John FitzGerald, de facto 12th

Earl of Desmond Earl of Desmond ( meaning Earl of South Munster) is a title of nobility created by the English monarch in the peerage of Ireland. The title has been created four times. It was first awarded in 1329 to Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, Maur ...

(died December 1536) was the brother of Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond. Upon his brother's death in 1534, John disputed the title to the earldom of his brother's grandson,

James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, ''de jure'' 12th Earl of Desmond (died 1540), also counted 13th, was called Court Page as he grew up as a hostage for his grandfather Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond, the Bald, at the court of Hen ...

. According to the ''

Annals of the Four Masters The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...

'', John FitzThomas FitzGerald was believed to have instigated the murder of his older brother, James FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Desmond in 1487, and had been expelled by his brother

Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Desmond Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Desmond (died 1520) was the brother of James FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Desmond. Life Upon the murder of James FitzThomas FitzGerald, the 8th Earl of Desmond, in 1487, his brother Maurice, called Baccagh, or ...

. John died in 1536. His grandnephew, the de jure earl, died in 1540, and was succeeded by John's son,

James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond James fitz John FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond (died 1558), also counted as the 14th, ruled 22 years, the first 4 years as ''de facto'' earl until the death of James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond, called Court Page, who was murder ...

. Alfred Webb tells us of this earl that he, "being supported by a large faction, was de facto 2thEarl. This Sir John died about Christmas 1536." Webb, Alfred.
A Compendium of Irish Biography
'. Dublin: 1878.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desmond, John FitzGerald, de facto 12th Earl of

John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

15th-century Irish nobility 16th-century Irish nobility 1534 deaths Year of birth unknown Earls of Desmond (1329 creation)