Jordan de Exeter (

fl. ''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicatin ...

1239–58), also known as Jordan d'Exeter, was an

Anglo-Norman Anglo-Norman may refer to: *Anglo-Normans, the medieval ruling class in England following the Norman conquest of 1066 *Anglo-Norman language **Anglo-Norman literature *Anglo-Norman England, or Norman England, the period in English history from 1066 ...

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

Sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

of Connacht, and ancestor of the Clan Siurtain Gaileng/Mac Siurtain/

Mac Jordan of Connacht Mac or MAC most commonly refers to: * Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese * Ma ...

Life and family

De Exeter took his family name from the town of

Exeter Exeter () is a city in Devon, South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter was established as the base of Legio II Augusta under the personal comm ...

in Devon, England but it is not known if he or previous members of the family were the first in Ireland. He appears to have participated in Richard Mor de Burgh's conquest of Connacht in 1230s. De Burgh granted the barony or cantred of

Gallen Gallen may refer to: ;Places: * Gallen (barony), a barony in Ireland * Sankt Gallen (disambiguation), various German-speaking countries ;People: * Saint Gall, Irish missionary, ''Sankt Gallus'' in German * Conal Gallen, Irish singer/comedian * Her ...

Hugh de Lacy Hugh de Lacy may refer to: * Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Lassy (c.1020–1085), first recorded member of the Norman noble family de Lacy * Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath (died 1186), 4th Baron Lacy * Hugh de Lacy, Abbot of Shrewsbury (died c. 1215/18) *Hug ...

, who transferred it to Jordan de Exeter, who was in possession of it by 1239. In 1250 Henry III gave him twenty-five marks yearly "in reward of services until he should be given waste lands worth £20 a year, which were given about the parish of Killallaghtan in Galway, to be held by the service of one knight." (p. 307) He built the castle of Ballylahan – now on the junction of the N58 and R321 in

County Mayo County Mayo (; ga, Contae Mhaigh Eo, meaning "Plain of the Taxus baccata, yew trees") is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Conn ...

. It overlooked Athlethan, or

Strade Straide (), or Strade, is a village in County Mayo, Ireland. It is located on the N58 national secondary road between Foxford and Castlebar. The name Strade is an anglicisation of the Irish words ''an tsráid'', meaning ''the street''. Straid ...

, where he built an abbey for the

Franciscans , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

but at the behest of his wife, transferred it to the Dominicans in 1253. His wife was

Basilia de Bermingham Basilia de Bermingham, fl. 1250?, religious patron and ancestor of the family Mac Jordan of Connacht. Basilia was a daughter of the heiress, Basilia de Worcester of Tipperary, and Meyler de Bermingham (died before 1275), the founder of Athenry. S ...

, a daughter of

Meyler de Bermingham Meyler de Bermingham (d. before 1275) was an Anglo-Irish lord, founder of Athenry. Ancestry Meyler was a great-grandson of Robert de Bermingham who is said to have obtained a grant of Offaly from Strongbow or Henry II about 1172. Robert's son ...

, lord of Athenry. They had sons Meiler de Exeter (d. 1289) and

Jordan Óge de Exeter Jordan Óge de Exeter (floruit, fl. 1269–1319) was an Anglo-Irish knight and Sheriff of Connacht. The younger son of Jordan de Exeter and Basilia de Bermingham, Jordan Óge first came to notice as Sheriff of Connacht in 1269 in Ireland, 1269, ...

(fl.1269–1319).

Exploits

Jordan is first recorded in the Annals of Connacht in 1247, when:

A great war was waged by Toirrdelbach son of Aed O Conbhobair and Donnchad son of Anmchad son of Donnchad O Gillapatraic of
Ossory Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of ...
against the
Galls Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...
of Connacht. Toirrdelbach assembled the kings' sons of Connacht and they reached Fid O nDiarmata and Muinter Fathaig, where they killed some people, and passed on to
Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
, where they burned the town and the castle and where very many people were killed, Donnchad O Gillaptraic of Ossory killing Mac Elgeit, the
Seneschal The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...
of Connacht. The Galls followed them up and engaged them, and they killed a urthernumber of Galls and escaped in spite of them, coming afterwards to Carra. Jordan D'Exeter and the children of Adam
tandon Tandon (or Tandan, Tanden, or Tondon) is a surname found among Hindu Khatris and Sikhs of Punjab, India. It is derived from a Khatri clan. Notable people Notable people include: Activists *Purushottam Das Tandon, ''Bharat Ratna'', Indian freed ...
and the
Galls of Carra Galls (from the Latin , 'oak-apple') or ''cecidia'' (from the Greek , anything gushing out) are a kind of swelling growth on the external tissues of plants, fungi, or animals. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to be ...
( Carra, County Mayo) assembled and moved against Toirrdelbach, but he left the country to them, not being strong enough to oppose them.

In the following year, 1248, the same annals state that:

The sons of Magnus, and the son of Conchobar Ruad made a hosting and revolted against the Galls. They burned Mac Henry's castle and captured its warden and carried the preys of North Umall onto the islands of Clew Bay. Then Jordan D'Exeter and John Butler and Robin Laigles and many others assembled and marched first to Ballintober and thence to Aghagower, and next day they plundered Umall, north and south. Then acHenry came into Umall with a great army, for Umall belonged to him and he lived there. However, he made peace with Domnall son of Magnus, who promised to supply him with men and ships to attack his .e. Domnall's ownkinsmen. Now they were on the Clew Bay islands, and it was told them that a body of men were on their way from Mac Henry to Domnall, to fetch boats. They went out against this company and Ouain mac na Gaillsighe and Seon mac in Gaillshacairt were killed, and in that conflict Diarmait son of Magnus killed Senoitt Guer and four of his followers. For this was a victory with defeat, since that valorous champion and well-tried warrior, Diarmait son of Magnus, was himself killed.

Sheriff of Connacht

His most famous exploit was leading the cavalry charge that won the

First Battle of Athenry First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...

in 1249. The Annals of Connacht relate that:

The kings' sons of Connacht made another hosting, to burn and pillage Athenry, at the feast of Mary in mid-autumn. They went thither, a great host, including Toirrdelbach son of Aed and Aed son of Aed, and the Sheriff of Connacht was there to meet them, with many Galls. The Galls asked for a
truce A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...
on that day, on account of its sanctity; in honour of Mary Mother whose day it was. The princes would not grant that truce to honour Mary or the Crucifixion, but attacked the town, though Toirrdelbach was unwilling. When Jordan 'Exeterand the Galls saw this they issued from the town against the princes. Mary wrought a miracle then; for when the princes and their followers saw the horsemen in arms and armour making towards them, horror and dread seized them and they were put to flight. Aed son of Aed O Conchobair was killed there, and Diarmait Ruad son of Cormac O Mailsechlainn, O Cellaig's two sons, Brian of the Wood son of Magnus, Carrach Insiubail son of Niall O Conchobair, Baethgalach Mac Aedacain, Mathgamain son of Tadc son of Diarmait Bachlach O Conchobair, Lochlainn O Conchobair's two sons, Domnall son of Cormac Mac Diarmata, Findanach Mac Branain, Cu Muman Mac Casurlaig and many others."''

Jordan himself was killed in 1258 while fending off a raid by Dubhghall mac Ruaidhrí:

A great fleet came from the
Hebrides The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
with Mac Somurli. They sailed round the west of Ireland into Connemara and robbed a merchant ship of all her goods; wine, copper, cloth and iron. The Sheriff of Connacht, Jordan d'Exeter, put out with a fleet full of Galls in pursuit of Mac Somurli and the fleet which had committed that piracy. Mac Somurli had landed on an island and drawn his ships up onto the land, and when they saw the Sheriff's fleet approaching he and his men put on their armour and fighting accoutrement. When the Sheriff reached the island he and his men, with those of the Galls who were ready with him, went quickly ashore. But he was met and dealt with by Mac Somurli and his men, being killed at once, together with Piers Accabard, an excellent knight of his company, and other good men. The fleet of the Galls retired after losing the best of their lords, and Mac Somurli went back to his land, joyful and laden with spoil.

Family and descendants

De Exeter was the founder of the Mac Jordan, or Mac Síurtáin, family. The family held lands in the barony of

in what is now

, later known as ''Tir Mac Síurtáin'' or Mac Síurtáin's Country. They became progressively Gaelicized over the succeeding generations, especially after the failure of the Norman colonies in Connacht. Their family name was anglicised to MacJordan and, in later times shortened to simply Jordan.

References

*Knox, Robert Thomas. ''The History of the County of Mayo to the Close of the Sixteenth Century. With illustrations and three maps.'' (Originally published c.1890. Castlebourke, De Burca 2000.

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Exeter, Jordan 13th-century births 13th-century Irish people 1258 deaths Normans in Ireland Norman warriors People from County Galway People from County Mayo