Primary family property
• Magna Carta: 1215; Magna Carta Baron

Notes:

Robert de Vere (d. 1221), the 3rd Earl of Oxford, was a significant figure in the early 13th-century English nobility and one of the twenty-five barons who enforced the Magna Carta. He was the third surviving son of Earl Aubrey de Vere and Agnes of Essex. Robert succeeded to the title on the death of his elder brother, Aubrey, in October 1214.

Before Michaelmas 1207, Robert married Isabel de Bolebec, the aunt and namesake of Earl Aubrey’s wife, who had died childless. This marriage was part of a strategy to retain control over the Bolebec lands, centered on Whitchurch in Buckinghamshire. The de Vere family, being one of the less well-endowed comital families, was keen to maintain their hold on valuable estates.

Robert's defection to the rebel side in 1215 is indicative of King John’s ability to alienate his natural allies. His predecessor had been a loyal intimate and administrator of the king. Robert's decision to join the rebellion was likely influenced by his resentment over the high relief charged for his entry into his inheritance and the king's failure to confirm him in the title of earl and in the office of court chamberlain, which the de Veres held by hereditary right.

He was present at the baronial muster at Stamford in April 1215 and was named by chronicler Roger Wendover as one of the principal promoters of discontent. He played a key role in the East Anglian group of rebels. Despite a royal letter issued on 23 June 1215, which implicitly recognized him as Earl of Oxford, Robert had already committed to the Twenty Five, a group of barons appointed to enforce the Magna Carta.

In March 1216, King John took possession of his castle at Hedingham after a siege. Robert, who was not present, sought the king’s forgiveness but soon defected to Louis of France. He did not re-enter royal allegiance until the general settlement of the rebellion in the autumn of 1217.

Robert de Vere died shortly before 25 October 1221 and was buried in Hatfield Broad Oak priory in Essex. A century after his death, a tomb effigy was commissioned in his memory, which was later moved to Hatfield Broad Oak parish church. His widow, Isabel, managed their son Hugh's estates until her death on 3 February 1245.

Robert de Vere's life and actions reflect the complex dynamics of loyalty, rebellion, and political maneuvering during King John's reign. His involvement in the Magna Carta and the baronial rebellion against King John highlights his significant role in the struggle for rights and governance in medieval England.

Robert married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. DE VERE, Hugh was born in 1210 in Essex, England; died on 23 Dec 1263.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: English noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda in the mid-twelfth century.
• Royalty & Nobility: 1st Earl of Oxford
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere,_1st_Earl_of_Oxford

Notes:

Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, and his third wife, Agnes of Essex, had a marriage that was as dramatic as it was significant in medieval England. Born around 1115, Aubrey was a noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. He became the Earl of Oxford in 1141 and was a benefactor to several religious houses.

Aubrey's first marriage to Beatrice, daughter of Henry, Constable of Bourbourg, was short-lived, possibly due to her poor health. His second marriage to Euphemia ended with her death in 1154. It was his third marriage to Agnes of Essex, daughter of Henry of Essex, a royal constable, that brought a whirlwind of drama.

Agnes, born in 1151, was initially betrothed to Geoffrey de Vere, Aubrey's brother. However, in a twist of fate, she rejected Geoffrey and married Aubrey around 1163, when she was about twelve years old. Their marriage coincided with a dramatic turn in Agnes's family fortunes. Her father, Henry of Essex, was accused of treason and lost a judicial duel, leading to his disgrace and the forfeiture of his lands and offices.

Following this scandal, Aubrey sought to annul his marriage to Agnes, possibly due to her family's fallen status. Agnes, confined in one of Aubrey's castles, appealed to the Bishop of London and then to Pope Alexander III. The Pope ruled in her favor, establishing the canon law requirement of consent by females in betrothal and marriage. Despite this, Aubrey continued to refuse to cohabit with her.

The couple's estrangement was a matter of public and ecclesiastical concern. In 1171 or 1172, the Pope directed the Bishop of London to order Aubrey to restore Agnes to her conjugal rights or face excommunication. Eventually, the marriage was reconciled, and they had four sons, including two future Earls of Oxford, and a daughter.

Together, Aubrey and Agnes founded a Benedictine priory for nuns near their castle at Castle Hedingham in Essex around 1190. Aubrey died on 26 December 1194 and was buried at Colne Priory. Agnes survived him and later paid the crown for the right to remain unmarried. She died sometime after 1212 and was buried alongside Aubrey.

Their marriage, marked by ecclesiastical intervention, legal battles, and reconciliation, reflects the complex interplay of personal relationships, political fortunes, and religious norms in medieval England. The story of Aubrey and Agnes de Vere is a testament to the turbulent and often unpredictable nature of aristocratic life in the 12th century.

Aubrey married ESSEX, Agnes of in 1162. Agnes (daughter of ESSEX, Henry of and Living) was born in 1151; died after 1212. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Royalty & Nobility: Countess of Oxford
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_of_Essex

Notes:

Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, and his third wife, Agnes of Essex, had a marriage that was as dramatic as it was significant in medieval England. Born around 1115, Aubrey was a noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda. He became the Earl of Oxford in 1141 and was a benefactor to several religious houses.

Aubrey's first marriage to Beatrice, daughter of Henry, Constable of Bourbourg, was short-lived, possibly due to her poor health. His second marriage to Euphemia ended with her death in 1154. It was his third marriage to Agnes of Essex, daughter of Henry of Essex, a royal constable, that brought a whirlwind of drama.

Agnes, born in 1151, was initially betrothed to Geoffrey de Vere, Aubrey's brother. However, in a twist of fate, she rejected Geoffrey and married Aubrey around 1163, when she was about twelve years old. Their marriage coincided with a dramatic turn in Agnes's family fortunes. Her father, Henry of Essex, was accused of treason and lost a judicial duel, leading to his disgrace and the forfeiture of his lands and offices.

Following this scandal, Aubrey sought to annul his marriage to Agnes, possibly due to her family's fallen status. Agnes, confined in one of Aubrey's castles, appealed to the Bishop of London and then to Pope Alexander III. The Pope ruled in her favor, establishing the canon law requirement of consent by females in betrothal and marriage. Despite this, Aubrey continued to refuse to cohabit with her.

The couple's estrangement was a matter of public and ecclesiastical concern. In 1171 or 1172, the Pope directed the Bishop of London to order Aubrey to restore Agnes to her conjugal rights or face excommunication. Eventually, the marriage was reconciled, and they had four sons, including two future Earls of Oxford, and a daughter.

Together, Aubrey and Agnes founded a Benedictine priory for nuns near their castle at Castle Hedingham in Essex around 1190. Aubrey died on 26 December 1194 and was buried at Colne Priory. Agnes survived him and later paid the crown for the right to remain unmarried. She died sometime after 1212 and was buried alongside Aubrey.

Their marriage, marked by ecclesiastical intervention, legal battles, and reconciliation, reflects the complex interplay of personal relationships, political fortunes, and religious norms in medieval England. The story of Aubrey and Agnes de Vere is a testament to the turbulent and often unpredictable nature of aristocratic life in the 12th century.

Notes:

Married:
Agnes was probably only 12 years old at the time

Other Events and Attributes:

• Royalty & Nobility: Sheriff of London and Essex; Lord Great Chamberlain
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere_II

Notes:

Died:
Slain by a mob in London during the civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda

Aubrey + DE CLARE, Adeliza. Adeliza (daughter of RICHARD, Gilbert Fitz) died in 1163. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Alice

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: In 1163 he was convicted as a traitor, having been defeated in trial by battle,[3] and took the habit of a monk, spending his last years at Reading Abbey.

Henry + Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere_I
• Royalty & Nobility: 1086; Tenant-in-chief in England of William the Conqueror

Aubrey married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: He was a powerful Anglo-Norman baron who was granted the Lordship of Cardigan, in Wales c. 1107-1111.
• Relation to Me: 26 GGF
• Royalty & Nobility: 2nd Lord of Tonbridge, Lord of Cardigan
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Fitz_Richard