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Aubrey de VereAnglo-Norman aristocrat, Lord Chamberlain of England
Date of Birth: 01.01.1130
Country:  Dive |
Content:
- Aubrey de Vere II: Anglo-Norman Aristocrat and Lord Chamberlain
- Sheriff and Lord Chamberlain
- Monumental Fortress
- Chief Justiciar and Turncoat
- Death in London
- Legacy
Aubrey de Vere II: Anglo-Norman Aristocrat and Lord Chamberlain
Early Life and CareerAubrey de Vere II was born to Aubrey de Vere I, a Norman knight who accompanied William the Conqueror to England. He inherited substantial lands in Essex, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. In his youth, Aubrey participated in the First Crusade and distinguished himself at the Siege of Antioch in 1098.
Sheriff and Lord Chamberlain
Around 1121, Aubrey de Vere II was appointed Sheriff of London and Middlesex. However, following the granting of London's charter of privileges by King Henry I in the early 1130s, the Londoners gained the right to elect their own sheriff. Aubrey was subsequently named Sheriff of Essex, Hertfordshire, and several other English counties.
In 1133, he earned the trust of King Henry I and was appointed Lord Chamberlain of England, one of two leading offices in the management of the royal household. The Chamberlain was responsible for providing clothing, bedding, and lodging for the king and his court and guarded the king's personal treasures stored in the chamber (camera) of the palace. The office of Lord Chamberlain of England later became hereditary in the de Vere family.
Monumental Fortress
At the center of his Essex estate, Aubrey de Vere constructed the monumental Hedingham Castle, one of the finest surviving early Norman castles. Hedingham Castle eventually became the principal residence of Aubrey de Vere's descendants, the Earls of Oxford.
Chief Justiciar and Turncoat
After King Stephen of Blois ascended to the English throne in 1135, Aubrey de Vere II was appointed Chief Justiciar of England in 1139. However, following Stephen's capture at the Battle of Lincoln in February 1141, Aubrey defected to Empress Matilda, Stephen's rival for the English crown.
Death in London
During the interregnum between the king's capture and Matilda's entry into London, Aubrey de Vere, as Sheriff of Middlesex, attempted to consolidate his influence in the capital along with his son-in-law Geoffrey de Mandeville, Constable of the Tower. In response, an uprising erupted in the city against the Empress, Mandeville, and Aubrey de Vere. On May 15, 1141, Aubrey was killed by the townsfolk.
Legacy
Aubrey de Vere II's estates and offices were inherited by his eldest son, Aubrey de Vere III, who was elevated to the title of Earl of Oxford by Matilda in 1141.
