[MR] Wikipedia: Death of Amy Robsart and Sir Robert Dudley

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

On this day in 1560, Amy, Lady Dudley (née Amy Robsart) was found dead at
the bottom of a staircase at her home near Oxford. Her death was apparently
caused by a broken neck from a fall down the stairs.

Lady Dudley was the wife of Sir Robert Dudley, Master of the Horse and
favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, later raised to 1st Earl of Leicester. There
has been considerable speculation that Elizabeth would have chosen Sir
Robert as her husband, had he not already been married.

Although the inquest into Lady Dudley's death only ruled a fall was the
cause of death, all sorts of nasty rumors swirled around the mysterious
circumstances, furthered by modern authors and conspiracy theorists. Some
suggest that Sir Robert had his wife pushed down the stairs to clear the
way for his possible marriage to Elizabeth.

A more likely reason was suicide. Lady Dudley had been in poor health for
some time, and this may have been due to breast cancer. That morning she
sent her servants out of the house, suggesting she planned her own quick,
but terrifying and certainly painful demise. We will never know for sure.

She was buried in St. Mary's Church, Oxford. This is commemorated by an
engraved floor tile, though the location of her actual grave has been lost.

Although Sir Robert remained a favorite of Queen Elizabeth for the rest of
his life, any possibility of marriage was scuppered by the questions around
his wife's death. He remained hopeful of winning Elizabeth's hand, but was
always frustrated. In 1578 he secretly married one of the Queen's favorite
ladies, Lettice Knollys, and received Elibabeth's fury, though he still
remained one of her most important counselors. Lettice, however, was banned
from court. It was Sir Robert who guided Elizabeth's horse at Tilbury when
she gave her troops the famous speech during the Armada crisis.

Sir Robert Dudley died 4 September 1588. His tomb with a full effigy
survives in the Collegiate Church of St. Mary in Warwick. Lettice, who died
in 1634 at the age of 91, is buried nearby.

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing the crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.