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Robert Devereux, who would become the 2nd Earl of Essex and Queen Elizabeth I’s last favourite, was born on 10th November 1565 in the manor house at Netherwood near Bromyard, in Herefordshire. His life was to be short and turbulent. He would rise in the queen’s favour, triumphing over all his enemies, but his relationship with Elizabeth would always be fractious.
He sought glory and engaged in military action in the Netherlands, France, Cadiz, the Azores and Ireland. After developing an intelligence network to rival the Cecils, he was a key player in the political life of the Elizabethan court. But as he rose to the heights of his ambition, he would also fall in devastating circumstances all of his own making.
Europe’s Great Religious Divide
Increasing tensions across Europe made England fearful of a Spanish invasion. The Spanish Hapsburg Empire, under the rule of Phillip II, was trying to suppress Protestantism especially in the United Provinces where the Dutch were fighting for their independence.
Elizabeth I had a long history with Phillip, who had been married to her older sister Mary.
Once their relationship had been amicable enough – he had even supported her against her sister – but now she was queen, Philip’s machinations were a threat. Elizabeth had inherited a kingdom that had been divided over religion for many years. Her reign followed her father’s break with Rome, her brother’s fervent Protestantism and her sister’s return to Catholicism.
In order to bring peace to her realm Elizabeth and her councillors came up with the Religious Settlement. In 1559 the Act of Uniformity established The Book of Common Prayer and the Act of Supremacy underlined her role as supreme governor of the English church. A further act in 1563 laid out the doctrine of the Church of England. England would be protestant but Catholics would be tolerated.
Pope Pius V had excommunicated Elizabeth in 1570 as ‘the number of the ungodly hath gotten such power, there is now no place left in the whole World which they have not assayed to corrupt with their most wicked Doctrines: Amongst others, Elizabeth, the pretended Queen of England, a Slave of Wickedness, lending thereunto her helping hand, with whom, as in a Sanctuary, the most pernicious of all men have found a Refuge.’
But the papal bull also gave Catholics the order not to obey her on penalty of excommunication. It was supposed to support the nobles who had remained true to the old faith but Philip II, defender of the faith in Catholic Europe, believed the only way for England to return to the true religion would be by a full scale assault. |
