Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford

Summary

Hugh de Vere, 4th Earl of Oxford (c. 1207 – December 1263) was the only son and heir of Robert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Isabel de Bolebec, daughter and eventually sole heiress of Hugh de Bolebec.

Hugh de Vere
4th Earl of Oxford
Hedingham Castle, Essex, seat of the Earls of Oxford
Bornc. 1207
unknown
Diedbefore December 1263
unknown
Noble familyDe Vere
Spouse(s)Hawise de Quincy
IssueRobert de Vere, 5th Earl of Oxford
Isabel de Vere
Lora de Vere
Margaret de Vere
FatherRobert de Vere, 3rd Earl of Oxford
MotherIsabel de Bolebec

Early life edit

Hugh de Vere was born about 1207. Hugh's mother, Isabel de Bolebec, Countess of Oxford, purchased her minor son's wardship in 1221 from the crown for 6000 marks.[1] Hugh did homage to King Henry III in October 1231, and was knighted by the King at Gloucester on 22 May 1233.[2] Two days later the King 'girt him with the sword of the Earldom of Oxford and directed the sheriff to let him have what he ought to have in the name of the Earldom of Oxford as his predecessors had had'.[3]

Career edit

He inherited the office of Master Chamberlain of England which had been granted to his great-grandfather Aubrey de Vere II. By right of that office, he participated in the coronation of Queen Eleanor in 1236. Earl Hugh was a critic of King Henry from 1246, and in 1258 and 1259 was elected to serve on various baronial committees attempting to reform royal government.[4] The earl purchased the right to hold a market at the town on his primary estate, Castle Hedingham in Essex, and founded a chantry and hospital there.[5]

Marriage and issue edit

Hugh de Vere married Hawise de Quincy,[6] daughter of Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester, and his wife, Margaret de Beaumont. They had a son and three daughters:[7]

Hugh de Vere died before 23 December 1263 and was buried at Earls Colne. His widow was living in 1273 and died on 3 February thereafter. She was buried at Earls Colne Priory.[9]

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Cokayne 1945, p. 213.
  2. ^ Richardson IV 2011, p. 262.
  3. ^ Cokayne 1945, p. 214.
  4. ^ Cokayne 1945, p. 214.
  5. ^ Victoria County History of Essex, vol. II, p. 184.
  6. ^ Richardson IV 2011, p. 262.
  7. ^ Complete Peerage, X, 215 note 'h'.
  8. ^ Richardson IV 2011, pp. 262-e.
  9. ^ Richardson IV 2011, p. 262.

References edit

  • Cokayne, George Edward (1945). The Complete Peerage, edited by H.A. Doubleday. Vol. X. London: St. Catherine Press.
  • Richardson, Douglas (2011). Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Vol. IV (2nd ed.). Salt Lake City.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) ISBN 1460992709
Political offices
Preceded by Lord Great Chamberlain
1221–1263
Succeeded by
Peerage of England
Preceded by Earl of Oxford
1221–1263
Succeeded by