Biography of Robert Dudley 1574-1649

On 7th August 1574 Robert Dudley was born illegitimately to [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 42] and [his mother] Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 32] at Richmond Palace [Map].

On 23rd July 1577 Thomas Wenman [aged 29] died. He left significant debts to the Crown requiring some of his lands to be sold. Eaton, Berkshire was sold to John Danvers [aged 37] for £7700. Richard Wenman 1st Viscount Wenman [aged 4] was made a ward of his mother Jane West [aged 19] and [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 45]. Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester sold his interest to James Cressy who subsequently married Jane West.

On 21st September 1578 [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 46] and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester [aged 34] were married secretly much to the anguish of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 45] who developed a deep hatred of Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. Roger North 2nd Baron North [aged 48] was present. He the son of [his grandfather] John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and [his grandmother] Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland. They were fifth cousins.

Before 13th November 1581 [his half-brother] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave [aged 15] and [his sister-in-law] Ursula Tyrwhitt [aged 41] were married. She by marriage Baroness Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire. The difference in their ages was 25 years; she, unusually, being older than him.

On 4th September 1588 [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 56] died at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. He was buried at Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl of Leicester extinct.

Around 1590 Unknown Painter. Probably Robert Dudley [aged 15].

Around 1591 Robert Dudley [aged 16] and Margaret Cavendish [aged 21] were married. He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 49].

In 1596 Robert Dudley [aged 22] and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 18] were married. He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 54].

On or before 25th September 1597, the date she was baptised at Kenilworth, [his daughter] Alicia Douglassia Dudley was born to Robert Dudley [aged 23] and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 19].

On 29th November 1597 Edward Stafford [aged 45] and [his mother] Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 55] were married. They were fourth cousins.

In 1605 Robert Dudley [aged 30] took a case for his legitimacy to the Star Chamber supported by his mother Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 63] who claimed she and Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester had been married in secret. The Star Chamber found against him after which he left the country.

In 1606 Robert Dudley [aged 31] and Elizabeth Southwell [aged 22] were married at Lyon, France [Map]. Bigamous in his case since his second wife Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 28] was alive. She the daughter of Robert Southwell and Elizabeth Howard Countess Carrick [aged 41]. He the illegitmate son of Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester and Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 64]. They were first cousin once removed.

In 1608 [his mother] Douglas Howard Baroness Sheffield [aged 66] died.

Calendar of State Papers James I 1608. Feb. 11. [1608] London. 26. John Chamberlain to Dud. Carleton. Domestic affairs. Tobie Matthew ordered to depart the realm. Harry Constable [aged 46] and Rich. Carey committed to prison. A marriage and masque at Court, and presents to the bride [Lady Eliz. Ratcliffe]. The King gave them a pension of £600 a year, and wished the bridegroom [Visct. Haddington [aged 28]] as much happiness as he himself had, the day he delivered him from the Gowrie conspiracy. Progress of the treaty of peace between Flanders and Holland. The Pope has commanded Sir Rob. Dudley [aged 33] to forsake his mistress [aged 24], &c.

In or before 1611 [his son-in-law] Gilbert Kniveton 2nd Baronet [aged 28] and Frances Dudley were married. She the daughter of Robert Dudley [aged 36] and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 32].

On 4th March 1619 [his half-brother] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave [aged 53] and [his sister-in-law] Mariana Irwin Countess Mulgrave were married at St Margaret's Church, Westminster [Map]. She by marriage Baroness Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.

In May 1621 [his daughter] Alicia Douglassia Dudley [aged 23] died.

In 1626 [his half-brother] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave [aged 60] was created 1st Earl Mulgrave. [his sister-in-law] Mariana Irwin Countess Mulgrave by marriage Countess Mulgrave.

On 23rd July 1629 [his son-in-law] Richard Leveson [aged 31] and Catherine Dudley were married. She the daughter of Robert Dudley [aged 54] and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 51].

On 25th December 1634 Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester [aged 91] died. She was buried at the Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map] with her husband [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester - see Monument [Map] and Inscription [Map].

On 23rd May 1644 Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley [aged 66] was created 1st Duchess Dudley by King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland [aged 43] for life. Her husband Robert Dudley [aged 69] had claimed to be the legitimate son of [his father] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester but the Star Chamber found against him. King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland disagreed with their verdict and, in compensation of her subsequent treatment, awarded her the Dukedom... See Patent of Creation.

In October 1646 [his half-brother] Edmund Sheffield 1st Earl Mulgrave [aged 80] died. His grandson Edmund [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Earl Mulgrave, 4th Baron Sheffield of Butterwick in Lincolnshire.

On 6th September 1649 Robert Dudley [aged 75] died at Villa Rinieri. He was buried at San Pancrazio.

Life of Sir Robert Dudley, Earl of Warwick and Duke of Northumberland by John Temple Leader. M.P. forBridgwater from 1835 to 1837, and for Westmimster from 1837 to 1847, Knight Comander of the Order of the Crown of Italy. Illustrated with Letters and Documents from original sources, collected by the Author, and hitherto inedited. Florence. Printed By G. Barbera. 1895.

[his daughter] Catherine Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married 23rd July 1629 Richard Leveson.

[his daughter] Anne Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married before 1663 Robert Holborne.

[his daughter] Frances Dudley was born to Robert Dudley and Alice Leigh 1st Duchess Dudley. She married in or before 1611 Gilbert Kniveton 2nd Baronet, son of William Kniveton 1st Baronet, and had issue.