John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John de Vere
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| 15th Earl of Oxford | |
John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford, engraving after funerary monument, National Portrait Gallery, London
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| Born | c. 1482 Castle Hedingham, Essex |
| Died | 21 March 1540 (aged 57–58) Wakes Colne, Essex |
| Spouse(s) | Christian Foderingey Elizabeth Trussell |
| Issue | John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford Aubrey Vere Robert Vere Geoffrey Vere Elizabeth Vere Frances Vere Anne Vere |
| Father | John de Vere |
| Mother | Alice Kilrington |
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John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford
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| Lord Great Chamberlain | |
| In office 1526 – 21 Mar 1540 |
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| Monarch | Henry VIII |
| Preceded by | John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Cromwell |
John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford (around 1482 – 21 March 1540) was an English nobleman, royal courtier, and peer. He served as the Lord Great Chamberlain and was a member of the elite KG and the PC. He lived during the famous Tudor era and was one of the trusted friends of King Henry VIII.
Contents
The Life of John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford
Early Life and Family Background
John de Vere was born around 1482 at Castle Hedingham in Essex. His parents were John de Vere and Alice Kilrington. He was the great-grandson of Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford. His mother later married Sir Walter Courtenay of Powderham in Devon. Through this second marriage, John gained two stepbrothers and a stepsister named Katherine Courtenay.
When his second cousin, John de Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford, passed away, John inherited the earldom. This meant he became the 15th Earl and took charge of large lands and grand family titles.
Knight and Royal Courtier for King Henry VIII
As a young nobleman, John served King Henry VII as an Esquire of the Body. After the king died, John served Henry VII's son, Henry VIII.
In the autumn of 1513, King Henry VIII knighted John at Tournai after the famous Battle of the Spurs. Sir John became a key figure at royal ceremonies. In 1520, he travelled with the royal court to France for the grand festival known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold. Two years later, he was at Dover when Henry VIII met the powerful Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
In December 1526, John was appointed to the role of Lord Great Chamberlain for the rest of his life. In 1527, he joined the highest group of knights as a Knight of the Garter. By 1531, he was also chosen to give advice directly to the crown on the Privy Council. Visitors from Venice wrote that he was an impressive leader of great valour who rode through towns with 200 horses.
Royal Ceremonies and Historic Events
Oxford had many major duties during the dramatic changes of the English Reformation. In 1529, he signed a petition against the king's powerful chief advisor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. In 1533, Oxford carried the royal crown during the coronation of Queen Anne Boleyn.
In October 1537, Oxford went to the christening of Prince Edward, who later became King Edward VI. Just one month later, he attended the funeral of Queen Jane Seymour. He was also present at court when the king welcomed noblemen like the Marquess of Exeter and Lord Montagu. Later, Oxford and his eldest son rode to Blackheath to greet the king's new bride, Anne of Cleves.
Religion and the Theatre
Historians remember Oxford as the very first Protestant Earl of Oxford. He had a strong interest in the arts and supported acting troupes. Between 1534 and 1536, he paid the playwright John Bale to write plays for his actors. Working with writers like Richard Morison, Oxford used these theatre performances to support King Henry VIII's changes across the kingdom.
Oxford died on 21 March 1540 at his manor in Wakes Colne, Essex. He was laid to rest at the church beside Castle Hedingham.
Marriage and Children
Oxford married twice during his lifetime. His first wife was Christian Foderingey of Brockley, Suffolk, whose family had lived at Doreward's Hall in Bocking, Essex. She died young, and the couple had no children.
His second wife was Elizabeth Trussell from Staffordshire. Together, they had seven children:
- Elizabeth de Vere, who married Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche.
- John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford, who inherited his father's noble title and married Dorothy Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland, and later Margery Golding.
- Frances de Vere, who married the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and was the mother of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk.
- Aubrey de Vere, who married Margaret Spring, daughter of John Spring. Their grandson later became Robert de Vere, 19th Earl of Oxford. Their daughter Anne married the writer John Stubbs, who famously commented on Queen Elizabeth I and Francis, Duke of Anjou.
- Robert de Vere, who lived in Kent.
- Anne de Vere, who married Edmund Sheffield, 1st Baron Sheffield of Butterwick, Lincolnshire, and later John Brock of Colchester.
- Geoffrey de Vere, who married Elizabeth Hardkyn.
