December 5 – The birth of Anne de Vere (née Cecil), Countess of Oxford and daughter of William Cecil, Baron Burghley

On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1556, in the reign of Queen Mary I, Anne de Vere (née Cecil) was born.

Anne was the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, and his second wife, Mildred Cooke.

Anne had a relatively short life, dying at just 31 years of age, but she was respected and liked by scholars, had five children, and had a sadly unhappy marriage with Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford.

Oxford did not treat his wife well and even refused to recognise their first daughter as his own, at one point. If only she had married her ex-fiancé poet Philip Sidney instead!

Find out more about the life of Anne de Vere, Countess of Oxford...