The Essex Rebellion
In order to better appreciate the events surrounding the Essex Rebellion, it is important to have an understanding of the political and social conditions in England at the time. Queen Elizabeth was nearing the end of her reign and the country was wracked by internal squabbles from within the court as well as a general deterioration in the moral standing of the population. Elizabeth, in an effort to exert greater control over the country, chose to delegate more and more power to the local nobles. Far from keeping the peace, this action first led to rivalry and then eventually to open conflict between the Cecils, Lord Burghley and his son Robert, and Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex.
Robert Devereux was in fact a cousin of Elizabeth by way of the Boleyn family and in the year 1584, when he was still at the young age of seventeen, his stepfather the Earl of Leicester, first presented him to the court. According to many accounts, the Queen was quite taken with the handsome youth, who displayed a somewhat dignified air and a vigorous spirit. These were not the only traits that Robert Devereux was in possession of, he also had an incredibly large ego and tended to be fiercely and unreasonably jealous and severely lacking in discipline. He was also possessed by a dangerous ambition, but these along with his other negative characteristics, remained hidden when he was presented to the court.
Robert Devereux quickly gained a reputation as a soldier and was assigned to accompany Leicester when the latter went to the Netherlands in 1585. He later joined the Portuguese expedition in 1589 and was in charge of Elizabeth's first campaign to support the cause of Henry IV in France.
Devereux would have continued on with his military career were it not for a great opportunity that presented itself to him in the early part of the 1590s. Leicester, who was then one of the most favoured members of the Queen's court died, and the main adviser to the Queen, Burghly, was himself getting on in years and would soon likely pass away also. Robert Devereux's intense ambition led him to conclude that the time was right for him to step up and claim both positions for himself and thereby increase his influence in the court.
He did not anticipate however that his political plans would come into opposition from the Cecils. The Lord Burghley and his son Robert by then had plans of their own. Lord Burghley as mentioned previously was growing old at this juncture, and in his advanced age, he intended for his son Robert to be next in line for the position of secretary, a post that was left unfilled in the year 1590. This single event led the way to the first sign of conflict between the Cecils and Robert Devereux. Queen Elizabeth was more concerned about keeping the peace within her court and therefore decided on a compromise. She ordered that the position of secretary would remain vacant, although she would later award it to Robert Cecil in the year 1596. Robert Devereux was naturally furious at this development and the conflict between him and the Cecils grew even more heated and public.
Essex did not help attract the Queen's sympathy towards his cause however, by proving to be quite a nuisance in the court. Every time that an important position within the court was vacated, he would force his own choices to the Queen, often in the most impudent manner. The Queen gradually grew tired of Robert Devereux's insolence and a rift between the two developed and quickly grew. The queen was even seen to have boxed Robert Devereux's ears once in a fit of anger and frustration.
Nevertheless, Devereux prevailed upon the Queen to have him sent to Ireland to function in the capacity of Lord Deputy. He did not fare so well in this new endeavour either and after meeting defeat against Tyrone, he returned to England against orders and hatched a plot to take over control of the throne. The government was anticipating his actions however and after failing to gather support for his uprising, he was arrested and subsequently hanged.
Original Authors:Doods Pangburn
Edit Update Authors: M.A.Harris
Updated On: 15/05/2008
