seamus dubhghaill

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Tag Archives: Cambro-Normans


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Death of Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly

Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly, a Cambro-Norman nobleman who takes part with his father, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, in the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland (1169–71), dies on January 15, 1204. Together with his five brothers and one sister, Nesta, they found the notable FitzGerald/FitzMaurice dynasty which plays an important role in Irish history. 

By right of his wife, the heiress Eve de Bermingham, FitzMaurice is granted the barony of Offaly, thus becoming the first Lord. He is the ancestor of the Kildare and Leinster branch of the dynasty. Confusingly, his father Maurice is granted the lordship of Offelan in north County Kildare in 1175 by Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, commonly known as “Strongbow.”

FitzMaurice is born in Wales in about 1150, the second-eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, by his wife, Alice (daughter of Arnulf de Montgomery). He has one sister, Nesta, who is named after their celebrated grandmother, Princess Nest ferch Rhys, and five brothers, including the eldest, William FitzMaurice, 1st Baron of Naas.

FitzMaurice’s father is the leader of the first landing of Normans who arrive in Ireland in 1169 to assist the exiled Irish king of Leinster Diarmait Mac Murchada regain his kingdom. Accompanying his father from Wales to Ireland, he and his brother Alexander show great valour in the battle against Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair outside the walls of Dublin in 1171. Upon the death of their father on September 1, 1176, his elder brother William grants him half the cantred of Ophelan with centres at Maynooth and Rathmore. He is confirmed in them by Prince John in 1185. 

William FitzAldelm deprives FitzMaurice and his brothers of their stronghold of Wicklow, though, after a time, is compelled to give them Ferns in exchange. FitzMaurice has already received, from Strongbow, Naas and other districts in what becomes County Kildare, and has erected Maynooth Castle.

In 1197, FitzMaurice takes part in the conquest of Limerick acquiring Croom, County Limerick.

In 1199, though receiving King John’s letters of protection, FitzMaurice is ordered to “do right” to Maurice Fitzphilip for the lands of “Gessil and Lega,” that he had taken from Fitzphilip. Between 1185 and 1204, FitzGerald has established a settlement at Geashill. Originally of motte-and-bailey design, it is a timber castle on an earthen mound, nearby are located the church and tenant dwellings. On his death, FitzMaurice is still in possession of those estates. In the 15th century the wooded fortress at Geashill is replaced by a stone tower house. Today, only the west wall of the castle remains. 

FitzMaurice is often described as “Baron Offaly,” the middle cantred of which had been among his father’s possessions. He dies on January 15, 1204.

FitzMaurice is described by his cousin, Gerald of Wales, as small in stature, but distinguished for prudence and honesty. He is the patrilineal ancestor of the earls of Kildare.

Sometime around 1193, FitzMaurice marries as her first husband, Eve de Bermingham, daughter of Sir Robert de Bermingham. In marriage, he receives the barony of Offaly, becoming the first FitzGerald Lord of Offaly. Together he and Eve have one son:

Following FitMaurice’s death in 1204, Eve goes on to marry two more times. Her second husband is Geoffrey FitzRobert, and her third, whom she marries sometime after 1211, is Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland. She dies between June 1223 and December 1226.


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John de Wogan Ceases to be Justiciar of Ireland

picton-castle

Sir John de Wogan, Cambro-Norman judge styled lord of Picton, ceases to be Justiciar of Ireland on August 6, 1312 although remaining nominally justiciar until April 1313. He serves as Justiciar of Ireland from 1295 to 1313.

There are several dubious theories about Wogan’s ancestry, and uncertainty exists about his wives, sons, and other relations. He comes from Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire and is a vassal of William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke. He comes to have lands in Pembrokeshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, and Oxfordshire. He represents de Valence at an Irish court case in 1275, and in 1280 he is steward of Wexford, Valence’s Irish liberty. He is an eyre in England from 1281 to 1284, and returns to Ireland in 1285. In 1290 he is a referee with Hugh de Cressingham in a dispute between Queen Eleanor and de Valence and his wife.

In December 1295 Wogan takes office as justiciar and organises a two-year truce between the feuding Burkes and Geraldines. In 1296 he organises a force with Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, Theobald Butler, and John FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare, to assist Edward I in the First War of Scottish Independence. The king entertains them at Roxburgh Castle in May. After his return to Ireland, Wogan “kept everything so quiet that we hear of no trouble in a great while.” The Parliament of Ireland he summons in 1297 is for long compared to the English “Model Parliament” of 1295, though historical opinion now places less importance on it.

In February 1308, under orders from the new king Edward II, Wogan suppresses the Knights Templar in Ireland. In June 1308 his forces are defeated by the O’Tooles and O’Byrnes, who are harrying The Pale from the Wicklow Mountains. From September 1308 to May 1309 Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall is in Ireland as “king’s lieutenant,” a new position outranking the justiciar, and he has more success against the Gaels. Wogan leaves Ireland in August 1312 although remaining nominally justiciar until April 1313.

Either the same John Wogan or his son of the same name returns to Ireland in 1316 as advisor to Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, who counters Edward Bruce‘s invasion of Ireland.

John de Wogan dies in 1321 and is buried in St. David’s Cathedral, initially in a chapel he had endowed, later in Edward Vaughan‘s chapel.


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The Norman Invasion of Ireland

Cambro-Norman mercenaries land in Ireland on May 1, 1169 at the request of Diarmait Mac Murchada (Dermot MacMurragh), the ousted King of Leinster, who has sought their help in regaining his kingdom. The Norman invasion of Ireland takes place in stages during the late 12th century, at a time when Gaelic Ireland is made up of several kingdoms, with a High King claiming lordship over all.

Diarmait and the Normans seize Leinster within weeks and launch raids into neighbouring kingdoms. This military intervention has the backing of King Henry II of England and is authorized by Pope Adrian IV.

And there and then the high king stood strong and lay down too led by Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, more commonly known as Strongbow. By May 1171, Strongbow has assumed control of Leinster and seized the Norse-Irishcity kingdoms of Dublin, Waterford, and Wexford. That summer, High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (Rory O’Connor) leads an Irish counteroffensive against the Normans, but they manage to hold most of their conquered territory. In October 1171, King Henry lands a large Anglo-Norman army in Ireland to establish control over both the Cambro-Normans and the Irish. The Norman lords hand their conquered territory to Henry. He lets Strongbow hold Leinster in fief and declares the cities to be crown land. Many Irish kings also submit to him, likely in the hope that he will curb Norman expansion. Henry, however, grants the unconquered Kingdom of Meath to Hugh de Lacy. After Henry’s departure in 1172, Norman expansion and Irish counteroffensives continue.

The 1175 Treaty of Windsor acknowledges Henry as overlord of the conquered territory and Ruaidrí as overlord of the rest of Ireland, with Ruaidrí also swearing fealty to Henry. However, the Treaty soon falls apart. The Anglo-Norman lords continue to invade Irish kingdoms and they in turn launch counter-attacks. In 1177, Henry adopts a new policy. He declares his son John to be “Lord of Ireland” (i.e. of the whole country) and authorizes the Norman lords to conquer more land. The territory they hold becomes the Lordship of Ireland and forms part of the Angevin Empire. The largely successful nature of the invasion has been attributed to a number of factors. These include the Normans’ military superiority and programme of castle-building, the lack of a unified opposition from the Irish, and the Church’s support for Henry’s intervention.

The Norman invasion is a watershed in the history of Ireland, marking the beginning of more than 700 years of direct English and, later, British involvement in Ireland.


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Henry II Lands at Waterford

henry-ii-at-waterford

Henry II, fearful that Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, also known as Strongbow, will grow too powerful in Ireland, lands with an army at Waterford on October 17, 1171. The Normans, Norse, and Irish all submit to him, except for the most remote Irish kings.

Henry is worried about the growing power of the Cambro-Norman knights, in particular Strongbow, who has in the previous two years carved out what is a substantial new territory, as well as a delicately located new territory with regard to Henry’s own holdings in what is termed the Angevin Empire.

Henry’s presence changes the game for the Norman lords. Either they agree to do as he asks, submit to his sovereignty and accept the land they have grasp through force of arms as his gift, or branded as rebels they face their King with an army of 1,000 knights.

The Lords see the way of things and agree to the demand. Many of the Gaelic Irish, seeing Henry as a potential ally against the power of the Norman Lords, swear allegiance as well.

Henry receives recognition and hostages from the Ostmen of Wexford, who have captured Robert FitzStephen, as well as from many other kings in Ireland including Diarmait MacCarthaigh, king of Cork, Domnall Mór Ua Briain, king of Limerick, Murchadh O Cearbhaill, king of Airgialla, Tighearnán Mór Ua Ruairc, king of Breifne, and Donn Sléibe mac Con Ulad Mac Duinn Sléibe, king of Ulaid.

Henry formally grants Leinster to Strongbow in return for homage, fealty, and the service of 100 knights, reserving to himself the city and kingdom of Dublin and all seaports and fortresses. He also grants the kingdom of Meath, from the River Shannon to the sea, to his own follower Hugh de Lacy.

Henry II’s arrival at Waterford puts to rest the idea of an independent Irish kingdom that any Norman lord might imagine and determines a course for Ireland for some 750 years.