Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick facts for kids

Anne Dudley (born Russell), Countess of Warwick (1548/1549 – 9 February 1604) was an important English noblewoman. She was a lady-in-waiting and a close friend of Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. Anne was the third wife of Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick.

Anne's Early Life and Marriage

Anne Russell was the oldest daughter of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford. Her mother was Margaret St. John. From a young age, Anne likely served the future Queen Elizabeth I. In 1559, soon after Elizabeth became Queen, Anne became a maid of honour. This meant she was a young lady who helped the Queen.

A Royal Wedding

When Anne was about 16, her father and Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, helped arrange her marriage. Robert Dudley was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. Anne married Robert's older brother, Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick. Ambrose was almost 20 years older than Anne.

Their wedding happened on November 11, 1565. It took place in the royal chapel at Whitehall Palace in London. This wedding was a huge party at Queen Elizabeth's court. There were tournaments and big feasts. It was also important for politics. It brought together two major Puritan families in England. The Puritans were a group of Protestants who wanted to make the Church of England simpler.

Hopes for Children

Ambrose had been married twice before, and his previous wives had not had children. Robert Dudley also did not have children. So, everyone hoped that Anne and Ambrose would have children to continue the Dudley family name. However, Anne and Ambrose did not have any children. Even by 1570, Robert Dudley wrote that his brother had been married a long time and was "not like to have children." Even without children, their marriage was a happy one. During the 1570s and 1580s, they mostly lived at North Hall in Northaw, Hertfordshire, when they were not in London.

Gifts for the Queen

Like other people at court, Anne gave valuable New Year's Day gifts to Queen Elizabeth I. These gifts included a silver table and a special pan for perfumes. In 1588, she gave the Queen gold earrings and a gold flower shaped like a star. She also gave the Queen a spoon with a coral handle and a diamond. Another gift was a fork decorated with rubies. Forks were not common in England at that time. This fork might have been used for eating fruit or sweet syrup desserts.

Ambrose's Illness and Death

Ambrose Dudley had been suffering for many years from a leg injury. He got this injury while serving in the military in 1563. In January 1590, his leg had to be removed. Sadly, he died from this operation on February 21, 1590. He passed away at Bedford House in the Strand area of London. A diplomat named Sir Edward Stafford visited Ambrose and Anne just two days before. He saw that Ambrose was in great pain. Anne was sitting by the fire, crying so much that she could not speak.

Anne as a Widow

After her husband Ambrose died, Anne Dudley inherited some debts. She kept the house at Northaw as her main home for the rest of her life. In 1602, she sold a small house in Stratford-upon-Avon to the famous writer William Shakespeare.

A Supporter of Writers

Anne, the Countess of Warwick, was a patron of many writers. A patron is someone who supports artists or writers with money or help. About 20 books were dedicated to her. Many of these books were by Puritan religious writers. She also supported the poet Edmund Spenser in the 1590s.

Close to Her Family and the Queen

Anne Countess of Warwick was the aunt and godmother of Lady Anne Clifford, who later became a famous diarist. Anne Dudley was also like a mother to her youngest brother, William, and her sisters Elizabeth and Margaret, after their mother died. She got along very well with her brother-in-law, the Earl of Leicester. He wrote that he "did both honor & esteme hir asmoch as any brother did his syster" (meaning he honored and esteemed her as much as any brother did his sister).

Anne Dudley worked as a Gentlewoman of the Queen's Privy chamber. This was an unpaid job, but it meant she was very close to the Queen. According to Anne Clifford, the Countess was one of Elizabeth's favorite ladies. She was "more beloved and in greater favour ... than any other woman in the kingdom." People believed she had a lot of influence in matters of patronage, helping others get jobs or favors. She was with the dying Queen Elizabeth on March 24, 1603.

Later Life and Death

When the new King, King James, came to power, older widows like Anne did not have a place at court. However, King James greeted her kindly when he arrived in England. Anne Dudley felt "something ill and melancholy" (a bit sick and sad). She went back to Hertfordshire in the autumn of 1603. She died there, surrounded by her family, on February 9, 1604. As she wished, she was buried with her ancestors in the Bedford Chapel at St. Michael's Church in Chenies, Buckinghamshire.