de Vere, Earl Aubrey

Male 1115 - 1194  (79 years)


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  • Name de Vere, Aubrey  [1, 2
    Title Earl 
    Birth 1115  [1, 2
    Gender Male 
    Appointments / Titles Jul 1141  Oxford, Oxfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    1st Earl 
    FSID 9S1N-9NW 
    Death 26 Dec 1194  Halstead, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2
    Burial 26 Dec 1194  Colne Priory, Earls Colne, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I35514  The Thoma Family
    Last Modified 20 Sep 2023 

    Family of Essex, Agnes,   b. 1120, Rayleigh, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1212, Oxfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 92 years) 
    Marriage 1163 
    Children 
     1. de Vere, Robert,   b. 1164, Hatfield Heath, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 Oct 1221, Essex, England Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 57 years)  [natural]
    Family ID F14125  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 20 Sep 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsAppointments / Titles - 1st Earl - Jul 1141 - Oxford, Oxfordshire, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 26 Dec 1194 - Halstead, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 26 Dec 1194 - Colne Priory, Earls Colne, Essex, England Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    de VERE, Aubrigny
    de VERE, Aubrigny

  • 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.")

  • Sources 
    1. [S327] WORLD: Find-a-Grave.
      https://www.findagrave.com/

    2. [S2771] USA: Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America bef 1760, Frederick Lewis Weis.
      https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/49030/