Biography of Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 1567-1633

Paternal Family Tree: Walsingham

Maternal Family Tree: Ursula St Barbe 1532-1602

1586 Battle of Zutphen

1591 Siege of Rouen

1601 Essex Rebellion

In Jan 1562 [her father] Francis Walsingham (age 30) and Anne Barne (age 29) were married.

In 1566 [her father] Francis Walsingham (age 34) and [her mother] Ursula St Barbe (age 34) were married.

In 1567 Frances Walsingham Countess Essex was born to Francis Walsingham (age 35) and Ursula St Barbe (age 35).

On 22 Sep 1576 Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex (age 35) died. His son [her future husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 10) succeeded 2nd Earl Essex, 3rd Viscount Hereford, 12th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 9th Baron Bourchier.

In 1583 Philip Sidney (age 28) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 16) were married.

In 1585 [her daughter] Elizabeth Sidney Countess Rutland was born to [her husband] Philip Sidney (age 30) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 18).

Battle of Zutphen

On 17 Oct 1586 [her husband] Philip Sidney (age 31) died from wounds received at the Battle of Zutphen.

In 1589 [her future brother-in-law] Walter Devereux (age 19) and Margaret Dakins (age 18) were married. He the son of Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 45).

In 1590 Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 24) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 23) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex. He the son of Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 46).

On 06 Apr 1590 [her father] Francis Walsingham (age 58) died.

Around 1591 [her former brother-in-law] Thomas Sidney (age 21) and Margaret Dakins (age 20) were married.

1591 Siege of Rouen

In 1591 [her brother-in-law] Walter Devereux (age 21) died at the 1591 Siege of Rouen.

On 11 Jan 1591 [her son] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex was born to [her husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 25) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 24).

On 26 Jul 1595 [her former brother-in-law] Thomas Sidney (age 26) died.

On 05 Mar 1599 [her son-in-law] Roger Manners 5th Earl of Rutland (age 22) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Sidney Countess Rutland (age 14) were married. She by marriage Countess of Rutland. Childless, unhappy and possibly not consummated. She the daughter of Philip Sidney and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 32). He the son of John Manners 4th Earl of Rutland and Elizabeth Charlton Countess Rutland.

On 30 Sep 1599 [her daughter] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset was born to [her husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 33) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 32).

In 1600 [her daughter] Dorothy Devereux Lady Shirley was born to [her husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 34) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 33) at Essex House.

In 1601 Ulrick Burke 3rd Earl Clanricarde died. His son [her future husband] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 29) succeeded 4th Earl Clanricarde.

Essex Rebellion

On 25 Feb 1601 [her husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 35) was beheaded at Tower Green, Tower of London [Map] as a consequence of his involvement in the Essex Rebellion. He was the last person to be executed at the Tower of London. Earl Essex forfeit. It isn't clear whether his other titles Viscount Hereford, Baron Ferrers of Chartley and Baron Bourchier were forfeit.

On 08 Jun 1602 [her mother] Ursula St Barbe (age 70) died at her home in Barn Elms. She was buried the following night in St Paul's Cathedral [Map].

In 1603 Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 31) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 36) were married. He the son of Ulrick Burke 3rd Earl Clanricarde.

In 1603 [her son] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex (age 11) and [her daughter-in-law] Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset (age 12) were married. They were separated after the wedding given their young age. Essex went on a European tour from 1607 to 1609. When he returned she avoided him having fallen for Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset (age 16) whilst her husband was away. He was ill with smallpox. She sought an annulment with her father [her former husband] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and uncle Henry Howard 1st Earl of Northampton (age 62) acting for her. She maintained the marriage had not been consummated and was examined by ten matrons and two midwives who found her hymen intact. It was widely rumoured at the time that Sir Thomas Monson's (age 38) daughter was a substitute, which is possible because she had requested to be veiled during the examination "for modesty's sake". He maintained he was capable with other women, but was unable to consummate his marriage blaming her. She the daughter of Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 41) and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 39). He the son of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 36). They were fourth cousins.

In 1604 [her son] Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde was born to [her husband] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 32) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 37).

Around 1605 [her daughter] Honora Burke Marchioness Winchester was born to [her husband] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 33) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 38).

On 03 Mar 1617 [her son-in-law] William Seymour 2nd Duke Somerset (age 29) and [her daughter] Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 17) were married at Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire [Map]. She the daughter of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 50). They were fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

In 1622 [her son] Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde (age 18) and [her daughter-in-law] Anne Compton Lady Rushout were married. She the daughter of William Compton 1st Earl of Northampton and Elizabeth Spencer Countess Northampton. He the son of Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 50) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 55).

Before 09 Sep 1623 [her son-in-law] Henry Shirley 2nd Baronet (age 35) and [her daughter] Dorothy Devereux Lady Shirley (age 23) were married. She the daughter of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 56).

In 1625 [her brother-in-law] William Burke (age 32) died.

In 1628 [her husband] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 56) was created 1st Earl St Albans.

On 11 Mar 1630 [her son] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex (age 39) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Paulet Countess Essex were married. She by marriage Countess Essex. He the son of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 63). They were fourth cousins.

On 17 Feb 1633 Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 66) died.

On 12 Nov 1635 [her former husband] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 63) died. His son [her son] Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde (age 31) succeeded 5th Earl Clanricarde, 2nd Earl St Albans. Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl Strafford (age 42) was blamed for his death making an enemy of Ulick Burke 1st Marquess Clanricarde (age 31) and his half-brother (they shared the same mother Frances Walsingham Countess Essex) [her son] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex (age 44).

[her daughter] Mary Burke was born to Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex.

Royal Ancestors of Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 1567-1633

Kings Wessex: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 20 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 9 Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Malcolm III King Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 13 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of Louis "Lion" VIII King France

Royal Descendants of Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 1567-1633

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom x 3

Diana Spencer Princess Wales x 5

Ancestors of Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 1567-1633

Great x 1 Grandfather: James Walsingham

GrandFather: William Walsingham

Great x 2 Grandfather: Walter Writtle

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Writtle

Father: Francis Walsingham 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Denny

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Denny

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Denny

Great x 1 Grandfather: Edmund Denny

GrandMother: Joyce Denny 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Troutbeck

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Troutbeck

Great x 2 Grandfather: Robert Troutbeck 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas Stanley 1st Baron Stanley 10 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Stanley Baroness Grey Codnor 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Jane Goushill Baroness Stanley 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Mary Troutbeck 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Frances Walsingham Countess Essex 9 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard St Barbe

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas St Barbe

Great x 2 Grandfather: John St Barbe

Great x 1 Grandfather: Richard St Barbe

GrandFather: Henry St Barbe of Ashington Somerset

Mother: Ursula St Barbe