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Introduction
Robert Dudley, the fifth son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, was born in 1532. When Henry VIII died in 1547, Edward was too young to rule, so his uncle, Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, took over the running of the country. When Seymour was executed in 1552, he was replaced by John Dudley. Soon afterward, Robert Dudley became a member of Edward’s Privy Chamber.
Edward was suffering from tuberculosis, and as his health deteriorated suddenly, and the Duke of Northumberland tried to persuade the king to alter the succession in favor of his own daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey. She was declared a queen three days after Edward’s death. However, she was forced to abdicate nine days later in favor of Edward’s half-sister, Mary Tudor. Robert Dudley was arrested for his part in the rebellion, but after being tried for treason, he was pardoned by Mary’s husband, Philip II of Spain. Dudley fought with Philip in France, but when Elizabeth became a queen, he returned to England. Rumors soon began to circulate that Dudley and Elizabeth were lovers. These increased after Dudley’s wife, Amy Robsart, died after a fall. Dudley’s enemies claimed that he had murdered his wife in order to marry the queen.
In 1563 Elizabeth gave him Kenilworth Castle, and the following year, he was granted the title, Earl of Leicester. Elizabeth realized that she would upset too many important people if she married Dudley. The couple remained close, and Dudley became one of the queen’s leading advisers.
Elizabeth believed that Mary Stuart posed a threat to her throne. To counter this, she suggested that Dudley should marry Mary. Attempts were made to arrange this, but in 1565, Mary married Henry Darnley, the son of Lady Margaret Douglas, the granddaughter of Henry VII. Dudley was a strong supporter of Protestantism. In 1585 he was appointed commander of the expeditionary force to help the Dutch against Spain. Dudley later became Governor-General of the Netherlands. DUDLEY City (1991 pop. 186,513) and metropolitan district, W central England. Dudley’s famed iron, coal, and limestone industries began declining c.1870. Other industries include engineering works, steelworks, metallurgy, glass cutting, textiles, and leatherworking. Isolated on an elevated site, Dudley was enlarged in 1966. The ruins of Dudley Castle, around which the area developed in the 13th cent., are surrounded by a park with a zoo. It has education and technical colleges. The Black Country Living Museum depicts the Industrial Revolution.
Dudley and his role in the Netherlands
On 28 July 1588, Leicester at Tilbury wrote to Francis Walsingham in London about the Earl of Oxford:
‘…My Lord of Oxford… returned again yesterday by me, with Captain Huntley as his company. It seems only his voyage was to have gone to my Lord Admiral; and at his return thither he went yester night for his armour and furniture. If he comes, I would know from you what I should do. I trust he be free to go to the enemy, for he seems most willing to hazard his life in this quarrel…’
Has heard that the Spanish Fleet is off Boulogne and in sight; Out of the new supply of 5,000, he intends to send 500 of the Essex men to Harwich. Thinks the Londoners will be of little service; he knows what burghers are well enough. From this letter, it is evident that Oxford had only now taken steps to obtain his armor.
On 1 August, Leicester wrote again to Walsingham:
‘…I did, as Her Majesty liked well of, deliver to my Lord of Oxford her gracious consent of his willingness to serve her; and for that he was content to serve her among the foremost as he seemed. She was well pleased that he should have the government of Harwich, and all those that are appointed to attend that place – which should be two thousand men – a place of great trust and of great danger. My Lord seemed at the first to like well of it. Afterward he came to me and told me he thought the place of no service nor credit; and therefore he would to the Court and understand Her Majesty’s further pleasure; to which I would not be against. But
I must desire you – as I know Her Majesty will also make him know – that it was good grace to appoint that place to him, having no more experience than he hath; and then to use the matter as you shall think good. For my own part being gladder to be rid of him than to have him, but only to have him contented; which now I find will be harder than I took it. And he denieth all his former offers he made to me rather than not to be seen to be employed at this time…’
Leicester’s papers from this time include a chart of the Thames estuary, with Harwich the most northerly point shown. Clearly, Harwich was deemed important by Leicester.
Leicester finished off his letter with a stinging postscript:
‘…I am glad I am rid of my Lord Oxford, seeing he refused this, and I prey you let me not be pressed any more for him, what suit soever he make… Speaking for myself, I am prepared to believe that Oxford’s motive was pique rather than cowardice or subversion; but none of these possible motives speaks well for him…’
If I could choose any person in history to be revived and start a new life in 2007, it would be Robert Dudley. He was already a man of great prestige and wealth during the 16th century. I imagine that his characteristics would enable him to live the same type of superficial lifestyle even today. Moreover, the lifestyle that he would probably lead would be one of an NBA player.
Yes. It seemed that Robert Dudley was the man. He had it all. I have read many different documentations about Dudley, but his descriptions remain the same. He was a very handsome, charming, athletic, witty, and flirtatious man. But in order to further understand a man, a person would have to start at the foundation. I can see this modern depiction begin. Robert Dudley’s face on Sports Illustrated with the featured article entitled: The Young Phenomenon. And in this article, Dudley sits with a well-known sports journalist and tells his story. He would begin, as most athletes do, with his childhood.
Born on 24 June 1532, as the fifth and youngest son of John Dudley, Robert’s journey of manhood has already begun on a rocky path. The Dudley Family climbed to the top of the social ladder through Robert Dudley’s grandfather, Edmund Dudley, Henry VII’s aggressive tax collector who was put to death by Henry VIII in an “inaugural gesture of noble magnanimity” (Matz 2000). John Dudley, Robert’s father, restored the family’s power by serving in the Privy Council under King Henry VIII and his son Edward VI (Matz 2000). John possessed a chivalric and military skill that led to the number of important military posts and prominent positions in Henry VIII’s government.
But his father was over-zealous and executed for his part in attempting to put Lady Jane Grey, his daughter-in-law, on the English throne. Because of this, Robert was temporarily imprisoned at the Tower of London with his father and his four older brothers. His family is notorious for unfortunate events and treason. And early in life, he has already experienced run-ins with the law. But as with some cases of talented athletes who have rough beginnings, their expertise provides a way out into a better way of living.
Robert Dudley became renown for his chivalric skills, similar to his father, though his military service proved to not be as successful. It’s all about networking. He was a childhood friend of Henry VIII’s daughter, Elizabeth Tudor. Upon her accession to the throne in 1558, she appointed him the prominent role of Master of the Horse and the unpopular position on the Privy Council in 1559 (Matz 2000). These positions brought him great wealth and property rights. One can compare Dudley’s life at this particular point to the newest, cocky NBA talent, who has had a history of misdemeanors envied by the more established teammates for his early accomplishments. And Queen Elizabeth was the coach.
And what seems to keep professional athletes in trouble? Women. Robert Dudley was a wanted man. He was famous for his elaborate costume, fine wit, and flirtatious relationship with Queen Elizabeth. He constantly upset other Privy Council members by interfering with the queen’s marriage proposals. But he was also married to Amy Robsart and probably sought after by other women as well. In 1560, his wife mysteriously fell down the staircase in their home. It was speculated that Dudley had arranged for her death so that he may marry Queen Elizabeth. This was never proven to be true but only added more fuel to the fire that others had against him.
Soon, after realizing that the possibility of marriage with Dudley was improbable, the queen made her favorite a pawn in foreign affairs by offering his hand to Mary Queen of Scots and appointing him Earl of Leicester in 1564 (“Dudley”). Her plan was to neutralize Mary’s power by marriage to a Protestant, but Mary declined. But the women still loved Robert. Queen Elizabeth never lost feelings for him. He secretly married the widowed Lady Douglas Sheffield in 1573 (“Dudley”). His third marriage to Lady Lettice Knollys, a maternal cousin of Queen Elizabeth, in 1578 led to temporary estrangement from Elizabeth(“Dudley”).
According to the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, in 1585, Dudley was sent in command of the English force to assist in the Netherlands revolt against Spain (“Dudley”). He outraged Elizabeth by accepting the title of governor of the Netherlands in 1586. He proved to be incompetent in his efforts against Spain and was recalled to England in 1587. Eventually, in 1588, he was in command of the English forces against the Spanish Armada. The Spanish never succeeded, and Robert Dudley died shortly after on 4 September 1588 (“Dudley”). Queen Elizabeth was severely devastated by the loss of her long-time companion.
Robert Dudley led the life of a superstar. Money, fame, scandals, beautiful women, jealousy, and failure were the elements that formed his life. He was always striving to keep favor with the queen and maintain his high positions in government. Through his many achievements and God-giving talents, he has earned his place in history’s Hall of Fame.
Was it seen as a success?
- Most recently, Dudley was portrayed by Jeremy Irons in the Channel 4 drama Elizabeth I, opposite Helen Mirren as Elizabeth I.
- British actor Tom Hardy played him in the 2005 mini-series The Virgin Queen.
- Joseph Fiennes played a highly fictionalized Dudley to Cate Blanchett’s Elizabeth in the 1998 movie Elizabeth.
- In the 1971 BBC mini-series Elizabeth R, Dudley is played by actor Robert Hardy.
- He was portrayed by Leslie Banks in the 1937 feature film Fire Over England.
A man of untiring energy, rare executive ability, and vigorous thought, he was not content to retire after the successful completion of his great work but devoted the rest of his life to many other business enterprises which were of great value to his city and country. Among them may be mentioned his part as a promoter of the elevated railroad in New York City at a time when its feasibility was problematical and success uncertain, a task which by itself would have entitled him to the grateful memory of our people.
Works Cited
Matz, Robert. Defending Literature in Early Modern England: Renaissance Theory In Social Context. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000.
“Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester.” The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia. (6th Edition). Columbia University Press, 2003.
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