Robert de Vere

THE KING'S MAN

Robert de Vere's disastrous downfall

1384 - 1394

Sometimes, becoming the king's right-hand man isn't always a winning strategy, as Robert de Vere found out. The dashing young noble - the earl of Oxford and Lord Great Chamberlain - rapidly became a favourite of Richard II when he ascended the throne in 1376. De Vere convinced the grandiose King Richard to give him more and more lofty titles, such as the marquess of Dublin and duke of Ireland - he was then able to boast that he was the first Englishman to hold those positions.

However, de Vere's ascendancy angered the nobility. The title of duke was typically reserved for close relatives of the monarch, which de Vere was not. De Vere continued his rakish path by initiating lascivious affairs, and attempting to divorce his wife Philippa, the king's first cousin. A French chronicler called Froissart wrote: "This duke of Ireland twists the king round his finger and does what he likes in England.!

Despite the scandal he attracted, Richard II kept his controversial advisor close. The king's powerful uncle, the duke of Gloucester (and his allies, the Lords Appellant) did not approve. So, the Lords Appellant raised an army against King Richard II in 1387, and defeated de Vere's forces at Radcot Bridge in Oxfordshire. At the moment of surrender, de Vere had disappeared, having fled in disguise to the Continent. He died in 1392, aged 30, from wounds received in a valiant battle - this time, with a wild boar.