The Tudor Society

  • December 5 – The birth of Anne de Vere (née Cecil), Countess of Oxford and daughter of William Cecil, Baron Burghley

    1 year ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    Tomb effigies of Anne de Vere and her mother Mildred Cecil with portrait of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, Anne's husband, and her ex-fiancé, Sir Philip Sidney.

    On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1556, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Anne de Vere (née Cecil) was born.

    Anne was the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, and his second wife, Mildred Cooke.

    Anne had a relatively short life, dying at just 31 years of age, but she was respected and liked by scholars, had five children, and had a sadly unhappy marriage with Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford.

    Oxford did not treat his wife well and even refused to recognise their first daughter as his own, at one point. If only she had married poet Philip Sidney instead!

    Find out more about the life of Anne de Vere, Countess of Oxford…

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  • 5 December – Mary Queen of Scots’ husband dies of an ear infection and Anne Cecil’s unhappy marriage

    2 years ago Author: Joel Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1560, King Francis II of France, died at the age of just 15. Francis was King Consort of Scotland, as the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and his father had also proclaimed him and Mary as King and Queen of England back in 1558!

    He was taken ill in mid-November with what appears to have been an ear infection, and it led to him dying on this day in history. His death led to Mary, Queen of Scots, returning to her homeland of Scotland, a country she hadn’t seen for 13 years.

    Find out more about Francis II of France, his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, his death and what happened next, in this talk…

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  • 5 December – Anne Cecil and her unhappy marriage

    4 years ago Author: Claire Ridgway
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    On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1556, Anne de Vere (née Cecil) was born, She was the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, and his second wife, Mildred Cooke.

    Anne only lived until she was 31 years old, but in her short life she managed to impress scholars, have five children, and have a rather eventful and unhappy marriage with Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, who didn’t treat her at all well and even refused to recognise their first daughter as his own, at one point. If only she had married Philip Sidney instead!

    Find out more about the life of William Cecil’s daughter, Anne de Vere, Countess of Oxford, in today’s talk.

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