Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester was an English nobleman and the favourite and close friend of Elizabeth I's, from her first year on the throne until his death. He was a suitor for the queen's hand for many years.
Background
Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester was born on June 24, 1532 or June 24, 1533. He was the fifth son of Edward VI's most powerful subject, John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland and his wife Jane, daughter of Sir Edward Guildford. John and Jane Dudley had 13 children in all and were known for their happy family life.
Career
After the failure of his father’s conspiracy to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne in 1553, Robert was imprisoned in the Tower of London, but he was released the following year and served with the English forces in France in 1557.
With the accession of Elizabeth in 1558, Dudley’s fortunes soared rapidly. She at once made him master of the horse, and in April 1559 he became a privy councillor and Knight of the Garter. He soon won the Queen’s affection and favour, but his pretensions aroused bitter jealousy at court. When his wife, Amy, née Robsart, died in September 1560, it was widely rumoured that Dudley had murdered her in order to marry Elizabeth. Though there is no evidence to support this suspicion, Dudley did become an active suitor of the Queen. She rejected him, even proposing that he wed Mary, Queen of Scots. Probably to further this design, Elizabeth made him earl of Leicester and Baron Denbigh in September 1564.
In 1571 Leicester began an affair with the dowager Lady Sheffield. They were almost certainly never married, and he cast her off in 1578, when he secretly wed Lettice Knollys, widow of Walter Devereux, earl of Essex. A Puritan, Leicester became the leader of those Protestants who favoured vigorous action against Spain abroad and against the Roman Catholics at home. His zeal caused him to be attacked, presumably by a Catholic writer, in a famous but highly distorted exposé of his character known as Leicester’s Commonwealth (1584).
In 1585 Elizabeth sent Leicester in command of a force of 6, 000 troops to the United Provinces (the Netherlands) to assist their revolt against Spain. He proved to be not only an incompetent commander but also a failure in his political role. His policies, in violation of Elizabeth’s instructions, and his arrogant manner alienated the Dutch and resulted in his recall to England in 1587. Despite his shortcomings, the Queen appointed him in 1588 lieutenant general of the army mustered at Tilbury against the Spanish Armada. Later that year he died suddenly at his home.
Achievements
Religion
From infancy Robert Dudley grew up as a Protestant. Presumably conforming in public under Mary Tudor, he was counted among the "heretics" by Philip II's agent before Elizabeth's accession. He immediately became a major patron to former Edwardian clerics and returning exiles. Meanwhile, he also helped some of Mary's former servants and maintained Catholic contacts. From 1561 he advocated and supported the Huguenot cause, and the French ambassador described him as "totally of the Calvinist religion" in 1568. After the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre in 1572 this trait in him became more pronounced, and he continued as the chief patron of English Puritans and a champion of international Calvinism. On the other hand, in his household, Leicester employed Catholics like Sir Christopher Blount, who held a position of trust and of whom he was personally fond. The Earl's patronage of and reliance on individuals was as much a matter of old family loyalties or personal relationships as of religious allegiances.
Leicester was especially interested in the furtherance of preaching, which was the main concern of moderate Puritanism.
Views
Quotations:
"There is no man I knowe in this realme. .. that hath shewed a better minde to the furthering of true religion then I have done, even from the first day of her Majestie's reigne to this. .. I take Almighty God to my record, I never altered my mind or thought from my youth touching my religion, and yow know I was ever from my cradle brought up in it. "
"I protest I loved as derely as ever I loved man not born in England and not many in England better. "
"It seems that he [Henri, Duke of [Anjou means earnestly to stand upon his demands for his religion, which will never be granted unto him, and so will the matter break off I suppose. "
"These my lord be good warnings to all those that be professors of the trew religion to take heed in tyme. .. we cannot but stand in no small danger except there be a full concurrence together of all such as mean faithfully to continue such as they profess. "
Connections
His first wife was Amy Robsart. After her death his second wife became Lettice Knollys.