The Earls of Essex

• Profusely illustrated with rare and unpublished images
• An extraordinary insight into the Capell family
• A tale of plots, intrigue, battles, court cases and family quarrels
• A thoroughly researched and very readable account of this astounding family

This is the dramatic, often erratic, and at times unbelievable story of the fortunes and misfortunes over 900 years to the present day of one of England’s premier aristocratic families, who in 1661 were given the Earldom of Essex by Charles II.

This previously untold story begins just after the Norman Conquest and ends at the present day. Over a period of 400 years, the Capell family built a fortune, and over the next 500 years, lost it due to an incredible number of mistakes, bad judgement calls, and misfortunes. The Earls of Essex examines the rise and fall of this family, providing in-depth analysis and judgement on the reasons behind their decline.

THE AUTHOR

Dr Robert Bard, MA, PhD, has had a long and interesting career as an airline pilot, sales director of a well-known confectionery company, and author of fifteen books. Bard has appeared on BBC programmes talking about aspects of London’s history including London’s lost battlefields, hidden burial grounds, and execution sites. Robert Bard lives in Chipping Barnet, Hertfordshire, and was previously a visiting lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire, lecturing in European history.