The Essex Rebellion, 1601

• Essex became a Privy Councillor in 1593 and led a successful expedition to attack the Spanish port city of Cadiz, returning to England a hero in 1596
• He served on various military expeditions, earning lucrative offices and concessions, including a monopoly on imported sweet wines
• Essex was known for vanity, jealousy, and impatience, in 1598, the Queen refused a request of his and he turned his back on her, she boxed his ears so he grabbed his sword
• Cecil (Robert Cecil, son of William Cecil) and Essex (Robert Devereux, stepson of Dudley) begin rival factions at court, Elizabeth twice promoted Cecil instead of Essex, who was sent to Ireland to defeat a rebellion in 1599
• He failed, and blamed the failure on the his political enemies at home; Essex made peace with the rebels and returned to England to defend himself against Elizabeth’s orders
• At court it was feared that he intended a coup, he was put under house arrest and suspended from official posts - his sweet wine monopoly was not renewed (financial ruin)
• By this point Essex was a desperate and angry man so set out to seize power; plotted to seize the Queen and take control of the government
• He attempted to gather the people of London to start a rebellion and overthrow the government, but failed and was executed for treason privately in 1601
• The execution of Essex reveals she is losing power in her later years - only close advisor to try and rebel against her and she wasn’t fast enough in dealing with it