Robert Long (soldier) facts for kids

Sir Robert Long (c. 1517 – c. 1581) was an English knight and landowner. He lived during the time of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I.

Life of Sir Robert Long

Sir Robert Long was born in Wiltshire, England, around 1517. He was the oldest son of Sir Henry Long and Eleanor Wrottesley. His family was well-known in the area.

Working for the King

Sir Robert worked for King Henry VIII as an Esquire of the Body. This meant he was a personal attendant to the King. He was there when the King met Anne of Cleves. He also fought alongside his father at the Siege of Boulogne.

In 1538, King Henry VIII gave Sir Robert the manor of Calstone near Calne. A manor was a large estate with land and houses. Part of this land stayed with the Long family for many years. Later, in 1576, Sir Robert bought another manor called Sutton Benger, which was close to his home in Draycot.

High Sheriff of Wiltshire

In 1575, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Robert was chosen to be the High Sheriff of Wiltshire. A High Sheriff was an important official who helped keep law and order in the county.

Family Life

Sir Robert Long married Barbara Carne around 1546. They had five children: one daughter and four sons. Their sons included:

• Sir Walter Long (who died in 1610)
• Jewel Long (who died in 1647), whose godfather was a bishop named John Jewel
• Henry Long, who was sadly murdered in 1594

Sir Robert Long passed away at his home in Draycot in 1581. His wife, Barbara, died later in 1605.

The Long and Danvers Feud

Sir Robert's son, Henry Long, was murdered by Sir Charles Danvers and Sir Henry Danvers. This happened because of a long-standing disagreement, or feud, between the Long family and the Danvers family. The feud was especially strong between Henry Long and his brother, Sir Walter Long, and the Danvers brothers.

How the Feud Started

The trouble grew worse in 1594. Sir John Danvers, the father of Charles and Henry, was a judge. He had one of Sir Walter Long's servants arrested for robbery. Sir Walter helped his servant escape. After this, Sir Walter complained to another judge, and Sir John Danvers had Sir Walter put in Fleet Prison. Then, another of Sir Walter's servants was accused of murder.

After Sir Walter left prison, he and his brother Henry started fights between their followers and Sir John Danvers's men. During these fights, one servant was killed, and another was badly hurt.

Some historians believe the feud started between the sons, not their fathers. Others think it began much earlier, or that it grew when Sir Walter Long, who had just returned from military service, tried to challenge the Danvers family's power in the area.

Rising Tensions

The Longs aimed their anger directly at the Danvers family, not just their servants. Henry Long sent very insulting letters to Sir Charles Danvers. Sir Charles was extremely angry about these letters. His mother later wrote to Lord Burghley, saying that the insults were so bad that "the heart of a man indeed had rather die than endure."

Sir Charles, along with his brother Sir Henry and some of their men, went to an inn in Corsham. Sir Walter and Henry Long were there, having dinner with some local officials. Sir Henry Danvers pulled out a pistol, and soon after, Henry Long was dead.

The Danvers brothers escaped and found safety with their friend Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. This was during Southampton's twenty-first birthday party.

A Story Like Romeo and Juliet?

Southampton was a supporter of the famous writer William Shakespeare. Because of this, some experts believe that the feud between the Longs and the Danvers families might have inspired Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet. They think that Romeo's exile (being sent away from his home) in the play could be a hint to how Southampton helped Sir Charles and Sir Henry Danvers escape to France.

What Happened Next

After Henry Long was murdered, his mother, Lady Barbara Long, told Queen Elizabeth I about the "verie strange owtrage" (very strange outrage) that had happened. However, the Long family or the state never officially charged the Danvers brothers.

The historian John Aubrey wrote that the Danvers brothers' escape and hiding made their father, Sir John Danvers, die sooner. Their mother quickly remarried to Sir Edmund Carey, a cousin of the Queen. She did this to help her sons get a pardon, which they later received. The Danvers brothers returned to England in August 1598.

Sir Henry Danvers later became the Earl of Danby. However, his brother, Sir Charles Danvers, was beheaded in 1600. He had joined a plot with the Earl of Essex against Queen Elizabeth.