Other Events and Attributes:

• Appointments / Titles: Oxford, Oxfordshire, England; 3rd Earl of Oxford
• Appointments / Titles: Head Chamberlain of England
• FSID: L19Z-CL1
• Appointments / Titles: Oct 1214; 3rd Earl of Oxford
• Life Event: 15 Jul 1215, Runnymeade Meadows, England; Magna Charta Surety

Notes:

Robert de Vere (after c. 1165 – before 25 October 1221), hereditary Master Chamberlain of England, was son of Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, and Agnes of Essex. He succeeded his brother as the third Earl of Oxford, and was one of the twenty-five guarantors of Magna Carta.

Robert de Vere was the second surviving son of Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford, and his third wife, Agnes of Essex. The date of his birth is not known, but he was likely born after 1164. Almost nothing is known of his life until 1207, when he married Isabel de Bolebec, the widow of Henry de Nonant (d.1206) of Totnes, Devon. In 1206-7 Isabel and her sister Constance were co-heiresses of their niece, another Isabel de Bolebec, the countess of Oxford by her marriage to Robert's brother, Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Earl of Oxford. They divided the barony of Whitchurch. The fact that aunt and niece had identical names, Isabel de Bolbec, and were successively countesses of Oxford and heiresses of Whitchurch has led to confusion between the two women.

When Robert's brother, Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Earl of Oxford, died in the latter half of 1214, Robert succeeded to his title and estates and the hereditary office of Master Chamberlain of England. The dower of Earl Aubrey's second wife, Alice (possibly his cousin, a daughter of Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk), had not been formalized. In 1215 Oxford settled his sister-in-law's dower by lot, the earl drawing two knights' fees for every one drawn by Alice. This is the only known instance of dower being settled in this manner.

Oxford joined the disaffected barons who met at Stamford and forced King John to issue Magna Carta at Runnymede on 15 June 1215. The earl was elected one of the barons who were to guarantee the King's adherence to its terms. Together with other Magna Carta barons, he was excommunicated as a rebel by Pope Innocent III on 16 December 1215, and joined them in offering the crown to Prince Louis of France.

Oxford took up arms against King John, but pledged loyalty to him after the King had taken Castle Hedingham in March 1216. Later in the same year, however, he did homage to Prince Louis at Rochester. Louis entered London and was proclaimed King. On 14 June 1216, he captured Winchester and soon controlled over half of England.

In the midst of this crisis, King John died, prompting many of the barons to desert Louis in favor of John's nine-year-old son, Henry III. In 1217 Prince Louis retook Castle Hedingham and restored it to Oxford, but despite this Oxford transferred his allegiance to the new King in October 1217. Although he did homage to Henry, he was not fully restored in his offices and lands until February 1218.

Earl Robert served as a king's justice in 1220-21, and died shortly before 25 October 1221.

He was buried at Hatfield Regis Priory, where either his son, Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford, or his grandson, Robert de Vere, 5th Earl of Oxford had an effigy erected in which he is depicted in chain mail, cross-legged, pulling his sword from its scabbard and holding a shield displaying his de Vere arms.

Robert de Vere and Isabel de Bolebec had a son, Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_de_Vere,_3rd_Earl_of_Oxford

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Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford was born after 1164.
He was the son of Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford and Agnes de Essex.
He married Isabel de Bolebec, daughter of Hugh de Bolebec.
He died before 25 October 1221.

He held the office of Hereditary Master Chamberlain of England between 1214 and 1221.
He succeeded as the 3rd Earl of Oxford [E., 1142] before October 1214.
He held the office of Justice Itinerant in 1220.
He held the office of Justice in King's Court at Westminster in 1221.

Children of Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Isabel de Bolebec
1. Sir Henry de Vere
2. Eleanor de Vere
3. Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford b. c 1210, d. b 23 Dec 1263

http://thepeerage.com/p1290.htm#i12895

Robert married Bolebec, Isabel de in 1207. Isabel was born in 1165 in Whitchurch, Buckinghamshire, England; died on 3 Feb 1245 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, England; was buried on 3 Feb 1245 in Church Of Preaching Friars, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. de Vere, Earl Hugh was born in 1210 in Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex, England; died on 30 Dec 1263 in Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Essex, England; was buried in Jan 1264 in Colne Priory, Earls Colne, Essex, England.

Other Events and Attributes:

• FSID: 9S1N-9NW
• Appointments / Titles: Jul 1141, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England; 1st Earl

Notes:

Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford (c. 1115 – 26 December 1194) was a noble involved in the succession conflict between King Stephen and Empress Matilda in the mid-twelfth century.
He was the son of Aubrey de Vere, master chamberlain, and Alice (died c. 1163), a daughter of Gilbert de Clare.

In 1136 or 1137 Aubrey de Vere married Beatrice, the daughter of Henry, Constable of Bourbourg, and the granddaughter and heiress of Manasses, Count of Guînes in the Pas de Calais. After the death of Manasses late in 1138, Aubrey travelled to Guînes, did homage to Thierry, Count of Flanders, and was made Count of Guînes by right of his wife. The marriage, however, may not have been consummated, due to the poor health of Beatrice.

Aubrey de Vere succeeded on 15 May 1141, after his father had been slain by a mob in London at a time of civil war between King Stephen and the Empress Matilda over the succession to the crown. King Stephen had been captured at the Battle of Lincoln in February 1141, so Aubrey did homage to the Empress. His brother-in-law, the Earl of Essex, appears to have negotiated the grant of an earldom to Aubrey in July 1141, which grant was confirmed by Henry fitz Empress in Normandy. The latter charter provided that Aubrey de Vere would be Earl of Cambridgeshire, with the third penny, unless that county were held by the King of Scots, in which case he was to have a choice of four other titles. In the event, de Vere took the title of Earl of Oxford. Earl Geoffrey made his peace with King Stephen when the king regained his freedom late in 1141 and most likely Aubrey de Vere did as well.

In 1143, however, the King arrested Essex and Oxford at St. Albans. Both were forced to surrender their castles to the King to regain their liberty. The earl of Essex retaliated by rebelling against the king; it appears that Oxford did not actively or openly support his brother-in-law.

At some time between 1144 and 1146 the Constable of Bourbourg, arranged a divorce for his daughter Countess Beatrice with Earl Aubrey's consent, after which Oxford ceased to be Count of Guînes.

In or before 1151 Oxford married Euphemia. King Stephen and his wife, Queen Maud, gave the manor of Ickleton, Cambridgeshire, as Euphemia's marriage portion. The marriage was short-lived; Euphemia was dead by 1154, leaving no known issue. She was buried at Colne Priory. On 3 May 1152 Queen Maud died at Oxford's seat of Castle Hedingham, and in the winter of 1152–3 Oxford was with the King at the siege of Wallingford, attesting important charters in 1153 as "earl Aubrey."

In 1162 or 1163 Earl Aubrey took as his third wife Agnes, the daughter of Henry of Essex, lord of Rayleigh. At the time of the marriage Agnes was probably aged twelve. Soon after their marriage, Aubrey's father-in-law was accused of treason and fought (and lost) a judicial duel. By 1165 he attempted to have the marriage annulled, allegedly because Agnes had been betrothed to his brother, Geoffrey de Vere, but probably in reality because her father had been disgraced and ruined. Oxford reportedly 'kept his wife shut up and did not allow her to attend church or go out, and refused to cohabit with her', according to the letter the bishop of London wrote to the Pope about the case when the young countess appealed to the Roman Curia. The pope sided with Agnes and declared the marriage valid, but the earl continued to refuse to take her back as his wife. Agnes's friends appealed to the Bishop of London, and ultimately to Pope Alexander III, who in 1171 or 1172 directed the bishop to order Oxford to restore her to her conjugal rights or to suffer interdiction and excommunication. By Agnes, Oxford eventually had four sons, Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Earl of Oxford, Ralph, Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford, and Henry, and a daughter, Alice.

In 1184 Oxford obtained the wardship of the person of Isabel de Bolebec, daughter of Walter de Bolebec, but not the custody of her lands. In 1190 he paid 500 marks for the right to marry her to his eldest son and heir, Aubrey de Vere, later 2nd Earl of Oxford.

Oxford served during the civil war of 1173–4, helping to repel a force under Robert de Beaumont, 3rd Earl of Leicester, which landed in Suffolk on 29 September 1173. He was present on 3 September 1189 at the coronation of King Richard I.

Oxford died 26 December 1194, and was buried at Colne Priory. His third wife survived him, and later was buried by his side.

Oxford was a benefactor to several religious houses, including Colne Priory, and Hatfield Regis Priory. He and his wife founded a small nunnery at Castle Hedingham in Essex.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aubrey_de_Vere,_1st_Earl_of_Oxford

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Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford was born circa 1110.
He was the son of Aubrey de Vere and Alice fitz Gilbert.
He married, firstly, Beatrice de Guises, daughter of unknown, Comte de Guises, in 1139. He and Beatrice de Guises were divorced circa 1146.
He married, secondly, Eufeme de Cauntelo, daughter of William de Cauntelo, before 1152.
He married, thirdly, Agnes de Essex, daughter of Henry de Essex, Lord Rayleigh and Haughley, from 1162 to 1163.
He died on 26 December 1194.

He held the office of Master Chamberlain of England between 1141 and 1194.
He was created 1st Earl of Oxford [England] in 1142.

Children of Aubrey de Vere, 1st Earl of Oxford and Agnes de Essex
1. William de Vere
2. Ralph de Vere d. b 1194
3. Sarah de Vere
4. Aubrey de Vere, 2nd Earl of Oxford b. c 1163, d. fr Jan 1214 - Oct 1214
5. Alice de Vere b. a 1163, d. a 1214
6. Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford b. a 1164, d. b 25 Oct 1221

http://thepeerage.com/p1290.htm#i12899

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From Medieval Lands (downloaded 23 August 2018, dvmansur; see link in Sources):

AUBREY [III] ([1110]-26 Dec 1194, bur Colne Priory). The Historia Comitum Ghisnensium records that he succeeded his wife's grandfather as Comte de Guines in 1139 but appointed "Arnoldum de Hammis Comestorum appellatum filium Roberti" as his bailly in Guines[1342]. He confirmed grants in England as "Count Aubrey" from [1140/41][1343]. Empress Matilda installed him as Master Chamberlain of England and created him Earl of Oxford in [1142]. The Historia Comitum Ghisnensium records the separation of "Albertus Aper et Beatrix"[1344], after which he ceased to be Comte de Guines. The Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall records the death of "Albericus de Ver" at the end of the text which records events in 1194[1345]. m firstly (1139, divorced before May 1146) as her first husband, BEATRICE de Bourbourg, daughter of HENRI Châtelain of Bourbourg & his first wife Sibylle [Rose] de Guines (after 1120-[1146], bur Abbey of La Capelle). The Historia Comitum Ghisnensium names "Beatricem" as the only daughter of "castellano Broburgensi Henrico" & his wife Sibylle/Rose, and her marriage in England to "Alberto Apro"[1346]. She married secondly (1146) as his third wife, Baudouin Seigneur d'Ardres. The Historia Comitum Ghisnensium records that "pater meus [Balduinus]" married "Broburgensis castellani nobilis Henrici et Rose Ghisnensis comitis Manassis filie, filia Beatrice...Ghisnensis comitatus herede"[1347]. m secondly ([1146/52]) EUPHEME de Cauntelo, daughter of WILLIAM [I] de Cauntelo & his wife --- (-[1153/54], bur Colne Priory). “Eufemia comitissa” donated property to Colne priory, with the consent of “comitis Alberici mariti mei”, by charter dated to the reign of King Stephen, witnessed by “comite Alberico, Gilberto de Veer…”[1348]. m thirdly ([1162/63]) AGNES de Essex, daughter of HENRY de Essex, Lord of Rayleigh and Haughley & his wife Cicely --- ([1151/52]-after 1206[1349], bur Colne Priory). Earl Aubrey tried to repudiate his third wife within a year but in [1171/72] Alexander III King of Scotland directed the Bishop of London to order Earl Aubrey to take her back[1350]. Earl Aubrey & his third wife had five children: (Aubrey, Ralph, Robert, Henry and Alice).

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"Here lies Aubrey de Vere's son Alberic de Vere, the Earl Guisney the first Earl of Oxford, Great Chamberlain of England, which for the most daring and unbridled imagination Grymme Aubrey name, died on 26 December, and the year 1194, Richard I. sixth."

("Hic jacet Albericus de Vere, filius Alberici de Vere, comes de Guisney et primus comes Oxonie magnus camerarius Anglie qui propter summam audaciam, et effrenatam pravitatem Grymme Aubrey vocabatur, obijt 26 die Decembris, anno Christi, 1194, Richard I. sexto.")

Aubrey married of Essex, Agnes in 1163. Agnes was born in 1120 in Rayleigh, Essex, England; died in 1212 in Oxfordshire, England; was buried in 1212 in Colne Priory, Earls Colne, Essex, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Appointments / Titles: Countess of Oxford
• FSID: 9HPH-W8F

Notes:

Agnes of Essex, Countess of Oxford (1151– 1212 or later) was the daughter of a royal constable Henry of Essex and his second wife, Alice. At the age of three she was betrothed to Geoffrey de Vere, brother of the first Earl of Oxford, and turned over to be raised by the Veres soon thereafter. She remained in the household of the earl of Oxford about three years, then moved to Geoffrey's care. In her eleventh year Agnes rejected the match with Geoffrey and by early 1163 was married to his eldest brother Aubrey de Vere III, 1st Earl of Oxford, as his third wife.

In spring 1163, Agnes's father Henry was accused of treason and fought (and lost) a judicial duel. After her father's disgrace and the resulting forfeiture of his lands and offices, the earl of Oxford sought to have his marriage to Agnes annulled. On 9 May 1166, she appealed her case from the court of the bishop of London to the pope (the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, being in exile at the time). While the case was pending in Rome, the earl reportedly kept Agnes confined in one of his three castles, for which the bishop of London Gilbert Foliot reprimanded Aubrey. Pope Alexander III ruled in her favor, thus establishing the canon law requirement of consent by females in betrothal and the sacrament of marriage.

The couple later jointly founded a Benedictine priory for nuns near their castle at Castle Hedingham, Essex around 1190. Countess Agnes long survived her husband and in 1198 paid the crown for the right to remain unmarried. She died sometime in or after 1212 and was buried in the Vere mausoleum at Colne Priory, Essex.

Name Dispute
Many mistakenly have called Earl Aubrey's third wife Lucia, rather than Agnes. This mistake is based on a misreading of a single document associated with a religious house at Hedingham, Essex. A woman named Lucia was the first prioress at Castle Hedingham Priory. On her death in the early thirteenth century, an illustrated mortuary or 'bede' roll was carried to many religious houses requesting prayers for her soul. In the preface of that document Lucia is called the foundress of the priory. As the role of "founder" is generally ascribed to lay patrons and the countess presumably cooperated with her husband in the founding of the house, 18th-century scholars erroneously assumed that the prioress was Earl Aubrey's widow. Royal records disprove that assumption.

Children
Agnes bore her husband four sons and a daughter, including two future earls of Oxford:
1. Aubrey IV and
2. Robert I.
3. Her daughter Alice married 1) Ernulf de Kemesech, 2) John, constable of Chester.
4. Agnes's son Henry appears to have become chancellor of Hereford Cathedral under his uncle, Bishop William de Vere, and later a royal clerk under King John of England.
5. Little is known of Ralph de Vere except that he may have been the second son (from the order in which he witnessed his father's charters) and died before 1214, when his younger brother Robert succeeded to the earldom on the death of Aubrey IV, 2nd earl.

-- Wikiwand: Agnes of Essex, Countess of Oxford

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Agnes of Essex, countess of Oxford (c.1151-c.1212) was the daughter of Henry of Essex and his second wife. She was betrothed at age three to Geoffrey de Vere, brother of the first earl of Oxford, and turned over to the de Veres soon thereafter. Agnes later rejected the match with Geoffrey and by 1163 had married his brother Aubrey de Vere III, the earl (died 1194), as his third wife.

After her father's disgrace and forfeiture of lands and office in that year, the earl sought to have his marriage annulled. Agnes fought the action. On May 9, 1166, she appealed her case from the court of the bishop of London to the pope (the archbishop Canterbury, Thomas Becket, being in exile at the time). While the case was pending in Rome, the earl kept Agnes confined in one of his three castles, for which the bishop of London Gilbert Foliot reprimanded Aubrey. Pope Alexander ll ruled in her favor, thus establishing the right and requirement of consent by females in betrothal and the sacrament of marriage.

The couple may have co-operated in the founding of a Benedictine nunnery near their castle at Castle Hedingham, Essex. Countess Agnes survived her husband and in 1198 paid the crown for the right to remain unmarried. She died sometime in or after 1212 and was buried in the Vere mausoleum at Colne Priory, Essex/ Many have followed the mistake of antiquarians in believing the third wife of earl Aubrey to have been named Lucia. A woman of this name was prioress at Castle Heingham Priory. On Lucia's death in the early thirteenth century, a mortuary of "bede" roll was carried to many religious houses in the region requesting prayers, and in the preface of that document Lucia is called the foundress of the priory. As the countess presumably cooperated with her husband in the founding of the house, the erroneous assumption was made that the prioress was in fact Earl Aubrey's widow.

Agnes bore her husband four sons and a daughter, including two future earls of Oxford: Aubrey IV and Robert l. Her daughter Alice married 1) Ernulf de Kemesech, 2) John, constable of Chester. Their son Henry may have become chancellor of Hereford Catherdral in the bishopric of his uncle, William de Vere, and later a royal clerk under King John of England. Little is known of Roger de Vere except that he may have been the second son and that he died by 1214, so that his younger brother Robert succeeded to the title on the death of the eldest son Aubrey IV. from Wikipedia

References: 1. RaGena DeAragon. "The Child-Bride, the Earl, and the Pope: The Marital Fortunes of Agnes of Essex" in Henry l and the Anglo-Norman World, 2007 Boydell & Brewer, and 2. G. E. Cokayne, Completer Peerage, (bio was prepared by
Audrey DeCamp Hoffman the 20th great-granddaughter of Agnes of Essex, countess of Oxford)

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It is unknown which wife was the mother of Henry's daughter, Agnes, who married Aubrey de Vere, first Earl of Oxford, as his third wife, but Alice seems most likely.

-- Wikiwand: Henry of Essex