John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John de Vere
7th Earl of Oxford
Hedingham Castle, Essex, seat of the Earls of Oxford
Born	c. 12 March 1312
Died	23 or 24 January 1360 Rheims, France
Noble family	de Vere
Spouse(s)	Maud de Badlesmere
Issue	John de Vere Thomas de Vere, 8th Earl of Oxford Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford Robert de Vere Margaret de Vere Maud de Vere Elizabeth de Vere
Father	Alphonse de Vere
Mother	Joan Foliot

John de Vere, the 7th Earl of Oxford (born around March 12, 1312 – died January 24, 1360), was an important English nobleman and military leader. He became the Earl of Oxford in 1331 after his uncle, Robert de Vere, the 6th Earl, passed away without children.

John de Vere was a trusted captain for King Edward III. He fought bravely in the king's wars against Scotland and France. He was a key figure in two very famous battles: the Battle of Crécy and the Battle of Poitiers. He died while fighting in France in 1360. Throughout his life, he worked closely with William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, who was his brother-in-law.

John de Vere: A Medieval Knight

His Family and Early Life

John de Vere was the only son of Alphonse de Vere and Jane Foliot. His father, Alphonse, was the third son of Robert de Vere, 5th Earl of Oxford. Alphonse passed away around 1328.

When John's uncle, Robert de Vere, the 6th Earl of Oxford, lost his own son in 1329, he made sure his lands would go to his nephew, John. This meant that when his uncle died on April 17, 1331, John de Vere became the new Earl of Oxford. He officially took over his duties by May 17.

In 1336, John married Maud de Badlesmere. Maud was one of four daughters of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere. When Maud's brother, Giles de Badlesmere, died in 1338, Maud inherited a large part of her family's wealth. This made John de Vere even more powerful.

This marriage also created a strong connection with William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton. William had married Maud's sister, Elizabeth, making him John's brother-in-law. John and William often fought in battles together and served on the same royal committees. They even passed away in the same year.

Fighting for England

John de Vere started his military career fighting in Scotland during the 1330s. This was part of the Second War of Scottish Independence. He took part in campaigns in 1334-1335.

Later, England's focus shifted to France as the Hundred Years' War began. John de Vere became very important in these conflicts.

Defending the Coast

In 1340, England worried about a French invasion. Oxford was put in charge of defending London and the Essex coast. He was also called to help the Earl of Salisbury in Flanders against the French. Even though the order was urgent, he arrived with only a few men.

While he was fighting in Europe, John de Vere stayed out of political arguments back home. He was seen as someone who didn't take sides in political fights.

Campaigns in France

After a short time in England, John de Vere returned to Europe in 1342. He served with his brother-in-law, William de Bohun, in Brittany. They both fought in the Battle of Morlaix that year.

The next year, they went to Scotland to help at Lochmaben Castle. In 1345, they were back in Brittany fighting again. It is said that on their way back to England, a storm forced their ships ashore. Local people then robbed them of their belongings.

Famous Battles: Crécy and Poitiers

In the summer of 1346, John de Vere fought alongside King Edward III in Normandy. He took part in the famous Battle of Crécy. A writer named Froissart said that de Vere was fighting with the Black Prince. When the Black Prince asked for more soldiers, King Edward famously replied, "Let the boy win his spurs!" This meant he wanted his son to prove himself.

Oxford also helped in the siege of Calais. He became ill in 1348 and did not fight in any major battles until 1355.

In 1355, he joined the Black Prince again as an advisor and commander. He took part in a big raid into Languedoc. Along with other earls, Oxford led a large force of a thousand men. They marched through the Dordogne valley and attacked the area of Turenne. Oxford's men captured many towns and castles. They used these places to launch raids until they were paid to leave in 1357.

On September 19, 1356, John de Vere was a commander at the Battle of Poitiers. He led the front line of the English army with the Earl of Warwick. While Warwick's men faced the main French attack, de Vere led a group of archers. They moved along the riverbed and attacked the French knights from the side. They shot arrows at the horses, which helped the English win a great victory.

His last military campaign was with King Edward III in France during 1359-1360. He died during this campaign, likely on January 23 or 24, 1360. He was buried in his family's burial place, Colne Priory in Essex.

His Legacy

Maud de Vere, John's wife, passed away in 1366. They had four sons and three daughters. Their oldest son, John, died before his father in 1350. Another son, Robert, also died young.

Their next oldest son, Thomas, was born around 1336 or 1337. He became the 8th Earl of Oxford when his father died in 1360. Thomas's son, Robert, became the 9th Earl. However, when Robert lost his title in 1392, the earldom went to John's fourth son, Aubrey.

John de Vere was known as one of the "fighting de Veres" because he was involved in almost every major battle from 1340 to 1360. He brought many soldiers and archers to these campaigns. His group of fighters included knights, squires, and even soldiers from other countries. At the Battle of Poitiers, a famous mercenary named John Hawkwood also fought with de Vere.

John de Vere was a very active military leader. He played an important role in many of England's victories during his time.