Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals, of which the best-known and most closely associated with the title was Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1566 - 1601).
The earldom was first created in the twelfth century for Geoffrey de Mandeville. Upon the death of the third earl, the title became extinct. It was created again for Geoffrey Fitzpeter in 1199, who had married a relative of the de Mandevilles. It passed to two of his sons before again becoming extinct after William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville's death.
The third creation was for Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford in 1239, whose father Henry had married Maud, sister of William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville. Both the Earldom of Hereford and the Earldom of Essex became extinct in 1373. There were several more creations until the famous Devereux creation in 1572. Upon its extinction, the present creation was made in 1661.
Upon the death of the 9th Earl in 1981, there was no clear heir and it was not settled until 1989.
The subsidiary titles of the Earl of Essex are: Viscount Malden, of Malden in the County of Essex (created 1661), and Baron Capell, of Hadham in the County of Hertford (1641). The title Viscount Malden is used as the courtesy title of the Heir Apparent (when one exists).
