Walter Devereux: Poison Plot or Tragic Misfortune

Walter Devereux: Poison Plot or Tragic Misfortune

On 16 September 1539, Walter Devereux was born at Chartley in Staffordshire. Nobleman, soldier, coloniser—and father to Robert Devereux, Elizabeth I’s brilliant but doomed favourite—Walter’s life was full of ambition, controversy, and whispers that outlived him.

From his meteoric rise at Elizabeth’s court to his brutal and ill-fated campaign in Ireland, Walter seemed destined for greatness. But at just 37, he died suddenly in Dublin in 1576. Official cause? Dysentery. The rumours? Poison… perhaps even at the hands of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester—who later married Walter’s widow, Lettice Knollys.

In this episode, I trace Walter’s journey from Chartley heir to Irish commander, explore his marriage into the Boleyn-Knollys family, and ask:

  • Why did his Irish venture turn so grim?

  • Was his death really natural—or the result of a Tudor plot?

  • How did his early end shape the fate of his son, the tragic Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex?

Poison or misfortune? You decide in the comments.

If you enjoyed this Tudor true-crime style tale, please like, subscribe, and hit the bell so you don’t miss tomorrow’s story from Tudor history.

#TudorHistory #OnThisDay #ElizabethI #Essex #WalterDevereux #HistoryTok #ClaireRidgway

Avsnitt(999)

The Scandal That Nearly Destroyed Young Elizabeth I

The Scandal That Nearly Destroyed Young Elizabeth I

Before Elizabeth I became one of England’s greatest monarchs, she faced a scandal that could have destroyed her reputation , and possibly her future. In 1547, after the death of Henry VIII, the young...

6 Mars 10min

Elizabeth I Before the Crown: From Princess to Prisoner

Elizabeth I Before the Crown: From Princess to Prisoner

Queen Elizabeth I is remembered as Gloriana, England’s Virgin Queen and ruler of a golden age. But before the crown came danger. Born the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn, Elizabeth went from ...

2 Mars 27min

History Got This Wrong: Anne Boleyn Was Never “Too Low” for Henry Percy

History Got This Wrong: Anne Boleyn Was Never “Too Low” for Henry Percy

Was Anne Boleyn really too socially inferior to marry Henry Percy, heir to the powerful Earldom of Northumberland? For centuries, Anne Boleyn has been portrayed as an ambitious social climber, a woma...

23 Feb 7min

Anne Boleyn’s Last 18 Days: The Fall That Shocked Tudor England

Anne Boleyn’s Last 18 Days: The Fall That Shocked Tudor England

In May 1536, Anne Boleyn went from Queen of England to execution in just eighteen days. It remains one of the most shocking political collapses in English history - a moment that destroyed families, ...

19 Feb 5min

The Secret Promise, The Poet, and the Myths: Anne Boleyn Before Henry VIII

The Secret Promise, The Poet, and the Myths: Anne Boleyn Before Henry VIII

In 1522, Anne Boleyn returned to the English court, and within a few years, she was already at the centre of political tension, whispered promises, and poetic legend. Long before Henry VIII began his...

17 Feb 25min

Mary I’s Pregnancies Explained: London Celebrated a Prince… But There Was No Baby

Mary I’s Pregnancies Explained: London Celebrated a Prince… But There Was No Baby

In 1555, London celebrated the birth of a prince. Church bells rang. Te Deums were sung. Birth announcements were prepared. Only… there was no baby. Mary I didn’t just believe she was pregnant, she...

13 Feb 9min

The Truth Behind “Bloody Mary” -  A Beginner’s Guide

The Truth Behind “Bloody Mary” - A Beginner’s Guide

When you hear the name Mary I, you probably hear one phrase: “Bloody Mary”. A queen of fire and fear. A religious fanatic. A failure compared to Elizabeth I. But that version of Mary is a shortcut, ...

10 Feb 38min

Mary Boleyn’s Lost Years (1513–1522): What the Sources Actually Say

Mary Boleyn’s Lost Years (1513–1522): What the Sources Actually Say

What really happened during Mary Boleyn’s lost years? Between 1513 and 1522, Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, slips in and out of the historical record, leaving behind one of the most debated gaps...

7 Feb 18min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
det-skaver
alska-oss
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
nu-blir-det-historia
not-fanny-anymore
rss-viktmedicinpodden
allt-du-velat-veta
sektledare
johannes-hansen-podcast
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
roda-vita-rosen
sa-in-i-sjalen
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
vi-gar-till-historien
rss-basta-livet