Jordan de Exeter (1239–1258), alternatively known as Jordan d'Exeter'', was an Anglo-Norman knight, Sheriff of

Connacht Connacht or Connaught ( ; or ), is the smallest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, C ...

, and ancestor of the Mac Siúrtáin/Mac Jordan clan.

Life and family

De Exeter took his family name from the town of

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

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 Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and ...

's conquest of Connacht in 1230s. De Burgh granted the barony or

cantred A cantred was a subdivision of a county in the Anglo-Norman Lordship of Ireland between the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries, analogous to the cantref of Wales or the hundred of England. In County Dublin the equivalent unit was termed a serjeant ...

Gallen Gallen may refer to: ;Places: * Gallen (barony), a barony in Ireland * Sankt Gallen (disambiguation), various locations in German-speaking countries ;People: * Saint Gall, Irish missionary, ''Sankt Gallus'' in German * Conal Gallen (b. 1955), Iris ...

Hugh de Lacy Hugh de Lacy or Hugh 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. 121 ...

, 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 (; ) 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 Connacht, it is named after the village of Mayo, County Mayo, Mayo, now ge ...

. 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''. Str ...

, where he built an abbey for the

Franciscans The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor being the largest conte ...

but at the behest of his wife, transferred it to the

Dominicans Dominicans () also known as Quisqueyans () are an ethnic group, ethno-nationality, national people, a people of shared ancestry and culture, who have ancestral roots in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican ethnic group was born out of a fusio ...

in 1253. His wife was Basilia de Bermingham, 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 Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th-century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...

. 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 The ''Annals of Connacht'' (), covering the years 1224 to 1544, are drawn from a manuscript compiled in the 15th and 16th centuries by at least three scribes, all believed to be members of the Clan Ó Duibhgeannáin. The early sections, commenc ...

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 t ...
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. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or wart ...
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 ( ; , ) is a City status in Ireland, city in (and the county town of) County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lough Corrib and Galway Bay. It is the most populous settlement in the province of Connacht, the List of settleme ...
, 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 tandonand 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. Plant galls are abnormal outgrowths of plant tissues, similar to benign tumors or warts ...
(
Carra, County Mayo Carra () is one of the nine barony (Ireland), baronies of County Mayo in Republic of Ireland, Ireland, located in the mid-south area of the county. It is sometimes known as Burriscarra. It incorporates the town of Castlebar, the villages of To ...
) 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 Clew Bay (; ) is a large ocean bay on the Atlantic coast of County Mayo, Ireland. It is roughly rectangular and has more than a hundred small islands on its landward side; Ireland's best example of sunken drumlins. The larger Clare Island guar ...
. Then Jordan D'Exeter and John Butler and Robin Laigles and many others assembled and marched first to Ballintober and thence to
Aghagower Aughagower or Aghagower () is a small village in rural County Mayo in western Ireland. It is 6 km south-east of Westport. Aughagower has around forty houses, a pub and a shop, with a clear view of Croagh Patrick from Reek View. It is also ...
, 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 A charge is an offensive maneuver in battle in which combatants advance towards their enemy at their best speed in an attempt to engage in a decisive close combat. The charge is the dominant shock attack and has been the key tactic and decis ...

that won the

First Battle of Athenry The First Battle of Athenry was fought on 15 August 1249 at Athenry () in modern County Galway, Ireland. The Gaelic forces of Connacht besieged the town but were repelled by the Normans under Jordan de Exeter, Sheriff of Connacht. Áth na R ...

in 1249. The Annals of Connacht relate that:

The kings' sons of Connacht made another hosting, to burn and pillage
Athenry Athenry (; ) is a town in County Galway, Ireland, which lies east of Galway city. Some of the attractions of the medieval town are its town wall, Athenry Castle, its priory and its 13th-century street-plan. The town is also well known by virt ...
, at the feast of
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
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), also spelled cease-fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions often due to mediation by a third party. Ceasefires may b ...
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 Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...
, 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 Dubhghall mac Ruaidhrí (died 1268) was a leading figure in the thirteenth-century Kingdom of the Isles, on the West Coast of Scotland. He was a son of Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill, and thus a member of Clann Ruaidhrí. Dubhgall was the last Norse–G ...

A great fleet came from the
Hebrides The Hebrides ( ; , ; ) are the largest archipelago in the United Kingdom, off the west coast of the Scotland, Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Ou ...
with Mac Somurli. They sailed round the west of Ireland into
Connemara Connemara ( ; ) is a region on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...
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 Gaelicisation, or Gaelicization, is the act or process of making something Gaelic or gaining characteristics of the ''Gaels'', a sub-branch of Celticisation. The Gaels are an ethno-linguistic group, traditionally viewed as having spread from Ire ...

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 Strade