John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford facts for kids

John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford (born August 14, 1499 – died July 14, 1526) was an important English nobleman and landowner. He was part of the Peerage of England, which means he held a special high rank in society.

Because of his family, he inherited the important job of Lord Great Chamberlain of England. This role meant he helped organize big royal events. In June 1520, when he was just 20 years old, he joined King Henry VIII at a famous meeting called the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

John de Vere died quite young, at the age of 26.

Who Was John de Vere?

John de Vere was born on August 14, 1499. He was the only son of Sir George Vere and his second wife, Margaret Stafford. His mother, Margaret, was the daughter of Sir William Stafford from Bishop's Frome in Herefordshire.

John had four sisters:

• Elizabeth, who married Sir Anthony Wingfield. They had many children.
• Margaret, about whom not much is known.
• Dorothy (died 1527), who married John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer. Her husband later married Katherine Parr, who became the last wife of King Henry VIII.
• Ursula (died 1558), who married twice but had no children.

John's uncle, John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford, was a very important figure before him.

Becoming the Earl of Oxford

John's father, Sir George Vere, passed away in 1503. At that time, John was only four years old. This meant he became a "royal ward," which meant the king looked after his lands and future.

In 1513, John inherited the lands and titles of his uncle, the 13th Earl of Oxford. His uncle had died at Castle Hedingham. John was only 13 years old when he became the 14th Earl.

On April 22, 1513, John was the main mourner at his uncle's large funeral. Many people attended, and black robes were given out. His uncle was buried at Colne Priory.

His Marriage to Anne Howard

When John de Vere was just 12, his uncle arranged for him to marry Anne Howard. Anne was the daughter of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk. This marriage was important because it brought together two very powerful families in East Anglia.

The wedding happened before May 1512. However, in 1514, King Henry VIII said the marriage might not be valid. This was because John was under 14 years old when he married. The King had the right to decide who his royal wards married.

The King offered John another bride, Margaret Courtenay. But John refused to marry her. So, the King allowed John to stay married to Anne Howard. He also gave John's father-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk, control over John's lands while John was still young.

Life as the 14th Earl

In June 1520, the 14th Earl of Oxford attended the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a grand meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. It was a huge event with feasts, tournaments, and celebrations. John de Vere even helped judge some foot races there.

Later in 1520, John turned 21, which meant he was officially an adult. He was then given full control of his lands. In 1522, he was with King Henry when the King met Emperor Charles V between Dover and Canterbury.

King Henry's Advice

Some people thought John de Vere spent too much money and enjoyed himself too much. In 1523, when he was 24, King Henry VIII sent him a message through Cardinal Wolsey. The King told John to live with his father-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk, and to be kind to his wife.

The King also told him to:

• Have a smaller household (only 20 people).
• Stop giving out jobs or payments.
• Not hunt excessively.
• Drink less wine.
• Not stay up late.
• Eat less meat.
• Not wear overly fancy clothes.

Even with this advice, John de Vere was still at court in 1525 and 1526. He helped at events, like when the King's son, Henry FitzRoy, was given the title of Earl of Nottingham.

His Final Years

John de Vere, the 14th Earl, died on July 14, 1526, when he was only 26 years old. He was buried in Colne Priory in Earls Colne, Essex. Sadly, his tomb is no longer there.

Because he had no children, his title and important job of Lord Great Chamberlain went back to the King. His second cousin, John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford, became the next Earl. Both of them were great-grandsons of an earlier Earl, Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford.

After John's death, his wife, Anne Howard, lived for many more years. She passed away before February 22, 1559, and was buried in the Howard family chapel in the Church of St Mary-at-Lambeth.

John de Vere was sometimes called "Little John of Campes." Some say this was because he was small, but others think it was just a nickname because he was young when he became Earl.