Biography of John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford 1312-1360

In 1312 [his mother] Jane Foliot (age 42) died.

Around 12th March 1312 John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford was born to Alphonse Vere and Jane Foliot.

On 25th July 1316 Robert Fitzpayn 3rd Baron Fitzpayn (age 16) and [his future wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 8) were married.

On 17th April 1331 [his uncle] Robert de Vere 6th Earl of Oxford (age 73) died. His nephew John (age 19) succeeded 7th Earl of Oxford.

Around 1336 [his son] Thomas de Vere 8th Earl of Oxford was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 23) and [his wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 27).

In 1336 John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 23) and Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 27) were married. She by marriage Countess of Oxford. They were third cousin twice removed. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Around 1338 [his son] Aubrey de Vere 10th Earl of Oxford was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 25) and [his wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 29).

On 7th June 1338 [his brother-in-law] Giles Badlesmere 2nd Baron Badlesmere (age 23) died. Baron Badlesmere abeyant between his sisters [his sister-in-law] Margery Badlesmere Baroness Ros of Helmsley (age 29), [his wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 29), [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton (age 25) and Margaret Badlesmere Baroness Tibetot (age 23).

On 3rd September 1341 [his son-in-law] Hugh Courtenay (age 14) and [his daughter] Elizabeth de Vere were married. She the daughter of John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 29) and [his wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 33). He the son of Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (age 38) and Margaret Bohun Countess Devon (age 30). They were third cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Before 1350 [his son] John de Vere and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Courtenay were married. She the daughter of Hugh Courtenay 2nd or 10th Earl Devon (age 46) and Margaret Bohun Countess Devon (age 38). He the son of John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 37) and [his wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 41). They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great granddaughter of King Edward I of England.

In 1350 [his son] John de Vere died.

In 1350 [his daughter] Elizabeth de Vere died.

On 18th June 1356 [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton (age 43) died at Blackfriars Church Holborn.

On 24th January 1360 John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford (age 47) died. He was buried at Colne Priory, Essex [Map]. His son [his son] Thomas (age 24) succeeded 8th Earl of Oxford.

On 24th May 1366 [his former wife] Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford (age 57) died.

[his daughter] Elizabeth de Vere was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford.

[his son] John de Vere was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford.

[his father] Alphonse Vere and [his mother] Jane Foliot were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Robert de Vere 5th Earl of Oxford and [his grandmother] Alice Sanford Countess of Oxford.

[his son] Robert Vere was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford.

[his daughter] Margaret Vere Baroness Devereux and Beaumont was born to John de Vere 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud Badlesmere Countess of Oxford.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke [-1360]. In the year of our Lord 1343, the 18th year of King Edward of England, the king sent military aid¹ to John de Montfort, Duke of Brittany. His wife and children were in the king's custody, signalling the strength of their alliance. A notable English force was dispatched to assist Montfort, including: Earl of Northampton, Earl of Oxford, Hugh Despenser, Richard Talbot, knight, William Kyllesby, cleric, Each was placed in command of significant numbers of troops and archers.

Anno Domini MCCCXLIIIJ, regis Anglie XVIIJ, in auxilium domini Johannis de Monte forte, ducis Britannie, cuius uxor et filii in custodia regis manserunt, fuerunt missi comes Norhamptonie et comes Oxonie, dominus Hugo Despenser, dominus Ricardus Talebot, milites, et dominus Willelmus Kyllesby, clericus, singulis prefectis magnis copiis armatorum et sagittariorum.

Note 1. Stow Annales 374.

It is somewhat remarkable that this is the only event that Baker notices in the campaign in Brittany of 1342. But it is quite evident that he has received special knowledge regarding the battle from someone who had been present. Murimuth also obtained detailed information of the earl of Northampton's movements from the latter's despatches, and appears to have written an account of them and to have inserted it in his chronicle (Murimuth 126, 127.

Northampton was appointed the king's lieutenant and captain in Brittany on the 20th July 1342 (Rymer's Fœdera 2.1205). According to Murimuth 125.

He relieved Brest; marched on Morlaix, which he unsuccessfully assaulted; and fought and defeated Charles of Blois on the 30th September. Morice, History de Bretagne (1750), 1.260.

The English, who were under supreme command of Robert of Artois, adopted Bruce's tactics at Bannockburn in digging concealed trenches on their front, into which the French fell and suffered great slaughter. Charles of Blois, however, was not so badly beaten but that he could afterwards blockade the English, who only escaped with difficulty.

Of Northampton's companions here named: John de Vere, who succeeded his uncle as earl of Oxford in April 1331, was born in 1313, served in the French wars, being one of the chief commanders both at Crecy and at Poitiers, and died on the 24th January 1360; Hugh Despenser, son of the younger Despenser who was executed in 1326, was summoned to parliament in 1338, and died in 1349; Richard Talbot was also a baron by writ in 1331, and died in 1356; William Kildesby, the king's clerk and keeper of the privy seal, was archbishop elect of York in 1340, but was set aside in favour of William de la Zouch.