Elizabeth Trussell, Countess of Oxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Trussell
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| Countess of Oxford | |
Church of St Nicholas, burial place of Elizabeth Trussell, Countess of Oxford
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| Born | 1496 |
| Died | Before July 1527 |
| Buried | Church of St Nicholas, Castle Hedingham, Essex |
| Noble family | De Vere (by marriage) |
| Spouse(s) | John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford |
| Issue | John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford Aubrey de Vere Robert de Vere Geoffrey de Vere Elizabeth de Vere Anne de Vere Frances de Vere |
| Father | Edward Trussell |
| Mother | Margaret Donne |
Elizabeth de Vere (born Elizabeth Trussell), Countess of Oxford (1496 – before July 1527) was an important English noblewoman. When she was a young child, she became a "royal ward." This meant the King became her guardian because her father had died.
She married John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford. Together, they had many children. One of their sons became the 16th Earl of Oxford. Elizabeth was also the grandmother of famous soldiers like Sir Francis Vere and Sir Horace Vere. They were known as the 'fighting Veres'.
Elizabeth's Family Background
Elizabeth Trussell was born in 1496. Her father was Edward Trussell, who lived from about 1478 to 1499. He was from a place called Elmesthorpe in Leicestershire. The Trussell family was a very old and respected family from Warwickshire.
Elizabeth's mother was Margaret Donne. Margaret's father was Sir John Donne, a knight from Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire. Her mother was Elizabeth Hastings. Elizabeth Hastings was the sister of a very powerful man named William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings. Elizabeth Trussell also had a brother named John, who sadly died young.
Her Life as a Royal Ward
Elizabeth's father, Edward Trussell, was also a "ward" when he was young. This meant he was under the care of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings. When Edward Trussell died in 1499, Elizabeth became a royal ward herself. This happened because her brother, John, also died in the same year.
The King, King Henry VII, took charge of Elizabeth. He then sold her "wardship" and the right to arrange her marriage. This was a common practice for wealthy orphans in those times. First, George Grey, 2nd Earl of Kent bought her wardship. He wanted Elizabeth to marry his son, Sir Henry Grey.
However, after the 2nd Earl of Kent died, his eldest son, Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent, caused trouble. He took Elizabeth Trussell without permission. This was a serious offense against the King. The King made the 3rd Earl pay a very large fine for this action.
Because of this problem, Elizabeth's wardship went back to the King. On April 29, 1507, the King sold her wardship and marriage rights again. This time, they were bought by John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, and his cousin, John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford. The price was a large sum of money, plus yearly payments.
Marriage and Children
Between 1507 and 1509, Elizabeth Trussell became the second wife of John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford. His first wife had passed away without having any children.
Elizabeth and the 15th Earl of Oxford had four sons and three daughters together:
- John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford (1516 – 1562): He became the next Earl of Oxford. He had a daughter named Katherine and a son named Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.
- Aubrey de Vere (died 1580): He had a son named Hugh Vere. Hugh's son, Robert, later became the 19th Earl of Oxford.
- Robert de Vere (died around 1598): He had a son named John and a daughter named Mary.
- Geoffrey Vere (died 1572): He had four sons. Two of them became very famous soldiers: Sir Francis Vere and Sir Horatio Vere. They were known for their military skills.
- Elizabeth de Vere (born around 1512): She married Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche. They had three sons and two daughters.
- Anne de Vere (born around 1522, died around 1572): She married Edmund Sheffield, 1st Baron Sheffield. He was killed in a rebellion. Anne later married John Brock.
- Frances de Vere (around 1517 – 1577): She married Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Their children included Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, a very important nobleman.
Elizabeth died before July 1527. She was buried in the Church of St Nicholas in Castle Hedingham, Essex. You can still see her statue on the black marble tomb she shares with her husband, the 15th Earl.
