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Essex, Ireland and Sturdy Beggar
In the 1590s, adventuring heroes such as Sir Walter Raleigh and the Earl of Essex vied for the Queen's favour. Essex was promoted and led a fleet to fight a new Spanish Armada in the Azores. It was a disaster, Essex was forced to leave the Court. His letters and pleas did nothing to change the Queen's mind. Then in 1599 his chance came.
Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone was threatening English dominance in Ireland. Essex persuaded Elizabeth to let him go to Ireland with a large army to put an end to the rebellion.
Essex's orders were to subdue Ulster and the Earl of Tyrone but Essex turned south to Leinster. He needed time to gather his forces, find sufficient packhorses and wait for the weather to improve. He wrote to the Queen, who was furious and ordered Essex not to return until he had defeated Tyrone. Essex met Tyrone and agreed to a two-week truce, he then returned to London. Angry scenes followed between Essex and Elizabeth, Essex was placed under house arrest and then in desperation plotted to overthrow the Queen which led to his execution in 1601.
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex |
ROBERT DEVEREUX, EARL OF ESSEX (1566-1601)- A soldier and courtier
- Inherited his earldom at the age of nine
- Good-looking and charming, he exploited Elizabeth I's affection to seek glory and power
- His military endeavours were showy and expensive: the siege of Rouen (1591), the sack of Cadiz (1596)
- An abortive attack on Spanish treasure ships in the Azores (1597) lost him a fortune and the good will of the Queen
- Worse was his expedition to Ireland (1599-1600) where his failure led him to signing a truce with Tyrone this lost him all favour with Elizabeth who placed him under house arrest
- In 1601 he attempted a coup d'etat, was tried for treason and executed
It is estimated that as many as 40 per cent of the population survived below the subsistence level in Elizabethan times. Thousands of families were "on the parish".
 
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| 1558 | England loses Calais to France
Mary I dies
Elizabeth I becomes Queen of England
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| 1565 | Mary Queen of Scots marries Lord Darnley
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| 1567 | Darnley is murdered and Mary marries Bothwell
Mary abdicates and James becomes VI of Scotland
(later I of England)
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| 1568 | Mary flees to England and is imprisoned
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| 1570 | The Pope excommunicates Elizabeth I
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| 1587 | Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
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| 1588 | The Spanish Armada is defeated
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| 1603 | Elizabeth I dies
James I becomes King of England
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| ELIZABETHAN WRITERS, COMPOSERS AND ARTISTS | | • | William Shakespeare |
| • | Ben Jonson |
| • | Edmund Spenser |
| • | William Byrd |
| • | Inigo Jones |
| • | Nicholas Hilliard |
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