![Arms of Butler](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Arms_of_Butler.svg)
The
peerage title Earl of Ormond and the related titles Duke of Ormonde and Marquess of Ormonde have a long and complex history. An earldom of Ormond has been created three times in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
.
History of Ormonde titles
The earldom of Ormond was originally created in 1328 for
James Butler. For many subsequent years, the earls took significant roles in the government of Ireland, and kept a tradition of loyalty to the English crown and to English custom. Several of the earls also had reputations as scholars. The fifth earl was created
Earl of Wiltshire
The title Earl of Wiltshire is one of the oldest in the Peerage of England, going back to the 12th century. It is currently held by the Marquess of Winchester, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the marquess.
The earldom was f ...
(1449) in the
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...
, but he was
attainted in 1461 and his peerages were declared forfeit. The earldom of Ormond was restored to his younger brother, John Butler, the sixth earl, in 1476. Thomas, the 7th earl, died without issue in 1515; the ''de facto'', if not indeed the ''de jure'' earl,
Piers Butler
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, 1st Earl of Ossory (1539) also known as Red Piers (Irish ''Piers Ruadh''), was from the Polestown–– branch of the Butler family of Ireland. In the succession crisis at the death of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl ...
, a cousin of the 7th Earl, was induced to resign his rights to the title in 1528. This facilitated the next creation by awarding the titles of Ormond and Wiltshire to
Thomas Boleyn, who was the father of
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and of her execution by beheading for treason and other charges made her a key ...
. At that time, Anne was the mistress of King
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
. As a maternal grandson of the 7th Earl, Thomas Boleyn had a slim claim to the title. Through his daughter, Anne, he was the grandfather of
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
. On the death of Boleyn, these peerages of the second creation became extinct because he lacked male heirs, his son
George
George may refer to:
People
* George (given name)
* George (surname)
* George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George
* George Washington, First President of the United States
* George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...
having been executed for treason.
As a reward for his patriotism and generosity, Piers Butler was created
Earl of Ossory
Earl of Ossory is a subsidiary title held by the Earl of Ormond that was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1528.
During King Henry VIII of England's pursuit of Anne Boleyn, who would be his second wife, he arranged for the main claimant to the ...
five days after resigning his rights to the other titles. The third creation for Piers Butler (in 1538) merely recognised the reality of the situation prior to the Boleyn irruption, and in 1544 an act of parliament confirmed him in the possession of his earldom, which was declared to be the creation of 1328, and not the new creation of 1538. James Butler, the fifth earl of this creation, was made ''Marquess of Ormonde'' (1642) and ''Duke of Ormonde'' (1660) in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
, and ''Duke of Ormonde'' (1682) in the
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...
. Through his marriage with his cousin Elizabeth Preston, granddaughter of the third earl, he had reunited the titles with the Ormonde estates. After 1682, the spelling "Ormonde" was used almost universally.
Other titles held by the earls
Prior to the creation of the Earldom of Ormond, the First Earl's father had been created the first
Earl of Carrick
Earl of Carrick (or Mormaer of Carrick) is the title applied to the ruler of Carrick (now South Ayrshire), subsequently part of the Peerage of Scotland. The position came to be strongly associated with the Scottish crown when Robert the Bruce, ...
. However, this title did not pass to James Butler. After a gap of 7 years following his father's death, James, who had recently married
Eleanor de Bohun
Eleanor de Bohun ( – 3 October 1399) was the elder daughter and co-heiress (with her sister, Mary de Bohun), of Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford (1341–1373) and Joan Fitzalan, a daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel a ...
(a granddaughter of
Edward I) was rewarded with an earldom in his own right – Ormond.
The 2nd Earl of Ormand was known widely as the
''Earl of Gowran'' (1385), a customary title. A later peerage title, the Earldom of Gowran, was granted to the seventh son of the 1st Duke of Ormond in 1676 but became extinct within less than two years. A subsidiary barony title - ''Baron Gowran'' - was held by the FitzGeralds,
Earls of Upper Ossory, between 1715-1818.
Subsidiary titles for the dukes were ''Earl of Brecknock'' (1660) and ''Baron Butler'' (1660) in the
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...
and ''Earl of Ormond'' (1328), ''Earl of Ossory'' (1538) and ''Viscount Thurles'' (1536) in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
. In 1715, the second duke was attainted and his English peerages declared forfeit. In 1758 the de jure third duke (Irish) died and the dukedom and marquessate became extinct. Walter, the eleventh earl, was given an English peerage as ''Lord Butler of Llanthony'' in 1801, and was created the ''Marquess of Ormonde'' in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
in 1816; on his death that title became extinct and the earldoms passed to his brother, for whom the title Marquess of Ormonde was created in the
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...
in 1825. That title became extinct in 1997, while the earldom became dormant.
An unrelated
Earldom of Ormonde was twice created in the
Peerage of Scotland
The Peerage of Scotland ( gd, Moraireachd na h-Alba, sco, Peerage o Scotland) is one of the five divisions of peerages in the United Kingdom and for those peers created by the King of Scots before 1707. Following that year's Treaty of Union, ...
.
Earls of Ormond; First creation (1328)
*
James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond
James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond (17 October 13046 January 1338), was a noble in the Peerage of Ireland. He was born in Arklow, Wicklow, Ireland and died in Gowran, Kilkenny, Ireland.
Family
James Butler was the son of Edmund Butler, Earl of Car ...
(–1338)
*
James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond (1331–1382)
*
James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond (1361–1405)
*
James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond (1392–1452)
*
James Butler, 5th Earl of Ormond and 1st Earl of Wiltshire (1420–1461)
*
John Butler, 6th Earl of Ormond (1422–1478)
*
Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond
Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond PC (1426 – 3 August 1515) was the youngest son of James Butler, 4th Earl of Ormond. He was attainted, but restored by Henry VII's first Parliament in November 1485, and the statutes made at Westminster, by ...
(–1515)
Earls of Ormond; Second creation (1529)
*
Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and 1st Earl of Ormond (1477–1539)
Earls of Ormond; First creation (Reversed) / Third creation (1538)
*
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, 1st Earl of Ossory (1539) also known as Red Piers (Irish ''Piers Ruadh''), was from the Polestown–– branch of the Butler family of Ireland. In the succession crisis at the death of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl ...
(1467–1539) (also 1st Earl of Ossory in 1528)
*
James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond
James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory ( – 1546), known as the Lame (Irish: ''Bacach''), was in 1541 confirmed as Earl of Ormond thereby ending the dispute over the Ormond earldom between his father, Piers Butler, 8th Earl o ...
(1496–1546) (also 1st Viscount Thurles in 1536)
*
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond and 3rd Earl of Ossory PC (Ire) (; – 1614), was an influential courtier in London at the court of Elizabeth I. He was Lord Treasurer of Ireland from 1559 to his death. He fought for the crown in th ...
(1532–1614). Distant cousin of
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen".
El ...
**James Butler, Viscount Thurles (born 1584)
*
Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond
Sir Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and 4th Earl of Ossory (1559–1633), succeeded his uncle the 10th earl, in 1614. He was called "Walter of the Beads" because he was a devout Catholic, whereas his uncle had been a Protestant. King James ...
(1569–1634)
**
Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles
Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (before 1596 – 1619) was the son and heir apparent of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond (1559 – 1633), whom he predeceased. He lived at the Westgate Castle in Thurles, County Tipperary. He was the father of ...
(died 1619)
*
James Butler, 12th Earl of Ormonde (1610–1688) (created Duke of Ormonde in 1661)
Dukes of Ormonde (1661 Ireland and 1682 England)
*
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
Lieutenant-General James FitzThomas Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond, KG, PC (19 October 1610 – 21 July 1688), was a statesman and soldier, known as Earl of Ormond from 1634 to 1642 and Marquess of Ormond from 1642 to 1661. Following the failur ...
(1610–1688)
**Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (–1633)
**
Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory
Vice-Admiral Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory, KG, PC, PC (Ire) (1634–1680) was an Irish soldier and politician. He was the eldest son of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond but predeceased his father and therefore never succeeded as duke. ...
(1634–1680)
*
James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde
James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, (1665–1745) was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormond. Like his grandfather, the 1st Duke, he was raised as a Protes ...
(1665–1745) (title forfeited in 1715, subsequently held to apply only to the English dukedom)
*
Charles Butler, 3rd Duke of Ormonde (1671–1758) (Irish title held ''de jure'' unbeknownst to the holder)
Earls of Ormonde; First and Third creation (1328, 1538; Reverted)
*
John Butler, 15th and 8th Earl of Ormonde (died 1766) (''de jure'')
*
Walter Butler, 16th Earl of Ormonde
Walter Butler (1703–1783), also known as Walter Butler of Kilcash, and Walter Butler of Garryricken, was the ''de jure'' 16th Earl of Ormond and 9th Earl of Ossory. He did not assume these titles as he thought them forfeit as a result of the ...
(1703–1783) (''de jure'')
*
John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde
John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde, 10th Earl of Ossory (1740–1795) was an Irish peer and Member of Parliament (MP). He became a Protestant in 1764. He was an Irish MP, representing Gowran between 1776 and 1783, and Kilkenny City between 1783 ...
(1740–1795)
*
Walter Butler, 18th Earl of Ormonde (1770–1820) (created Marquess of Ormonde in 1816)
Marquesses of Ormonde (1816)
*
Walter Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde
Walter Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde, Order of St Patrick, KP (5 February 1770 – 10 August 1820) was an Irish peer and politician. Partly to sustain his extravagant lifestyle, Walter gave up his hereditary right to the grant of the prisage of t ...
(1770–1820)
Earls of Ormonde; First and Third creation (1328, 1538; Reverted)
*
James Wandesford Butler, 19th and 12th Earl of Ormonde (1777–1838) (created Marquess of Ormonde in 1825)
Marquesses of Ormonde (1825)
*
James Wandesford Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde and 19th Earl of Ormonde (1777–1838)
*
John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde
John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde, KP (24 August 1808 – 25 September 1854) was an Irish politician and peer.
Family
He was the son of James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde and Grace Louisa Staples. He married Frances Jane Paget, daughter ...
and 20th Earl of Ormonde (1808–1854)
*
James Edward Butler, 3rd Marquess of Ormonde and 21st Earl of Ormonde (1844–1919)
*
Arthur Butler, 4th Marquess of Ormonde and 22nd Earl of Ormonde (1849–1943)
*
George Butler, 5th Marquess of Ormonde
James George Anson Butler, 5th Marquess of Ormonde (18 April 1890 – 21 June 1949) was the son of James Arthur Wellington Foley Butler, 4th Marquess of Ormonde and American heiress Ellen Stager, daughter of Union General Anson Stager.
Biography
U ...
and 23rd Earl of Ormonde (1890–1949)
**James Anthony Butler, Viscount Thurles (1916–1940)
*
Arthur Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde
James Arthur Norman Butler, 6th Marquess of Ormonde, CVO, MC (25 April 1893 – 1971) was a British peer. He was the son of James Arthur Wellington Foley Butler, 4th Marquess of Ormonde.
Early life
James Arthur Norman Butler was born on 25 Apri ...
and 24th Earl of Ormonde (1893–1971)
*
Charles Butler, 7th Marquess of Ormonde
James Hubert Theobald Charles Butler, 7th Marquess of Ormonde, MBE (19 April 1899 – 25 October 1997) was the son of Reverend Lord Theobald Butler and Lady Annabella Brydon Gordon. He was the 7th and last holder of the title ''Marquess of O ...
and 25th Earl of Ormonde (1899–1997); earldoms dormant in 1997; marquessate extinct.
The 3rd Marquess of Ormonde is recorded as having written to the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
Benjamin Disraeli
Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman and Conservative politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation o ...
, regarding the restoration of the Dukedom of Ormonde in October 1868. Lord Ormonde claimed that his grandfather,
James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde
James Wandesford Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde, (15 July 1774 – 18 May 1838) was an Irish nobleman and politician. He was the second son of John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde and Frances Susan Elizabeth Wandesford. He was born at Kilkenny c ...
(then 19th Earl of Ormond) had been advised by Lord Liverpool to apply for the restoration of the Dukedom, and that Lord Liverpool had advised him that in order to achieve this, he would first need to apply to be elevated from the rank of Earl to Marquess. An application was duly made, and James, 19th Earl of Ormond was granted the title Marquess of Ormonde. The 3rd Marquess believed that Lord Liverpool's loss of the Office of Prime Minister in 1827 frustrated this plan, and the 1st Marquess took no further action towards applying for the restoration of the Dukedom. The 3rd Marquess also alleged in his letter to Prime Minister Disraeli that his father,
John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde
John Butler, 2nd Marquess of Ormonde, KP (24 August 1808 – 25 September 1854) was an Irish politician and peer.
Family
He was the son of James Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde and Grace Louisa Staples. He married Frances Jane Paget, daughter ...
had resolved not to pursue the restoration of the Dukedom of Ormonde unless another peer was also elevated to a Dukedom during his lifetime. Disraeli responded to the 3rd Marquess' letter on 27 October 1868, and expressed his sympathy with Lord Ormonde's desire to restore "the title of an illustrious ancestor". However, in his letter, Disraeli implied that the political climate of the time did not render the creation, or restoration, of the Dukedom of Ormonde to be appropriate, noting that "the condition of the party
he Conversation Partyis now critical,".
[ Disraeli, B., Gunn, J. A. W., Wiebe, M. G. (1982). Benjamin Disraeli Letters. United Kingdom: University of Toronto Press, p. 388 ]
Earls of Ormonde and Ossory (1328/1538; Reverted)
The presumed successors of the 7th marquess in the Earldoms of Ormonde and Ossory have been the 17th and 18th
Viscounts Mountgarret, descending in the male line from a younger son of the 8th Earl; however, no claim from the 17th or 18th viscount was submitted to the Monarch.
See also
*
Irish nobility
The Irish nobility could be described as including persons who do, or historically did, fall into one or more of the following categories of nobility:
* Gaelic nobility of Ireland descendants in the male line of at least one historical grade o ...
*
Butler dynasty
Butler ( ga, de Buitléir) is the name of a noble family whose members were, for several centuries, prominent in the administration of the Lordship of Ireland and the Kingdom of Ireland. They rose to their highest prominence as Dukes of Ormonde ...
Notes
References
*
Attribution:
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ormond, Earl of
Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland
Earl
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
Ormond
1528 establishments in Ireland
1661 establishments in Ireland
1682 establishments in England
Noble titles created in 1328
Noble titles created in 1529
Noble titles created in 1538
Dormant earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland