Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland

Also known as: Robert Veere duke of Ireland / Robert Véer / Robert Véer duke of Ireland / Robert Véere / Robert de Veer / Robert de Veer duke of Ireland / Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford / Robert duke of Ireland / duke of Ireland / marques of Deuelin / sir Robert Veere duke of Ireland · Family: England · Role: marquess · First appears: Richard II 29

In c. 1385, Richard II made Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford, Marquess of Dublin at Westminster, and Robert stood in fealty to the king. He was also Richard II’s principal favourite, “as one that ruled all things at his pleasure.” In c. 1386, Richard II created him Duke of Ireland and granted him thirty thousand marks; Robert then worked with Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York to turn the king against the other lords and undo the acts of the preceding Parliament.

About 1387, Robert married Lancegrone, a Bohemian maid of the queen. In 1388, he and Richard II plotted against Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester in Wales, while Robert and Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk compelled John Belknap to subscribe the judicial question. Robert and the king sent messengers throughout the realm to retain armed men, and Robert, Alexander Neville, Archbishop of York, Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, and other counsellors continued to intensify the king’s displeasure against Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel, and Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. The opposing lords accused Robert and the other counsellors of treason; although Richard II placed Robert under protection pending Parliament, Robert was later called to answer and, not appearing, was banished for life with his lands and goods forfeited. He was allied and friendly with Simon Burley.

In c. 1392, Robert died at Louvain in Brabant in poverty and anguish. Aubrey de Vere, Earl of Oxford, was his uncle, and in November Richard II had Robert’s embalmed body brought to England and taken to the priory of Colnie in Essex for burial, showing the affection the king had borne him.