Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond
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Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st
Earl of Desmond Earl of Desmond is a title in the peerage of Ireland () created four times. When the powerful Earl of Desmond took arms against Queen Elizabeth Tudor, around 1578, along with the King of Spain and the Pope, he was confiscated from his estates, s ...
(died 25 January 1356) in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ...
, Dublin, Ireland was an Irish nobleman 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 ...
, Captain of Desmond Castle in
Kinsale Kinsale ( ; ) is a historic port and fishing town in County Cork, Ireland. Located approximately south of Cork City on the southeast coast near the Old Head of Kinsale, it sits at the mouth of the River Bandon, and has a population of 5,281 (a ...
, so-called ruler of
Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
, and for a short time
Lord Justice of Ireland The Lords Justices (more formally the Lords Justices General and General Governors of Ireland) were deputies who acted collectively in the absence of the chief governor of Ireland (latterly the Lord Lieutenant) as head of the executive branch o ...
. Called "Maurice the Great", he led a rebellion against the Crown, but he was ultimately restored to favour.


Background

He was the second son of Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Baron Desmond by his wife Margaret, whose family background is still in dispute (she belonged either to the family of Barry or de Burgh). His father died in 1298 when Maurice was still a child. Maurice succeeded his elder brother
Thomas FitzGerald, 3rd Baron Desmond Thomas FitzThomas FitzGerald, 3rd Baron of Desmond (c. 1290 - 1307), succeeded to the barony of Desmond, which lay in Munster, in the south of Ireland, in 1296, at the age of six, upon the death of his father, Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Baron Desmo ...
as 4th
Baron Desmond Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...
in 1307, and also inherited great wealth and large estates.


Influence

By 1326 his influence was such that there were rumours of a conspiracy to make him King of Ireland; modern historians tend to dismiss the story, on the ground that the alleged conspirators were other magnates who were more interested in increasing their own power than aggrandising Desmond. Maurice was created Earl of Desmond by
Letters Patent Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, titl ...
dated at
Gloucester, England Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east of ...
, 27 August 1329,Webb, Alfred. "Desmonds, The", ''A Compendium of Irish Biography'', M.H. Gill & Son, 1878
/ref> by which patent also the county palatine of
Kerry Kerry or Kerri may refer to: * Kerry (name), a given name and surname of Gaelic origin (including a list of people with the name) Places * Kerry, Queensland, Australia * County Kerry, Ireland ** Kerry Airport, an international airport in Count ...
was confirmed to him and his heirs male, to hold of the Crown by the service of one knight's fee. This was part of a Crown policy of attempting to win the support of the magnates by conferring earldoms on them. In January 1330 he was summoned by
John Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Knayth John D'arcy, 1st Baron D'arcy de Knayth (c. 1290 – 30 May 1347) was an English peer. He was created 1st Baron Darcy in 1317."Lady D'arcy de Knayth" (2008, March 12). ''The Telegraph''. Retrieved October 18, 2014 from https://www.telegraph.co ...
,
Lord Justice of Ireland The Lords Justices (more formally the Lords Justices General and General Governors of Ireland) were deputies who acted collectively in the absence of the chief governor of Ireland (latterly the Lord Lieutenant) as head of the executive branch o ...
, to fight armed Irish rebels, with a promise of the King's pay. It was Desmond who introduced the practice of ''Coigne and Livery'', the quartering of troops on the inhabitants of the district they were sent to protect. Accepting the King's proposal, in addition to dealing with Munster and Leinster, he routed the O'Nolans and O'Murroughs, burned their lands in
county Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered by t ...
and forced them to give hostages. He recovered the castle of Ley from the O'Dempsies, and had a liberate of £100 sterling dated at
Drogheda Drogheda ( , ; , meaning "bridge at the ford") is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, north of Dublin. It is located on the Dublin–Belfast corridor on the east coast of Ireland, mostly in County Louth ...
24 August 1335, in return for the expense he had incurred in bringing his men-at-arms, hobelars (light cavalry), and foot-soldiers, from various parts of
Munster Munster ( gle, an Mhumhain or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the south of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" ( ga, rí ruirech). Following the ...
to Drogheda, and there, with Lord Justice Darcy, dispersed the King's enemies. In 1331 there were further rumours of an attempt to make him King; although there seems to be no foundation for them, the Crown took them seriously enough to imprison Desmond for over 18 months, during which time an inquisition determined that the castle, lordship, and demesne of Dunamark, at the head of
Bantry Bay Bantry Bay ( ga, Cuan Baoi / Inbhear na mBárc / Bádh Bheanntraighe) is a bay located in County Cork, Ireland. The bay runs approximately from northeast to southwest into the Atlantic Ocean. It is approximately 3-to-4 km (1.8-to-2.5 mil ...
, belonged to the crown, and thus were his estates diminished. He was released when a number of fellow nobles stood surety for his good behaviour.“The Earls of Desmond (Continued).” ''Kerry Archaeological Magazine'', vol. 4, no. 17, 1916, pp. 42–65.
/ref> In 1339 he was engaged against Irish rebels in
county Kerry County Kerry ( gle, Contae Chiarraí) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and forms part of the province of Munster. It is named after the Ciarraige who lived in part of the present county. The population of the co ...
where it is said he slew 1400 men, and took Nicholas,
Lord of Kerry Baron Kerry is an ancient title in the Peerage of Ireland named after County Kerry. It was created circa 1223 for Thomas FitzMaurice, Lord OConnello. In 1325, Maurice FitzMaurice, 4th Baron Kerry, murdered Diarmaid Óg MacCarthy (son of Corma ...
, prisoner, keeping him confined until he died as punishment for siding with the rebels against the Crown. The same year he was present in the parliament held in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. He was summoned by Writ dated at
Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
10 July 1344, with
Maurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare (1318 - 25 August 1390) was a prominent Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland who held the office of Lord Justice of Ireland. The second son of Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Kildare by hi ...
, and others, to attend the King at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
"on the octaves of the nativity of the
Virgin Mary Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother o ...
", with twenty men-at-arms and fifty hobellars, at his own expense, to assist in the war against King
Philip VI of France Philip VI (french: Philippe; 1293 – 22 August 1350), called the Fortunate (french: le Fortuné, link=no) or the Catholic (french: le Catholique, link=no) and of Valois, was the first king of France from the House of Valois, reigning from 1328 ...
.


Rebellion

Desmond, who had long been acting "with a certain disregard for the niceties of the law" now decided on open rebellion. In 1345 he presided at an assembly of Anglo-Irish magnates at
Callan, County Kilkenny Callan () is a town and civil parish in County Kilkenny in Ireland. Situated 16 km (10 mi) south of Kilkenny on the N76 road to Clonmel, it is near the border with County Tipperary. It is the second largest town in the county, and had a ...
, ignored a summons to attend the Irish Parliament and attacked
Nenagh Nenagh (, ; or simply ''An tAonach'') meaning “The Fair of Ormond” or simply "The Fair", is the county town and second largest town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the ...
. He was a formidable opponent, and for the next two years, his defeat was the main preoccupation of the Crown. Desmond surrendered on a promise that his life would be spared; he was imprisoned and his lands forfeit. Some of the other rebels, including Sir Eustace le Poer of Kilkenny, were hanged. He was allowed to go under guard to England to answer the charges against him. By no means for the last time, the Crown evidently decided that it could not govern Ireland without the magnates' support: in 1348 Desmond was released, and in 1349 pardoned. His loyalty does not seem to have been in question during the last years of his life.


Last years

In July 1355 he was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland for life, dying, however, the following January in
Dublin Castle Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin. Until 1922 it was the se ...
. He was interred in the Church of the Friars-preachers in
Tralee Tralee ( ; ga, Trá Lí, ; formerly , meaning 'strand of the Lee River') is the county town of County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland. The town is on the northern side of the neck of the Dingle Peninsula, and is the largest town in County ...
.


Marriage and issue

The first earl of Desmond married three times: (1) 13 August 1312 at Greencastle, Lady Katherine, fifth daughter of Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and his wife Margaret, who died in Dublin in 1331. (2) Margaret, daughter of Connor O'Brien, Prince of
Thomond Thomond (Classical Irish: ; Modern Irish: ), also known as the kingdom of Limerick, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Clare and County Limerick, as well as parts of County Tipperary around Nenag ...
, by whom he had no male issue. (3) Aveline (or Eleanor), daughter of Nicholas FitzMaurice, 3rd
Baron Kerry Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher th ...
and Slany O'Brien, daughter of Connor O'Brien, Prince of Thomond (also ''Burke's Peerage'' 2003. Volume 2. Page 2238) By his first wife he had one son,
Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Desmond Maurice FitzMaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Desmond (d. 1358) (Maurice Óg) was the son of Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, Burke, Bernard, A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Emp ...
. By his third wife he had two sons: * Nicholas (described by Lodge as "an idiot"), ancestor to MacRobert of Bellamullin and, say some , to the McKenzies,
Earl of Seaforth Earl of Seaforth was a title in the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland. It was held by the family of Mackenzie from 1623 to 1716, and again from 1771 to 1781. History The Mackenzies trace their descent to Colin of Kintail (died 1278) ...
in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
. *
Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald (1335–1398), Webb, Alfred. A Compendium of Irish Biography'. Dublin: 1878. also known by the Irish Gaelic ''Gearóid Iarla'' (Earl Gerald), was the 3rd Earl of Desmond, in southwestern Ireland, under the first cre ...
, nicknamed ''Gerald the Poet''.


Ancestry


Notes


References

* * Lodge, John, and
Archdall, Mervyn Mervyn Archdall (1723 – 1791) was an Irish antiquary and clergyman of the Church of Ireland. Life He was descended from John Archdale, of Abbotts Hall, Darsham, in Suffolk, who settled at Castle Archdale, County Fermanagh as an Undertaker i ...
, A.M., ''The Peerage of Ireland'', Dublin, 1789, vol.1, pps:62-64 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Desmond, Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of
Maurice Maurice may refer to: People * Saint Maurice (died 287), Roman legionary and Christian martyr * Maurice (emperor) or Flavius Mauricius Tiberius Augustus (539–602), Byzantine emperor *Maurice (bishop of London) (died 1107), Lord Chancellor and ...
1356 deaths Irish soldiers Norman warriors People from County Cork 14th-century Irish people Normans in Ireland Year of birth unknown Earls of Desmond (1329 creation) Lords Lieutenant of Ireland