Of all the email I get, the most is from people who are try to link, or believe they already have linked, to Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester. While it is natural for folks to want to be linked to a very famous person, the fact of the matter is that it is impossible for anyone to do it. The reason is simple--he has NO living descendants. The following, excerpted from my book The Legend of Dudleytown, explains why.

   Robert Dudley was born 24 June 1532. He is one of histories most colorful characters, and was a lifelong "favorite" of Queen Elizabeth. He married two times that are known, and had an unacknowledged marriage to Lady Douglas Sheffeld. His first marriage was to Amy Robsart, which produced no children. His affair (at least) with Lady Douglas occurred next, and this produced a son, Robert. His third (or second legitimate) marriage was to Letitia (Lettice) Knollys, widow of Walter Deveroux, the Earl of Essex. This brought into the marriage a stepson, Robert Deveroux, who became Earl of Essex, inheriting the title from his father Walter. Robert Dudley never acknowledged his step son, even in his will. As for his illegitimate son Sir Robert Dudley, he called him his "base son", and didn't mention him in his will either. Letitia finally gave him a legitimate son, also named Robert, but he died before his first birthday.

     Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, never left England. He died in Warwick England on 4 September 1588, and was buried there. Upon his death, his illegitimate son Sir Robert petitioned for his fathers' property and rights, but was refused. Sir Robert left his wife and 4 daughters in England (well cared for) and took his mistress Elizabeth Southwell (disguised as a boy) and went to Italy. Because of the lingering antagonistic attitudes between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church, it was easy for Sir Robert to obtain a dispensation from the Pope for a divorce, and he married his mistress there and had 13 children.

     The Italians loved Sir Robert, and he became very wealthy. He carried the title "Duke of Northumberland," but wether he assumed that title or the Pope granted it to him is still a mystery. One source says it was granted him by "the (Holy Roman Empire) Emperor." In 1613 he bought an estate of the Rucellai family in the Parish of St. Pancras. He is credited for building the Port of Leghorn, inventing "several methods for improving ships," and drawing a large number of English merchants into the port of Leghorn. He died in Florence in September 1649, a well respected man. Upon his death, his son Charles took the title "Duke of Northumberland." Sir Robert's wife Elizabeth was styled "Duchess Dudley," and there is a monument to her in the church of St. Pancratius in Florence.

Sir Robert's children were:
     1. Cosmo. He died young.
     2. Charles (a.k.a. Carlo). He married Mary Magdalen, daughter of the Duke of Rhoanet, and had five children. Charles died in Florence. Of the five children of Charles, two were boys: Robert, who renounced his dukedom to his brother. He became chamberlain to Queen Maria Christiana of Sweden, who lived in Rome at the time. Anthony, the other son, seems to have taken his Uncle Anthony's position of Canon of the Cathedral of the Vatican at his Uncle's death. No children.
     3. Ambrose. No information is known. Is said to have died in Florence.
     4. Anthony. A Priest, Canon of the Cathedral of the Vatican. No children.
     5. Ferdinand. Was a Dominican Friar. No children.
     6. Henry. Styled "Earl of Warwick." No information known. Said to have died in Florence.
     7. An unnamed son, died in infancy.      8. Anna. Buried at St. Pancreas Church in 1629.
     9. Mary. No information known. Said to have died in Florence.
     10. Teresa. Married the Earl of Carpegna.
     11. An unnamed Daughter whom married the Prince of Pombino.
     12. Another unnamed Daughter whom married the Marquis Chivola.
     13. Another Daughter, married the Duke of Casteleaon del Lago.

    As you can see, there was no male offspring for anyone to link to Robert, or his son.

    So how did the rumour of Robert's descendants get started? That is unknown. Some have pointed out the Whittlesly/Whittlesly Genealogy attempted to link the William of Guilford Branch to Robert, but as my The Legend of Dudleytown, book points out, that was a simple misunderstanding of Robert Deveroux (see above) being a stepson, and not the real, acknowledged son of Robert.

I hope that this explanation is of help to anyone continuing their research.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dudley, Rev Gary P., The Legend of Dudleytown, Solving Legends Through Historical and Genealogical Research, 2001, Heritage Press (available April, 2001)

Dudley, Dean, The History of the Dudley Family, 1884-1900, Dean Dudley, publisher. Now available through Higgenson Books, Salem Massachusetts

Adlard, George, The Sutton Dudley's of England and the Dudley's of Massachusetts, 1862, Higgenson Books

Weir, Alison, The Life of Elizabeth I1998, Ballantine Books

Additionally, your local Library should be full of books about Robert, or at least Elizabeth--where Robert is usually given much attention.