Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elizabeth Tailboys
Born	c. 1520
Died	c. April 1563 (aged c.43)
Title	Baroness Tailboys of Kyme
Spouse(s)	Thomas Wymbish Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick
Parents	Gilbert, 1st Baron Tailboys Elizabeth Blount

Elizabeth Tailboys, 4th Baroness Tailboys of Kyme (born around 1520, died April 1563) was an important noblewoman in England. She was the daughter of Elizabeth Blount and Gilbert Tailboys, 1st Baron Tailboys of Kyme. Elizabeth was also the second wife of Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick. Through her mother, she was the half-sister of Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset. Henry FitzRoy was the only child born outside of marriage that Henry VIII, King of England officially recognized.

Elizabeth's Early Life

Elizabeth was the only known daughter of Sir Gilbert Tailboys and his wife, Elizabeth Blount. She had two younger brothers, George and Robert. Their father died in 1530 when Elizabeth was about nine years old.

Elizabeth also had a half-brother named Henry FitzRoy. He was a year or two older than her. Henry was her mother's son with King Henry VIII. Some historians wonder if Elizabeth herself might have been another child of King Henry VIII, as she was born around 1520.

Elizabeth's First Marriage

Elizabeth married Thomas Wymbish. They lived in a place called Nocton in Lincolnshire. Thomas became a "ward of the crown" after his guardian, Lord Hussey, was executed. This meant the king became responsible for him.

In 1539, King Henry VIII gave Thomas's care and marriage rights to Elizabeth's stepfather, Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln. Thomas had been promised to Lord Hussey's daughter, Dorothy. However, this promise was broken so he could marry Elizabeth.

Elizabeth and Thomas had a difficult marriage. There was not much love between them. In 1541, King Henry VIII visited them at Nocton. He seemed interested in protecting Elizabeth's rights, as she was his late son's half-sister.

Elizabeth inherited the Tailboys family lands after her brothers George and Robert died. This made her the fourth Baroness Tailboys of Kyme. Her husband, Thomas, wanted to be called Lord Tailboys. But Elizabeth wanted the title for herself because of their bad relationship. King Henry VIII agreed with Elizabeth. His judges decided that Thomas could not use his wife's titles as long as they had no children.

Their marriage problems continued. Despite this, they worked together on some things in the last years of Henry VIII's rule. They signed documents and asked the king about property together. Thomas never got the title he wanted, either through marriage or on his own. In 1550, a special meeting was called to help with a "domestic quarrel" between them. The details of this argument are not known.

In 1551, Elizabeth received a ring in the will of Sir Charles Brandon. He was the son of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk. Two years later, Thomas wrote his own will. He left Elizabeth only the right to use his lands during her lifetime, as they had agreed when they married. He gave her very few gifts. Most of his belongings went to his mother, sisters, and brother-in-law.

Elizabeth's Second Marriage

Elizabeth married a second time in 1553. Her new husband was Sir Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick. Ambrose was a younger son of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. He was also the older brother of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, who was a great friend of Queen Elizabeth I.

In late 1554, Elizabeth asked Roger Ascham to write a letter in Latin for her. This letter was sent to Queen Mary I and King Philip of Spain. King Philip wanted to be popular with his new English subjects. So, he listened to Elizabeth's request. Four months later, Elizabeth sent another letter thanking him for helping her husband regain his freedom.

Elizabeth died in April 1563. At that time, Ambrose was in France. When Elizabeth died, the title of Baroness Tailboys ended. All of her lands went to her father's sisters and their families.

Images for kids

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  The coat of arms for the Tailboys of Kyme family.