Earl of Essex

It all started when Robert Devereux (2nd Earl of Essex) was born, on November 10th 1565.

He was an English nobleman and was favoured by Queen Elizabeth I.

Robert was the son of Walter Devereux (1st Earl of Essex) and Lettice Knollys. His maternal

great-grandmother was Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth I's mother.

This made him a first-cousin-twice-removed of Elizabeth.

The Earl of Essex rebellion started in 1601 led by Robert rebelling agaisnt Queen Elizabeth I.

The main tensions that led to the rebellion began in 1599, when Robert was given the position

of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was sent to Ireland to overcome the revolts led by the Earl of Tyrone,

leading one of the largest expeditionary forces, 16,000 troops, ever sent to Ireland. Instead of overcoming the revolts, Robert made a truce with the rebels which was seen as a disgrace to England and a detriment to the authority of those in power. His time as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was disastrous and his truce with the Earl of Tyrone was in defiance of Queen Elizabeth's orders. After this Robert was deprived of his offices and was placed under house arrest.

The rebellion began to act up when Robert and his followers planned the rising. At about ten

in the morning on February 8th 1601 Lord Keeper Thomas Egerton and the three others came to

Robert in the name of the Queen. Robert caputred the four messengers and kept them hostage

while he and his two-hundred followers made their way to the city. Robert Cecil, an English

administrator and politician, sent a warning to the mayor and the heralds denouncing Robert as a

traitor and many of Robert's followers dissapeared after hearing the word "traitor" being used.

Robert soon found that the hostages were gone and he surrendered . On February 25th 1601 he was beheaded in the confines of the Tower for treason against Queen Elizabeth I at the age of 35-years old.