"The Most Wretched of All" | Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Tudor monarchs are notorious for executing their lovers, and it didn’t stop with King Henry VIII. In full Tudor fashion, Queen Elizabeth I dappled in romance with the young Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (despite being 34 years his senior). While Elizabeth was enamored with his energy, spirit, and good looks, the rest of the court rolled their eyes at Robert’s arrogance. No doubt, they were excited to see his inevitable and bloody downfall after one too many slip-ups. In his own final words, he is the “most wretched of all”.
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