Dorothy Percy, Countess of Northumberland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Devereux
Countess of Northumberland
Portrait identified as Dorothy Devereux (on the left) and her elder sister Penelope Devereux, c.1581
Born	c.1564 Chartley Castle, Staffordshire, England
Died	3 August 1619 (aged 54–55)
Spouse(s)	Sir Thomas Perrot Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Issue	Penelope Perrot Dorothy Perrot Elizabeth Perrot Dorothy Percy Lucy Percy Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland Henry Percy, Lord of Alnwick
Father	Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Mother	Lettice Knollys

Dorothy Percy (née Devereux), Countess of Northumberland (born around 1564 – died 3 August 1619) was an important lady in English history. She was the younger daughter of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex and Lettice Knollys. Later, she became the wife of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland.

Dorothy's Family Background

Dorothy was born around 1564. Her father was Walter Devereux, the 1st Earl of Essex. Her mother, Lettice Knollys, was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth I of England. This meant her mother helped the Queen with daily tasks.

Dorothy was named after her grandmother, Dorothy Hastings. Her other grandparents were Sir Francis Knollys and Lady Catherine Carey. Catherine Carey was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, who was the sister of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Dorothy had an older sister named Penelope Devereux. Penelope was known for inspiring poems by Sir Philip Sidney. Dorothy also had three younger brothers: Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Walter Devereux, and Francis Devereux.

In 1576, Dorothy's father passed away in Dublin, Ireland. Two years later, her mother secretly married Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. He was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. The Queen was very upset about this secret marriage and sent Dorothy's mother away from court.

Dorothy's mother and Robert Dudley had one son, Robert, Baron Denbigh, who was born in 1581 but sadly died when he was only three years old. After Robert Dudley died in 1589, Dorothy's mother married again to Sir Christopher Blount.

In 1601, Dorothy's brother, Robert, the 2nd Earl of Essex, faced serious charges against the Queen and was executed at the Tower of London. Unlike her sister Penelope, Dorothy was not thought to be involved in any rebellion.

Dorothy's Marriages and Children

In July 1583, Dorothy married Sir Thomas Perrot in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. They had one son who died young, and four daughters:

• Penelope Perrot: She married Sir William Lower, an astronomer. They had three sons and a daughter. Later, she married Sir Robert Naunton and had another daughter named Penelope.
• Dorothy Perrot: She married James Perrot and had two children.
• Elizabeth Perrot.
• Anne Perrot.

Queen Elizabeth was very unhappy about Dorothy's first marriage. She felt her permission should have been asked. The Queen also didn't trust Sir John Perrot, Thomas's father, and was angry with Dorothy's mother for arranging the marriage. Because of this, Thomas was put in prison for a while, and Dorothy was sent away from the Queen's court.

After Sir Thomas Perrot died, the Queen finally allowed Dorothy to return to court. She even became a favorite of the Queen for a time.

In 1594, Dorothy married for the second time. This time, the Queen fully approved. She married Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland. He was sometimes called "The Wizard Earl." However, this marriage was not a happy one, and they later lived separately. In 1605, the Earl was sent to the Tower of London. He was suspected of being involved in a famous plot against the King. He remained in prison until after Dorothy's death.

Dorothy and Henry Percy had four children:

• Dorothy (born around 1598 – died 1659): She married Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester and had six children.
• Lucy (born around 1599 – died 1660): She married James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle.
• Algernon (born 1602 – died 1668): He became the 10th Earl of Northumberland. He married Anne Cecil and had five daughters. Later, he married Elizabeth Howard and had a son, Joceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland.
• Henry Percy, Lord of Alnwick (born 1604 – died 1659): He never married.

Dorothy in Stories

Dorothy Devereux has appeared in some historical novels.

• A book called Sister to Essex by Beryl Walthew (1979) tells Dorothy's story. It talks about her two marriages and the lives of her famous family members: her mother Lettice, her sister Penelope, and her brother Robert.
• Dorothy is also a small character in the novel The Grove of Eagles by Winston Graham. In this book, her second husband, Northumberland, tries to help Dorothy and Sir Walter Raleigh become friends again. He also tries to help Raleigh and Dorothy's brother Essex make up.

Images for kids

• 

  Portrait identified as Dorothy Devereux (on the left) and her elder sister Penelope Devereux, c.1581