Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland

Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, Duke of Ireland and Marquess of Dublin (* January 13, 1361, † 1392 ) was an adviser to Richard II

Life

Robert de Vere succeeded his father, Thomas de Vere, 8th Earl of Oxford, in 1371 as 9th Earl of Oxford. He took over from his father the office of Lord Great Chamberlain. He became the favorite and confidante of Richard II, King of England. In 1385 he rose to the Marquess of Dublin, and in October 1386 the Duke of Ireland. His elevation to the Marquess of Dublin was the first appointment of a Marquess in the British Isles. The title of duke was by then close relatives of the king reserved.

Richard II had personal favorites, inter alia, Robert de Vere, entrusted with high offices of state and the high nobility preferred over. Then, and because of the mismanagement and wastefulness of the king, the relationship between Richard II and the Lords in 1387 deteriorated abruptly. It emerged the Lords Appellant, a group of lords who stood together to wrest the king his political power. 1387 De Vere led an army against the appellant. He was defeated in the Battle of Radcot Bridge near Oxford. Following the battle, De Vere was sent into exile in France and his lands were confiscated. His title of Duke of Ireland was then drafted in 1388 and never forgive again.

1392 De Vere died by a hunting accident. 1395 brought the embalmed corpse of King Richard II De Veres back to England and has reportedly kissed there with an open coffin lid, the hand of his faithful henchman.

Trivia

Robert de Vere was married to Philippa de Coucy out of the house Ghent, a cousin of the king. Although historically difficult to prove, both having an affair with Agnes de Launcekrona ( a Czech Gefolgsdame of Anne of Bohemia, wife of Richard II, and thus the Queen of England ) and homosexual relationships to Richard II it is even rumored. Here is important to note that most records of this period are of ecclesiastical representatives. Richard II was a member of the House of Plantagenet, but again, not necessarily good standing with the Church. De Vere at the time was apparently rather unpopular with the other English nobles, not least because of the favoritism of King Richard II