Agnes of Essex facts for kids
Agnes of Essex, Countess of Oxford (born around 1151 – died in 1212 or later) was an important noblewoman in medieval England. She was the daughter of Henry of Essex, who held an important job for the king.
When Agnes was just three years old, she was promised in marriage to Geoffrey de Vere. He was the brother of the first Earl of Oxford. Agnes then went to live with the Vere family to be raised by them. She stayed with the Earl of Oxford's family for about three years. Later, she moved to live with Geoffrey. When Agnes was about eleven, she decided she did not want to marry Geoffrey. By early 1163, she married Geoffrey's older brother, Aubrey de Vere III, who was the 1st Earl of Oxford. She was his third wife.
In 1163, Agnes's father, Henry, faced serious accusations of being disloyal to the king. He had to fight a special duel to prove his innocence, but he lost. After this, her father lost his lands and his important jobs. Because of this, the Earl of Oxford wanted to cancel his marriage to Agnes.
Agnes was very brave. On May 9, 1166, she took her case to the Pope in Rome. She asked him to decide if her marriage should be canceled. While the Pope was deciding, the Earl reportedly kept Agnes at one of his castles. The Bishop of London, Gilbert Foliot, even told the Earl off for this. Finally, Pope Alexander III ruled in Agnes's favor. This decision was very important. It helped establish a rule that women must agree to their engagements and marriages.
Later, around 1190, Agnes and her husband together started a special religious house for nuns. It was near their castle at Castle Hedingham in Essex. Countess Agnes lived longer than her husband. In 1198, she paid the king for the right to choose not to marry again. She passed away in or after 1212 and was buried at Colne Priory, Essex.
Who Was Agnes of Essex?
Many people have mistakenly called Earl Aubrey's third wife "Lucia" instead of Agnes. This mix-up happened because of a misunderstanding of an old document. This document was about a religious house at Castle Hedingham.
A woman named Lucia was the first leader, or prioress, at Castle Hedingham Priory. When she died, a special scroll was carried to many religious houses. This scroll asked for prayers for her soul. The scroll said that Lucia was the "foundress" of the priory. Usually, the "founder" is a person who gives money or land to start something. Since Agnes, the Countess, worked with her husband to start the priory, some scholars in the 1700s thought that the prioress Lucia must have been the Earl's widow. However, official royal records show that this was not true. Agnes was the Countess, and Lucia was the prioress.
Agnes's Children
Agnes and her husband had four sons and one daughter. Two of their sons later became Earls of Oxford: Aubrey IV and Robert I.
Their daughter, Alice, married twice. First, she married Ernulf de Kemesech. Later, she married John, who was a constable of Chester.
Agnes's son Henry seems to have become an important church official at Hereford Cathedral. This happened under his uncle, Bishop William de Vere. Henry later worked as a clerk for King John of England.
Not much is known about Ralph de Vere. He might have been the second son. He passed away before 1214. That's when his younger brother Robert became the Earl after Aubrey IV, the 2nd Earl, died.
