Maurice FitzGerald, 14th Knight of Kerry

Last updated

Maurice FitzGerald
Hereditary knight
Tenurec.1680 – 1729
Successor John, 15th Knight of Kerry
Died9 December 1729
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Crosbie
Issue
Detail
John, Robert & others
Father John, 13th Knight of Kerry
MotherHonora O'Brien

Sir Maurice FitzGerald, 14th Knight of Kerry (died 1729) fought for James II in the Williamite War in Ireland, but after the defeat he conformed to the established religion by joining the Church of Ireland. He became Deputy Lieutenant of Kerry.

Contents

Birth and origins

Maurice was the eldest son of Sir John FitzGerald and his wife Honora O'Brien. His father was the 13th Knight of Kerry. His mother was the third daughter of Connor O'Brien, 2nd Viscount Clare. [1] Both parents were Roman Catholic. He was one of four brothers.

Family tree
Maurice FitzGerald with wife, parents, and other selected relatives.
John
12th Knight

fl. 1640
Katherine
FitzGerald
Thomas
d. 1667
d.v.p.*
Jane
Everard
Connor
2nd Viscount
Clare

1605–1670
John
13th Knight

d. c. 1680
Honora
O'Brien
Maurice
14th Knight
d. 1729
Elizabeth
Crosbie
John
15th Knight

1706–1741
Margaret
Deane
Robert
17th Knight

1717–1781
Katherine
Sandes
Maurice
16th Knight

1734–1779
Anne
FitzGerald
Maurice
18th Knight

1774–1849
Maria
La Touche
Peter
1st Baronet
Valencia

1808–1880
Legend
XXXSubject of
the article
XXX Knights
of Kerry
XXX Baronets
Valentia
XXX Viscounts
Clare
*d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)

Williamite War

FitzGerald fought for James II in the Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691) alongside his brothers John, Daniel of Ballyruddery, and Thomas of Ardglass. [2]

Marriage and children

On 30 June 1703 FitzGerald married Elizabeth, second daughter of David Crosbie (died 1717), of Ardfert Abbey, High Sheriff of County Kerry, by his wife Jane Hamilton, daughter of William Hamilton of Liscloony, County Offaly. [3] His wife was a Protestant and the sister of Maurice Crosbie, 1st Baron Brandon.

Maurice and Elizabeth had three sons of whom: [4]

  1. John (1706–1741), his immediate successor
  2. Robert (1717–1781), who succeeded as the 17th knight

—and nine daughters, known as the "Nine Geraldines", of whom: [4]

  1. Jane, married George Herbert, Esquire of Currans [5]
  2. Honora, married Richard Meredyth, Esquire of Dicksgrove (near Currans) [6] [7]
  3. Bridget married first Thomas Sandes and secondly Mr. Creagh [8]
  4. Margaret, married John Hewson of Ennismore [9]

Later life and death

Their children were raised as Protestants. Their daughters married into the Herberts (twice), Merediths (twice), Sandes', Creaghs, Stacks, Hewsons, Collis', Rices and Days.

In 1708 FitzGerald conformed to the established religion. [10] His marriage, conversion, and the subsequent marriages of his children further alienated the Knights of Kerry from the local Catholic populace. FitzGerald became Deputy Lieutenant of Kerry.

FitzGerald died at Ballinruddery Castle, near Listowel, on 9 December 1729.

Notes and references

Citations

  1. Burke 1883, p.  406, right column, bottom. "... with 6 daus, Margaret, m. to Hugh O'Reilly; Ellen, m. to Sir Roger Shagnessy; Hornora, m. to John Fitzgerald, Esq., of Castleishen, and 2ndly to John Macnamafra, Esq.; Sarah, m. to Daniel Sullivan Bear; Mary m. _ Power of Doonil ..."
  2. MacCotter 2016, p. 27, line 32. "Maurice fought in the Irish army of James II along with his brothers, John, Daniel of Ballinruddery and Thomas of Ardglass."
  3. Burke 1879, p.  565, left column, line 37. "Maurice FitzGerald, Knight of Kerry m. [married] 30 June, 1703, Elizabeth, 2nd dau. [daughter] of David Crosbie, Esq. of Ardfert by Jane his wife, younger dau. [daughter] and co-heir of William Hamilton, Esq. ..."
  4. 1 2 Hickson 1872, p.  181, line 11. "... by whom he had three sons and nine daughters all married to Kerry gentlemen"
  5. Burke 1879, p.  565, left column, line 43, left. "Jane, m. [married] George Herbert, Esq. of Currens;"
  6. Burke 1879, p.  565, left column, line 43, right. "Honoria, m. [married] Richard Meredyth, Esq. of Tierna;"
  7. Hickson 1872, p.  303, line 30. "Honora to Richard Meredith of Dicksgrove."
  8. Burke 1879, p.  565, left column, line 44. "Bridget, m. [married] 1st Thomas Sandes, and 2ndly Mr. Creagh;"
  9. Burke 1879, p.  565, left column, line 45. "Margaret m. [married] John Hewson. Esq. of Ennismore;"
  10. MacCotter 2016, p. 27, line 37. "His children were raised as Protestants and Maurice himself conformed in 1708"

Sources

Further reading

  1. Public Record Office of Northern Ireland: The FitzGerald (Knights of Kerry) Papers (MIC/639 and T/3075)
  2. Personal Family history. Confirmation would be appreciated.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knight of Glin</span> Irish hereditary title

The Knight of Glin, also known as the Black Knight or Knight of the Valley, was an hereditary title held by the FitzGerald and FitzMaurice families of County Limerick, Ireland, since the early 14th century. The family was a branch of the FitzMaurice/FitzGerald Dynasty commonly known as the Geraldines and related to the now extinct Earls of Desmond who were granted extensive lands in County Limerick by the Crown. The title was named after the village of Glin, near the Knight's lands. The Knight of Glin was properly addressed as "Knight".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond</span> Irish rebel earl (died 1583)

Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond, also counted as 15th or 16th, owned large part of the Irish province of Munster. In 1565 he fought the private Battle of Affane against his neighbours, the Butlers. After this, he was for some time detained in the Tower of London. Though the First Desmond Rebellion took place in his absence, he led the Second Desmond Rebellion from 1579 to his death and was therefore called the Rebel Earl. He was attainted in 1582 and went into hiding but was hunted down and killed.

David Fitz-James de Barry, 18th Baron Barry, 5th Viscount Buttevant (1550–1617), sided initially with fitz Maurice, the rebel, in the 1st Desmond rebellion but changed sides and fought against the rebels. He also fought for the crown in the Nine Years' War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond</span> Irish nobleman (died 1546)

James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory, known as the Lame, was in 1541 confirmed as Earl of Ormond thereby ending the dispute over the Ormond earldom between his father, Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, and Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire. Butler died from poison in London.

Robert FitzGerald, 17th Knight of Kerry was an Irish politician, barrister and hereditary knight.

John FitzGerald, 15th Knight of Kerry was an Irish politician and hereditary knight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel O'Brien, 1st Viscount Clare</span> Irish viscount (died 1666)

Sir Daniel O'Brien, 1st Viscount Clare also called Donal was an Irish politician and soldier. He was born a younger son of Connor O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Thomond. He fought against the insurgents at Tyrone's Rebellion, but for the insurgents in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and the Irish Confederate Wars. He resisted the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. He joined Charles II of England in exile and was in his eighties made a viscount at the Restoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connor O'Brien, 2nd Viscount Clare</span> Irish viscount (1605–1670)

Connor O'Brien, 2nd Viscount Clare was the son of Daniel O'Brien, 1st Viscount Clare and Catherine FitzGerald, a daughter of Gerald, 14th Earl of Desmond.

Thomas Fitzmaurice, 18th Baron Kerry (1574–1630), also called Baron Lixnaw, fought in the Nine Years' War.

Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 13th Prince of Carbery (1490–1567) was an Irish chieftain who owned almost half a million acres in south west Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Butler of Garryricken</span> Irish Jacobite soldier (died 1738)

Colonel Thomas Butler of Garryricken, also known as Thomas Butler of Kilcash was an Irish Jacobite soldier. He commanded a regiment, Thomas Butler's foot, during the Williamite War and fought at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691 where he was taken captive. His son John would, de jure, become the 15th Earl of Ormond.

The High Sheriff of Kerry was the British Crown's judicial representative in County Kerry, Ireland from the 16th century until 1922, when the office was abolished in the new Free State and replaced by the office of Kerry County Sheriff. The sheriff had judicial, electoral, ceremonial and administrative functions and executed High Court Writs. In 1908, an Order in Council made the Lord-Lieutenant the Sovereign's prime representative in a county and reduced the High Sheriff's precedence. However, the sheriff retained his responsibilities for the preservation of law and order in the county. The usual procedure for appointing the sheriff from 1660 onwards was that three persons were nominated at the beginning of each year from the county and the Lord Lieutenant then appointed his choice as High Sheriff for the remainder of the year. Often the other nominees were appointed as under-sheriffs. Sometimes a sheriff did not fulfil his entire term through death or other event and another sheriff was then appointed for the remainder of the year. The dates given hereunder are the dates of appointment. All addresses are in County Kerry unless stated otherwise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond</span> Irish earl (died 1558)

James fitz John FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond, 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 murdered by James fitz John's brother Maurice fitz John FitzGerald, called Totane. James fitz John FitzGerald maintained himself in power by skilful diplomacy, avoiding armed conflict and destruction. He was appointed Lord Treasurer of Ireland in 1547.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond</span> Irish lord (died 1529)

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond, also counted as the 11th, plotted against King Henry VIII with King Francis I of France in 1523 and with Emperor Charles V in 1528 and 1529.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond</span> 16th-century Irish earl

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond, 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 Henry VIII. He should have succeeded this grandfather in 1534, but John FitzGerald, de facto 12th Earl of Desmond usurped the earldom and was followed in 1536 by his son James, fitz John. In 1539 the lord deputy of Ireland, Leonard Grey seized some Desmond land in southern County Cork and handed it to Court Page, who came to Ireland to claim his rights but was killed by Maurice fitz John FitzGerald, called Totane. He was succeeded by James fitz John, now rightful 13th earl.

Helen Burke, Countess Clanricarde, also styled Helen FitzGerald, was brought to France by her mother fleeing the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland, against which her father, the 2nd Earl Muskerry, resisted to the bitter end. In France, she was educated at the abbey of Port-Royal-des-Champs together with her cousin Elizabeth Hamilton. She married three times. All her children were by her second husband, William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde. She was the mother of Ulick Burke, 1st Viscount Galway, Margaret, Viscountess Iveagh, and Honora Sarsfield.

David Roche, 7th Viscount Fermoy (1573–1635) was an Irish magnate, soldier, and politician.

Sir Valentine Browne, 1st Baronet, of Molahiffe, owned a large estate in south-west Ireland and was a lawyer who served as high sheriff of County Kerry.

Donal MacCarthy Reagh of Kilbrittain was an Irish magnate who owned the extensive lands of Carbery in south-western County Cork.

Sir John FitzGerald of Dromana was the last of the FitzGeralds of Dromana. He sat as MP for Dungarvan in the Irish Parliament of 1661–1666.