Born Herefordshire. Related via the Boleyn family to Queen Elizabeth I. Married a daughter of Sir Francis Walsingham. Became a favourite of the Queen. However he performed badly as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and on his return he was tried and lost his place at court and his income. Desperate, he fortified his town mansion, Essex House and in February 1661 he led a mini rebellion. This failed and Essex was beheaded on Tower Green. His was the last head to roll at that venue. Father of the 3rd Earl.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Commemorated ati
Tower of London execution site
Catling wrote the poem as well as creating the sculpture. Doesn't that cushio...
Other Subjects
Lady Jane Grey
Married to Lord Guilford Dudley. Her husband’s father persuaded the dying Edward VI to declare his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth illegitimate, which left Jane, on Edward's death, the queen. Mary...
4 memorials
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
Closely related to the royal family but Henry VIII took against Henry and his father, Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk. They were imprisoned and Henry was beheaded at Tower Hill. His father sur...
1 memorial
Anne Boleyn
Second wife of Henry VIII and so Queen of England, 1533 to 1536. Though married to Catherine of Aragon, Henry developed a passion for one of her maids of honour, Anne, and so began the whole horri...
6 memorials
John Warne
Burnt at the stake in Smithfield for his Protestant beliefs. Upholsterer, husband of Elizabeth.
1 memorial
William Hallywel
Burnt at the stake in Bow (or possibly Stratford) for his Protestant beliefs.
1 memorial