Robert Devereux 3rd earl of Essex

Robert Devereux
Bust of Robert Devereux 3rd Earl of Essex
Born	January 11 1591(1591--)
Died	September 14 1646 (aged 55)
Spouse	Frances Howard Elizabeth Paulet
Children	One, name unknown
Parents	Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Frances Walsingham

Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (January 11 1591 – 14 September 1646) was the son and heir of the unfortunate Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and succeeded to his father's title in 1604, three years after the previous Earl had been executed for treason. His mother was Frances Walsingham (1569–1631), the only daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham, spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I.

Francis Howard

In his youth, Essex was a close friend of Henry Stuart, Prince of Wales. Essex's marriage to Frances Howard in 1606 at the age of 13 was not successful. They were immediately separated to prevent them from consummating their union, and if later claims by Frances are to be believed -- it never was. Essex claimed that he was only impotent with her, had been perfectly capable with other women and added that she "reviled him, and miscalled him, terming him a cow and coward, and beast."^[1] Their divorce was a public spectacle and made him a laughing-stock. On 11 March, 1630 he married Elizabeth Paulet, daughter of William Paulet, 4th Marquess of Winchester (this marriage also failed - though not as publicly) they separated in 1631. There was a child produced of the union, after six years of marriage; however, the father was largely suspected to be her lover, Sir William Uvedale.

Following the accession of King Charles I, Essex became a member of the Parliamentary faction, and led Parliament's army at the beginning of the English Civil War in 1642 ^[2], though he was ill-equipped for command. His conduct in pursuing Royalist forces in Cornwall, which led to the defeat at the Battle of Lostwithiel, infuriated Cromwell. He eventually resigned his position in 1646 following the passing of the Self-denying Ordinance and died the same year, without an heir. The earldom died with him, until revived in 1661 for Arthur Capel.

While a diagnosis made several hundred years after someone's death may not be worth much, it has been suggested that Essex had male hormone deficiency. Hypergonadal men have been known to have feelings of edginess, anger, irritability and aggression — all behavior traits Essex is known to have shown during his lifetime (leading to quarrels and threats of duels).^[3]

Notes

1. ^ Haynes, Alan: Sex in Elizabethan England, page 129. Wrens Park Publishing, 1997
2. ^ 'July 1642: The Parliaments' Commission to the Earl of Essex to be Captain-General of their Army.', Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, 1642-1660 (1911), pp. 14-6. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=55735. Date accessed: 13 April 2007.
3. ^ Haynes, Alan: Sex in Elizabethan England, page 131. Wrens Park Publishing, 1997

References

• Haynes, Alan. Sex in Elizabethan England. Groucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited, 1997. ISBN 0-905-778-359
• Snow, Vernon F. Essex the Rebel: Life of Robert Devereux, Third Earl of Essex, 1591-1646. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1970 ISBN 0-8032-0719-0
• tudorplace.com.ar Accessed July 31, 2007

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