Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester

w:Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester (1532-1588), KG. Two identical heraldic shields, one one at left circumscribed by the Collar of the Order of St Michael and that at right by the Garter. For commentary (including a note that the arms with the Order of St Michael, which Leicester received in 1566, may have been added after the portrait was completed), see Karen Hearn, Dynasties, p. 96. It is notable that his paternal arms of Dudley do not appear, instead in the first quarter appear the arms of his ancestor Somery, feudal barons of Dudley, Worcestershire and Barons by writ of Dudley Castle.

Heraldry

Quarterly of 8:

• 1: Or, two lions passant in pale azure (Somerie) Arms of Somery, feudal barons of Dudley, Worcestershire and Barons by writ of Dudley Castle
• 2: Gules, a cinquefoil ermine (Arms of Beaumont/Bellomont, Earl of Leicester)
• 3: Grey of Ruthin (heiress of Dudley, for Elizabeth Grey, paternal grandmother of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester)
• 4: Gules, a lion rampant or a bordure engrailed of the last (Talbot (heiress of Grey), here shown incorrectly with field azure - unless intended for Belleme: Azure, a lion rampant and a bordure or, quartered by Talbot, often in the 1st quarter)
• 5: Beauchamp (Earl of Warwick)
• 6: Newburgh (Earl of Warwick) (heiress of Beauchamp)
• 7: Or, a saltire between four martlets sable (Guildford) (for Jane Guildford, mother of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and daughter and heiress of Sir Edward Guildford by his wife Eleanor West, daughter of Thomas West, 8th Baron De La Warr)
• 8: Barry of six or and azure, on a chief of the first two pallets between two gyrons of the second over all an inescutcheon ermine (Mortimer (of Chirk, Wrexham, Wales))