James FitzThomas FitzGerald
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James fitz Thomas FitzGerald, called the Súgán Earl (died 1608), was a pretender to the
Earldom 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 ...
who made his claim and led a rebellion after the last earl,
Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond ( – 1583), 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 som ...
had been killed in 1583. The pretended earl derived his claim from being the eldest grandson of
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 ...
. However, the marriage of his paternal grandparents had been annulled for
consanguinity Consanguinity ("blood relation", from Latin '' consanguinitas'') is the characteristic of having a kinship with another person (being descended from a common ancestor). Many jurisdictions have laws prohibiting people who are related by blood fr ...
as his paternal grandmother was the 13th Earl's grandniece.


Birth and origins

James was the eldest son of Thomas FitzGerald and his wife Ellice Power. His father's full name, including the patronymic and his Gaelic sobriquet "ruadh" (the red) was: Thomas Ruadh fitz James FitzGerald. His father was the eldest son of
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 ...
and his wife Joan Roche, daughter of Maurice Roche, Lord Fermoy. His mother ...His father's and his mother's family were part of the Desmond FitzGeralds. James should have been heir apparent to the earldom. However, his paternal grandmother, Joan Roche was his grandfather's grandniece which as a fourth-degree relationship was within the forbidden range of consanguinity. The marriage of his paternal grandparents was therefore annulled, and their son, Sir Tomás Ruadh FitzGerald of
Conna Conna () is a village in County Cork, Ireland. It is situated on the River Bride, near the town of Fermoy, on the R628 regional road. The village contains several pubs, a shop, a post office, a Roman Catholic church (built ) and a nearby Church ...
, father of James (Séamus) Fitzgerald, "the Sugán Earl," was declared illegitimate and therefore disinherited. His mother was a daughter of Richard Power, 1st Baron le Power and Coroghmore, by Catherine Butler, daughter of
Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, 1st Earl of Ossory (1539) also known as Red Piers (Irish ''Piers Ruadh''), was from the Polestown–– branch of the Butler family of Ireland. In the succession crisis at the death of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl ...
. His mother's family was
Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, Anglo ...
. Tomás Ruadh and Ellice Power had at least two other children, John FitzThomas, and a daughter, who married
Donal of the Pipes, 17th Prince of Carbery Donal na Pipi MacCarthy Reagh (Irish: ''Domhnall na bpíopaí Mac Cárthaigh Riabhach'') (died 10 October 1612) was the 17th Prince of Carbery from 1593 to 1606, when he surrendered the principality to the English Crown under the policy of ...
. Inclined to dispute the claim of his father's younger, legitimate brother
Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond ( – 1583), 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 som ...
, the current of politics proved too strong against James FitzThomas. Toward the end of his short life, the putative earl of Desmond eventually sank into obscurity.


Marriage and children

James Fitzthomas FitzGerald married Ellen, widow of Maurice FitzGibbon, elder brother of Edmund FitzGibbon FitzGerald, the White Knight, but had no issue.


Claims to the earldom

When of an age to understand his position as heir to a contested title, James Fitzthomas repaired to court to petition
Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...
for a restoration of his rights. At first, his petition was regarded with favour. The crown offered slight encouragement and promised him a yearly allowance. Consequently, during the rebellion of his uncle Gerald, both he and his father remained staunch allies of the English crown. After the death of the 14th Earl and the suppression of the rebellion in 1583, James FitzThomas and his father looked for their restoration to the earldom. Their petitions, however, no longer found favour at Elizabeth's court, for
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 ...
was to be denuded of its native population, "planted" with Englishmen, and re-established as a settlement colony of England.


Attempts to secure the earldom

In 1598, instigated by his brother John FitzThomas, and by
Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone Hugh O'Neill (Irish: ''Aodh Mór Ó Néill''; literally ''Hugh The Great O'Neill''; – 20 July 1616), was an Irish Gaelic lord, Earl of Tyrone (known as the Great Earl) and was later created ''The Ó Néill Mór'', Chief of the Name. O'Neil ...
,
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 ...
, in the words of the Irish annalists, again became "a trembling sod." James FitzThomas assumed the title of
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 ...
, and before long found himself at the head of eight thousand clansmen. On 12 October 1598, realizing that he would obtain little if any justice, "to maintain his right, trusting in the Almighty to further the same," James FitzThomas stated both his grievances and intentions in response to the expostulations of the Earl of Ormond. The younger FitzGerald's struggle lasted three years. In 1598, he took
Desmond Hall and Castle Desmond Hall and Castle, also called Desmond Castle and Banqueting Hall or Newcastle West Medieval Complex and Desmond Hall, are a set of medieval buildings and National Monuments located in Newcastle West, Ireland. For over 200 years, it belon ...
in Newcastle West, but lost it the following year. In October 1600, while withdrawing his forces from the open into the woods of Aharlow, he was surprised by Captain Richard Graeme and the garrison of
Kilmallock Kilmallock () is a town in south County Limerick, Ireland, near the border with County Cork. There is a Dominican Priory in the town and King's Castle (or King John's Castle). The remains of medieval walls which encircled the settlement are sti ...
. From that day the
Geraldines The FitzGerald/FitzMaurice Dynasty is a noble and aristocratic dynasty of Cambro-Norman, Anglo-Norman and later Hiberno-Norman origin. They have been peers of Ireland since at least the 13th century, and are described in the Annals of the ...
never rallied again to any purpose. Dismissing his followers, the earl took to the woods for safety, where, in May 1601, Sir George Carew was informed that he was living "in the habit of a priest," but determined "to die rather than to depart the province, retaining still his traitorly hopes to be relieved out of Ulster or out of Spain." Carew made several attempts to procure his capture or death, but without success, for "such is the superstitious folly of these people, as for no price he may be had, holding the same to be so heinous as no priest will give them absolution."Cal. Carew MSS. iii. 471. Eventually, on 29 May 1601, he was captured by Edmund FitzGibbon FitzGerald, the White Knight, while hiding in "an obscure cave many fathoms underground" in the neighbourhood of
Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3,740. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains, 12 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Caves, 28 km from Cahir, 50& ...
. FitzGerald was placed in irons to prevent a rescue, "so exceedingly beloved of all sorts" was he, and conveyed to Shandon Castle, where he was immediately arraigned and adjudged guilty of treason. For a time Carew hoped to make use of James FitzThomas against a still greater rebel, Hugh O'Neill. However, on 13 August, finding FitzGerald to be after all but a "dull-spirited traitor," Carew handed him over to Sir
Anthony Cooke Sir Anthony Cooke (1504 – 11 June 1576) was an English humanist scholar. He was tutor to Edward VI. Family Anthony Cooke was the only son of John Cooke (died 10 October 1516), esquire, of Gidea Hall, Essex, and Alice Saunders (died 1510), da ...
, who conveyed FitzGerald to England, where, on his arrival, he was placed in the
Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...
.


Later life and death

Of his life in prison there remains only the following notice: "The demands of Sir John Peyton, Lieutenant of Her Majesty's Tower of London, for one quarter of a year, from St. Michael's day 1602 till the feast of our Lord God next. For James M'Thomas. Sayd tyme at 3l. per week, physicke, sourgeon, and watcher with him in his Lunacy." Historians conjecture that FitzGerald died sometime in 1608, and was buried in the chapel of the Tower. After FitzGerald's capture, his brother John FitzThomas FitzGerald, who had shared with him in the vicissitudes of the rebellion, and who indeed seems to have been the prime instigator of it, escaped with his wife, the daughter of Richard Comerford of Dangenmore,
Kilkenny Kilkenny (). is a city in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is located in the South-East Region and in the province of Leinster. It is built on both banks of the River Nore. The 2016 census gave the total population of Kilkenny as 26,512. Kilken ...
, into
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
, where he was styled the Conde de Desmond, and where he died a few years afterwards in
Barcelona Barcelona ( , , ) is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within ci ...
. Webb, Alfred.
A Compendium of Irish Biography
'. Dublin: 1878.
His son Gerald, also known as the Conde de Desmond, entered the service of the Emperor Ferdinand, and was killed in 1632. As he left no issue, with him ended the male heirs of the four eldest sons of
Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond Thomas FitzJames FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond (died 1467/68), called 'Thomas of Drogheda', and also known as the Great Earl, was the son of James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond and Mary de Burgh. He was Lord Deputy of Ireland under the Lieute ...
.


Ancestry


Notes and References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitzgerald, James Fitzthomas 1608 deaths 16th-century Irish people 17th-century Irish people
James James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...
Irish lords People of Elizabethan Ireland Year of birth missing