1.
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
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Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an English peer and courtier of the Elizabethan era. Since the 1920s he has been among the most popular alternative candidates proposed for the authorship of Shakespeares works, De Vere was the only son of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford, and Margery Golding. After the death of his father in 1562, he became a ward of Queen Elizabeth and was sent to live in the household of her principal advisor and he married Cecils daughter, Anne, with whom he had five children. De Vere was estranged from her for five years after he refused to acknowledge her first child as his, De Vere was a champion jouster and travelled widely throughout Italy and France. He was among the first to love poetry at the Elizabethan court. De Vere was reconciled to the Queen in 1583, but all opportunities for advancement had been lost, in 1586, the Queen granted De Vere a £1,000 annuity to relieve his financial distress caused by his extravagance and selling off his income-producing lands for ready money. After his wifes death, he married Elizabeth Trentham, one of the Queens maids of honour, with whom he had an heir and he died in 1604, having lost the entirety of his inherited estates. De Vere was born heir to the second oldest earldom in England at the De Vere ancestral home, Hedingham Castle, in Essex and he was the only son of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford, and his second wife, Margery Golding. He was probably named to honour Edward VI, from whom he received a gilded christening cup and he had an older half-sister, Katherine, the child of his fathers first marriage to Dorothy Neville, and a younger sister, Mary de Vere. De Vere was styled Viscount Bulbeck and raised in the Protestant reformed faith, like many children of the nobility, he was raised by surrogate parents, in his case in the household of Sir Thomas Smith. At eight he entered Queens College, Cambridge, as an impubes, Thomas Fowle, a former fellow of St Johns College, Cambridge, was paid £10 annually as De Veres tutor. His father died on 3 August 1562, shortly after making his will. Because he held lands from the Crown by knight service, his son became a ward of the Queen and was placed in the household of Sir William Cecil, her secretary of state. While living at the Cecil House, De Veres daily studies consisted of dancing instruction, French, Latin, cosmography, writing exercises, drawing, during his first year at Cecil House, Oxford was briefly tutored by Laurence Nowell, the antiquarian and Anglo-Saxon scholar. In May 1564 Arthur Golding, in his dedication to his Th Abridgement of the Histories of Trogus Pompeius, in 1563 De Veres older half-sister, Katherine, then Baroness Windsor, challenged the legitimacy of the marriage of De Veres parents in the Ecclesiastical court. Some time before October 1563 De Veres mother married Charles Tyrrell, there is no evidence that Cecil ever replied to her request. She died three years later, and was buried beside her first husband at Earls Colne. de Veres stepfather, Charles Tyrrell and his future father-in-law, William Cecil, also received honorary degrees of Master of Arts on the same progresses. There is no evidence De Vere ever received a Bachelor of Arts degree, in February 1567 he was admitted to Grays Inn to study law
2.
Coat of arms
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A coat of arms is an heraldic visual design on an escutcheon, surcoat, or tabard. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the heraldic achievement which in its whole consists of shield, supporters, crest. A coat of arms is traditionally unique to a person, family, state. The ancient Romans used similar insignia on their shields, but these identified military units rather than individuals, the first evidence of medieval coats of arms has been attributed to the 11th century Bayeux Tapestry in which some of the combatants carry shields painted with crosses. However, that heraldic interpretation remains controversial, coats of arms came into general use by feudal lords and knights in battle in the 12th century. By the 13th century, arms had spread beyond their initial battlefield use to become a flag or emblem for families in the social classes of Europe. Exactly who had a right to use arms, by law or social convention, in the German-speaking regions both the aristocracy and burghers used arms, while in most of the rest of Europe they were limited to the aristocracy. The use of spread to the clergy, to towns as civic identifiers. Flags developed from coats of arms, and the arts of vexillology, the coats of arms granted to commercial companies are a major source of the modern logo. Despite no widespread regulation, heraldry has remained consistent across Europe, some nations, like England and Scotland, still maintain the same heraldic authorities which have traditionally granted and regulated arms for centuries and continue to do so in the present day. In England, for example, the granting of arms is and has controlled by the College of Arms. Unlike seals and other emblems, heraldic achievements have a formal description called a blazon. Many societies exist that also aid in the design and registration of personal arms, in the heraldic traditions of England and Scotland, an individual, rather than a family, had a coat of arms. In those traditions coats of arms are legal property transmitted from father to son, wives, undifferenced arms are used only by one person at any given time. Other descendants of the bearer could bear the ancestral arms only with some difference. One such charge is the label, which in British usage is now always the mark of an apparent or an heir presumptive. Because of their importance in identification, particularly in seals on legal documents and this has been carried out by heralds and the study of coats of arms is therefore called heraldry. In time, the use of arms spread from military entities to educational institutes, the author Helen Stuart argues that some coats of arms were a form of corporate logo
3.
Empress Matilda
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Empress Matilda, also known as the Empress Maude, was the claimant to the English throne during the civil war known as the Anarchy. The daughter of King Henry I of England, she moved to Germany as a child when she married the future Holy Roman Emperor Henry V. She travelled with her husband into Italy in 1116, was crowned in St. Peters Basilica. Matilda and Henry had no children, and when Henry died in 1125, meanwhile, Matildas younger brother, William Adelin, died in the White Ship disaster of 1120, leaving England facing a potential succession crisis. On Henry Vs death, Matilda was recalled to Normandy by her father, Henry died in 1135 but Matilda and Geoffrey faced opposition from the Norman barons and were unable to pursue their claims. The throne was taken by Matildas cousin Stephen of Blois. Stephen took steps to solidify his new regime, but faced threats both from neighbouring powers and from opponents within his kingdom. Matildas forces captured Stephen at the Battle of Lincoln in 1141, as a result of this retreat, Matilda was never formally declared Queen of England, and was instead titled the Lady of the English. Robert was captured following the Rout of Winchester in 1141, Matilda became trapped in Oxford Castle by Stephens forces that winter, and was forced to escape across the frozen River Isis at night to avoid capture. The war degenerated into a stalemate, with Matilda controlling much of the south-west of England, and Stephen the south-east, large parts of the rest of the country were in the hands of local, independent barons. Matilda returned to Normandy, now in the hands of her husband, in 1148, leaving her eldest son to continue the campaign in England, he eventually succeeded to the throne as Henry II in 1154. She settled her court near Rouen and for the rest of her life concerned herself with the administration of Normandy, particularly in the early years of her sons reign, she provided political advice and attempted to mediate during the Becket controversy. She worked extensively with the Church, founding Cistercian monasteries, and was known for her piety and she was buried under the high altar at Bec Abbey after her death in 1167. Matilda was born to Henry I, King of England and Duke of Normandy, Henry was the youngest son of William the Conqueror, who had invaded England in 1066, creating an empire stretching into Wales. The invasion had created an Anglo-Norman elite, many with estates spread across both sides of the English Channel. These barons typically had close links to the kingdom of France and her mother Matilda was the daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland, a member of the West Saxon royal family, and a descendant of Alfred the Great. For Henry, marrying Matilda of Scotland had given his reign increased legitimacy, Matilda had a younger, legitimate brother, William Adelin, and her fathers relationships with numerous mistresses resulted in around 22 illegitimate siblings. Little is known about Matildas earliest life, but she stayed with her mother, was taught to read
4.
Cambridgeshire
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The city of Cambridge is the county town. It contains most of the known as Silicon Fen. Local government is divided between Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, which is a unitary authority. Cambridgeshire is noted as the site of Flag Fen in Fengate, one of the earliest-known Neolithic permanent settlements in the United Kingdom, compared in importance to Balbridie in Aberdeen, Scotland. A great quantity of archaeological finds from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, most items were found in Isleham. Cambridgeshire was recorded in the Domesday Book as Grantbridgeshire, covering a large part of East Anglia, Cambridgeshire today is the result of several local government unifications. In 1965, these two counties were merged to form Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely. Under the Local Government Act 1972 this merged with the county to the west, Huntingdon, the resulting county was called simply Cambridgeshire. Since 1998, the City of Peterborough has been a separately administered area and it is associated with Cambridgeshire for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy, and joint functions such as policing and the fire service. In 2002, the conservation charity Plantlife unofficially designated Cambridgeshires county flower as the Pasqueflower, the Cambridgeshire Regiment, the county-based army unit, fought in the Boer War of South Africa, the First World War and Second World War. Due to the flat terrain and proximity to the continent, during the Second World War the military built many airfields here for RAF Bomber Command, RAF Fighter Command. In recognition of this collaboration, the Cambridge American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Madingley and it is the only WWII burial ground in England for American servicemen who died during that event. Most English counties have nicknames for their people, such as a Tyke from Yorkshire, the traditional nicknames for people from Cambridgeshire are Cambridgeshire Camel or Cambridgeshire Crane, referring to the wildfowl that were once abundant in the fens. The term Fenners was often applied to those who come from the country to the north of Cambridge. Since the late 20th century, this term is considered to be derogatory and has been discouraged in use, original historical documents relating to Cambridgeshire are held by Cambridgeshire Archives and Local Studies. See also Geology of Cambridgeshire Large areas of the county are extremely low-lying, the highest point is in the village of Great Chishill at 146 m above sea level. Other prominent hills are Little Trees Hill and Wandlebury Hill in the Gog Magog Downs, Rivey Hill above Linton, Rowleys Hill, AWG plc is based in Huntingdon. The RAF has several stations in the Huntingdon and St Ives area, RAF Waterbeach,6 miles north of Cambridge, is a former RAF airfield, now used as an army barracks
5.
King of Scotland
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The monarch of Scotland was the head of state of the Kingdom of Scotland. According to tradition, the first King of Scots was Kenneth MacAlpin, the distinction between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of the Picts is rather the product of later medieval myth and confusion from a change in nomenclature i. e. The Kingdom of the Picts just became known as Kingdom of Alba in Gaelic, which became known in Scots and English as Scotland. By the late 11th century at the very latest, Scottish kings were using the term rex Scottorum, or King of Scots, to refer to themselves in Latin. The title of King of Scots fell out of use in 1707, thus Queen Anne became the last monarch of the ancient kingdoms of Scotland and England and the first of Great Britain, although the kingdoms had shared a monarch since 1603. Her uncle Charles II was the last Scottish monarch actually to be crowned in Scotland, the reign of Kenneth MacAlpin begins what is often called the House of Alpin, an entirely modern concept. * Evidence for Eochaids reign is unclear, he may never have actually been King, if he was, he was co-King with Giric. † Eochiad was a son of Run, King of Strathclyde and he was also the heir-general of Malcolm I, as his paternal grandfather, Duncan of Atholl was the third son of Malcolm I. The House of Dunkeld was therefore related to the House of Alpin. Duncan was killed in battle by Macbeth, who had a long, in a series of battles between 1057 and 1058, Duncans son Malcolm III defeated and killed Macbeth and Macbeths stepson and heir Lulach, and claimed the throne. Edgar triumphed, sending his uncle and brother to monasteries, after the reign of David I, the Scottish throne was passed according to rules of primogeniture, moving from father to son, or where not possible, brother to brother. The last King of the House of Dunkeld was Alexander III, Alexander had himself remarried, but in early 1286 he died in an accident while riding home. His wife, Yolande of Dreux, was pregnant, but by November 1286 all hope of her bearing a child had passed. Accordingly, in the Treaty of Salisbury, the Guardians of Scotland recognised Alexanders three-year-old granddaughter, Margaret of Norway, Margaret remained in her fathers Kingdom of Norway until Autumn 1290, when she was dispatched to Scotland. However, she died on the journey in Orkney, having never set foot on Scottish soil and she is thus sometimes not considered Queen by nationalists. The death of Margaret of Norway began an interregnum in Scotland caused by a succession crisis. With her death, the descent of William I became extinct, the Scottish Magnates invited Edward I of England to arbitrate the claims, he did so, but forced the Scots to swear allegiance to him as overlord. For ten years, Scotland had no King of its own, the Scots, however, refused to tolerate English rule, first William Wallace and then, after his execution, Robert the Bruce fought against the English
6.
De Vere family
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The De Vere family were an English aristocratic family which have derived their surname from Ver, in Lower Normandy, France. The familys Norman founder in England, Aubrey de Vere, appears in Domesday Book as the holder of a fief in Essex, Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire. His son and heir Aubrey II became master chamberlain of England, for many centuries the family was headed by the Earl of Oxford until the death of the 20th earl in 1703
7.
Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford
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Aubrey de Vere, 20th Earl of Oxford KG PC was a Royalist during the English Civil War. He was the son of Robert de Vere, 19th Earl of Oxford and he remained in Holland, but returned to England in 1651 an ardent royalist. He was involved in a succession of plots, for which he was imprisoned in the Tower for allegedly plotting against Cromwell, on release he joined Sir George Booths rising in 1659 against Richard Cromwells regime. He went with five other peers to petition The Hague for the return of King Charles II in early May 1660, hoping but failing to become Lord Chamberlain, he was offered the Colonelcy of The Blues. As a great favourite of royal mistress Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland he courted the Earl of Bristols daughter, the Earl of Bristols daughter married the Earl of Sunderland, a Secretary of State, but he lobbied the King on Oxfords behalf. Oxford was made Lord Lieutenant of Essex and a Knight of the Garter, Oxfords dashing image was as one of the last Cavaliers, louche, immoral, but temperate and moderate. Tall, distinguished, and good-looking, he looked slightly disdainful, censorious Whigs like Samuel Pepys deplored seeing Oxford wearing his Garter regalia in public. And there was a rumour that he married an actress in secret, despite being a Cavalier, he adhered to Protestant principles permitting Quakers and Puritans to join the regiment. He was a friend of Monmouth, a great soldier, Oxford raised a Regiment of Horse from 1684 onwards, just as the Life Guards were being withdrawn from Dunkirk. They were properly the Royal Regiment of Horse, but known by the colour of the uniforms as Oxfords Blues, Royalist volunteers added strength to this Protestant regiment. It was Charles IIs policy to expand the army beyond the kernel that he inherited, Oxford gained the disapproval at court of the favourite, the Duke of Buckingham, who had declared undying enmity. Wrote Prince Cosmo of Tuscany on a visit to London in 1668, Oxford was present at the first Army Board on 5 August 1670, chaired by the Duke of York. On 5 July 1685 Sir Francis Compton was promoted to command the regiment, Oxford wanted the post for himself but was prevented from taking it by the King. Oxford was responsible for kitting out his regiment, and ordering a standard blue uniform from a woollen draper, Mr Munnocks of The Strand, Middlesex, in February 1688 he told King James I will stand by Your Majesty against all enemies to the last drop of my blood. But this is a matter of conscience and I cannot comply, Oxford was Lord Lieutenant of Essex, responsible for raising troops in the county, but refused James IIs order to appoint Roman Catholics to public offices. He was deprived of his offices, months later he took the side of William of Orange against James II in the Glorious Revolution. He was restored to his titles and the colonelcy of The Blues, the Secretary at War, William Blathwayt, wrote asking for details of all officers removed by absolutism. He died in 1703 sine prole mascula, making the title extinct and his daughter Lady Diana de Vere married Charles Beauclerk, Duke of St Albans
8.
Lord Great Chamberlain
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In the United Kingdom, the Lord Great Chamberlain is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable. The Lord Great Chamberlain has charge over the Palace of Westminster, on formal state occasions, he wears a distinctive scarlet court uniform and bears a gold key and a white stave as the insignia of his office. The position is a one, held since 1780 in gross. At any one time, a person actually exercises the office of Lord Great Chamberlain. For instance, the Marquesses of Cholmondeley hold one-half of the office, the office of Lord Great Chamberlain is distinct from the non-hereditary office of Lord Chamberlain of the Household, a position in the monarchs household. This office arose in the 14th century as a deputy of the Lord Great Chamberlain to fulfil the duties in the Royal Household. The office was held by Robert Malet, a son of one of the leading companions of William the Conqueror. In 1133, however, King Henry I declared Malets estates and titles forfeit, thereafter, the Earls of Oxford held the title almost continuously until 1526, with a few intermissions due to the forfeiture of some Earls for treason. In 1526, however, the fourteenth Earl of Oxford died, the earldom was inherited by a more distant heir-male, his second cousin. The Sovereign then decreed that the office belonged to The Crown, the Sovereign appointed the fifteenth Earl to the office, but the appointment was deemed for life and was not heritable. The familys association with the office was interrupted in 1540, when the earl died and Thomas Cromwell. Later, Queen Mary I ruled that the Earls of Oxford were indeed entitled to the office of Lord Great Chamberlain on an hereditary basis. The House of Lords eventually ruled that the office belonged to the male, Robert Bertie, 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby. The office remained vested in the Earls of Lindsey, who later became Dukes of Ancaster, in 1779, however, the fourth Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven died, leaving two sisters as female heirs, and an uncle as an heir male. The uncle became the fifth and last Duke, but the House of Lords ruled that the two sisters were jointly Lord Great Chamberlain and could appoint a Deputy to fulfil the functions of the office, the younger sister later married the first Marquess of Cholmondeley. The office of Lord Great Chamberlain, however, was divided between Priscilla and her younger sister Georgiana, priscillas share was eventually split between two of her granddaughters, and has been split several more times since then. By contrast, Georgianas share has been inherited by a male heir each time, that individual has in each case been the Marquess of Cholmondeley. The fractions show the share in the office, and the date they held it
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