Apprenticeship in Netherlands , backed him at court.In 1585 Essex came under pressure from his mother to establish a career as a courtier. He joined the entourage of his new stepfather Leicester (Lettice and Leicester married in 1578) and visited the royal court in September 1585. Leicester became a significant patron for his stepson, and he instilled in Essex a sense of unity with fellow
Protestants across Europe. Despite his later status as a
royal favourite, Essex went unnoticed by the Queen in his early visits to court; she was preoccupied by both the
Anglo-Spanish War and the
Eighty Years' War. Essex was granted permission to accompany Leicester on a military apprenticeship in the
Spanish Netherlands. He was appointed colonel-general of the English cavalry in the Netherlands, a prestigious position which signified his status as Leicester's new protégé. In September 1586, Essex and his horsemen successfully attacked a much larger Spanish force in the
Battle of Zutphen, for which Leicester made him a
knight-banneret. Leicester's nephew
Philip Sidney, a beloved courtier mortally wounded at Zutphen, bequeathed one of his best swords to Essex. In effect, Sidney transferred to Essex his dual roles as England's champion of Protestantism and Leicester's right-hand man.
Royal favourite of
Elizabeth I, Queen of England. Essex returned to England as a war hero in late October 1586 and quickly caught the Queen's eye. Women were susceptible to Essex's looks and charm, and Elizabeth was no exception. His attention, which made the aging Queen feel young again, was a welcome distraction from her angst over the impending execution of
Mary, Queen of Scots. Leicester, himself a former favourite, backed Essex at court to further his own interests and weaken the standing of his rival
Walter Raleigh. By May 1587, Essex was a constant companion of Elizabeth, and all through the summer they were observed riding and walking together.The extent of Elizabeth's leniency towards Essex is evident from the outcome of a furious argument between the two in July 1587, where Essex criticised her attachment to Raleigh. Essex rode off to join the
Siege of Sluis, but was stopped at the coast by a courtier sent by the Queen. Essex apparently suffered no serious consequences and was back at court within days. Leicester convinced Elizabeth to appoint Essex as
Master of the Horse, which ensured a close attendance with the Queen and boosted Essex's pay by about £1500 per year. She also granted Essex the use of York House. In April 1588, he was created
honorary MA of the
University of Oxford and elected a
Knight of the Garter. Leicester died in September 1588, briefly leaving Essex directionless and his family financially exposed. Leicester's death intensified the court rivalry between Essex and Raleigh. They came close to
dueling in late December 1588, only to be stopped by Elizabeth and the
Privy Council's intervention. Essex's fortune improved as he benefited greatly from the seizure of Leicester's assets; in January 1589, he was granted Leicester's lucrative
monopoly on sweet wines, which became vital to his financial standing. He negotiated the lease for Leicester House, which by 1593 was renamed
Essex House. He also became acquainted with lawyer
Francis Bacon, who by July 1591 acted as his confidential adviser. In February 1593, Essex was made a member of the Privy Council. Despite his determination to keep in the Queen's favour, Essex was ambivalent about his career as a courtier. He considered military service the highest form of royal service and consistently angled for these opportunities. He hoped this would merit him further reward from the Queen. However, his poor judgment on the relationship between warfare and court politics proved to be a major factor in his later downfall. He also considered himself more capable of leading the country than the outdated Elizabeth.
Continental military expeditions Essex was given special treatment when he resumed his military service with Leicester during the
Spanish Armada in July and August 1588. Although the English cavalry commanders had already been appointed, Elizabeth made Essex the overall commander of the cavalry in Leicester's army as "she would not have [Essex] discontented". He had his pick of the largest and best-equipped private units in the English army. In April 1589, Essex joined the
English Armada led by
John Norris and
Francis Drake in support of
António, Prior of Crato, claimant to the Portuguese throne, without Elizabeth's permission. Essex later repaired his relationship with the Queen, and on 22 July 1591, he received a patent to lead a 4,000-man army to France to support
King Henry of Navarre. From November 1591, Essex joined Henry in an attempt to
besiege Rouen. Essex challenged French admiral
Duke of Villars to
single combat, which earned him a reprimand from Elizabeth as it was improper for "a noble man and a peer of this realm by birth" to challenge "a mere rebel". After a lengthy siege, in which Essex's brother Walter was killed, Essex and Henry were forced to retreat. Essex returned to the English court on 14 January 1592. In June and July 1596, he distinguished himself by the
capture of Cádiz. During the
Islands Voyage expedition to the
Azores in 1597, with Raleigh as his second-in-command, he defied the Queen's orders, pursuing the Spanish treasure fleet without first defeating the Spanish battle fleet. When the
Third Spanish Armada first appeared off the English coast in October 1597, the English fleet was far out to sea, with the coast almost undefended, and panic ensued. This further damaged the relationship between the Queen and Essex, even though he was initially given full command of the English fleet when he reached England a few days later. Fortunately, a storm dispersed the Spanish fleet. A number of ships were captured by the English and though there were a few landings, the Spanish withdrew. == Ireland ==