Sir Edmund Butler
Encyclopedia
Sir Edmund Butler of Cloughgrenan (and the Dullough), was the second son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and Lady Joan Fitzgerald
. He was a Tudor rebel and scion of the noble House of Ormond.
) of Oremond (Ormond Lower
and Ormond Upper
), Elyogerth (Eliogarty
), and Elyocarrol (Ikerrin
) in Tipperary.
in 1565, Edmund wounded Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
in the right hip with a pistol-shot, cracking his thigh-bone and throwing him from his mount. With their leader fallen, the Geraldine troops were routed and the Butlers, led by Edmund's brother Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, pursued them to the riverbank killing about 300 Geraldines.
property, was considered to be worth £400 yearly. The 9th Earl had purchased the Dullogh from the Kavanaghs who had been in occupation of the land since before the Norman invasion of Ireland
. Sir Peter Carew put forward his claims in right of his ancestors, the lords of Idrone. It was in defence of this property that Sir Edmund came into conflict with the Government.
Edmund, then heir to his brother, earned infamy when he led the Butler Revolt in 1569. Alongside his brothers Edward and Pierce, Edmund's rebellion was in direct response to the Lord Deputy of Ireland
, Sir Henry Sidney who unjustly granted Edmund's lands in Idrone to the English adventurer Sir Peter Carew
. Edmund and his brothers responded by raiding English settlements up and down the breadth of Leinster
and were declared traitors by Sidney. This was all the more remarkable because the Butlers had long been famed for their incredible loyalty to the Crown of England.
Eventually Edmund's brother, the Earl of Ormond, fearing for the future of his lands and titles, responded by joining his erstwhile enemy Sidney and marched against Edmund. Under pressure from Earl Thomas, he was attainted by Queen Elizabeth I. But on surrendering his estate to the Queen, 10 October 1570, he was pardoned, (together with his brothers Edward and Piers) dated at Gorhambury 12 March 1573, of all their treasons. While she agreed to save his life, Elizabeth did not remove the attainder on Edmund. His brothers Edward and Piers Butler remained with the Desmond forces.
Nevertheless the indefatigable Edmund, with the help of Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne, escaped from Dublin Castle
where he was imprisoned. He rather ungallantly fell from a rope hung from the battlements and was forced to spend the night roaming around in the castle fosse
evading Sidney's troops.
on his last remaining legitimate son Theobald. His elder two sons were executed at Thurles
by their uncle Earl Thomas during another rebellion in 1596. He was also survived by an illegitimate son Thomas who was made a Baronet
by King Charles I
in 1628.
, sister to James
(who was in rebellion against Queen Elizabeth, and died without issue). Their children were:
Joan Fitzgerald, Countess of Ormond
Joan Fitzgerald, Countess of Ormond, Countess of Desmond was a Norman-Irish noblewoman and heiress, a member of the Fitzgerald family, who were also known as the "Geraldines". She married three times...
. He was a Tudor rebel and scion of the noble House of Ormond.
Life and career
In 1562, was in commission for presentation of the peace in County Carlow, during the Deputy's absence in the North against Shane O'Neill. He was knighted in 1567 and had a grant for the return of all Writs in the cantreds (baroniesBarony (Ireland)
In Ireland, a barony is a historical subdivision of a county. They were created, like the counties, in the centuries after the Norman invasion, and were analogous to the hundreds into which the counties of England were divided. In early use they were also called cantreds...
) of Oremond (Ormond Lower
Ormond Lower
Ormond Lower is one of the baronies of Ireland, an historical geographical unit of land. It is one of 14 baronies in the traditional county of Tipperary between the baronies of Ormond Upper to the south-east and Owney and Arra to the south-west...
and Ormond Upper
Ormond Upper
Ormond Upper is one of the baronies of Ireland, an historical geographical unit of land. Its chief town is Toomevara...
), Elyogerth (Eliogarty
Eliogarty
Eliogarty is one of the baronies of Ireland, an historical geographical unit of land. Its chief town is Thurles. It is one of 14 baronies in the old county of Tipperary between Ikerrin to the north , Kilnamanagh Upper to the west and Middle Third to the south .The...
), and Elyocarrol (Ikerrin
Ikerrin
Ikerrin is one of the baronies of Ireland, a historical geographical unit of land. Its chief town is Roscrea. It is one of 14 baronies in the traditional county of Tipperary between the baronies of Eliogarty to the south and Ormond Upper to the west...
) in Tipperary.
Battle of Affane
During the Battle of AffaneBattle of Affane
The Battle of Affane was fought in county Waterford, in south-eastern Ireland, in 1565, between the forces of the Fitzgerald Earl of Desmond and the Butler Earl of Ormond. The battle ended in the rout of the Desmond forces...
in 1565, Edmund wounded Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond
Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond was an Irish nobleman and leader of the Desmond Rebellions of 1579.-Life:...
in the right hip with a pistol-shot, cracking his thigh-bone and throwing him from his mount. With their leader fallen, the Geraldine troops were routed and the Butlers, led by Edmund's brother Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond, pursued them to the riverbank killing about 300 Geraldines.
Butler Revolt
His father died in London in 1546 when Edmund was about 12 years of age. By his father's will, he received the Dullough - the western part of the barony of Idrone, which, with the RoscreaRoscrea
Roscrea is a small heritage town in North Tipperary, Ireland. The town has a population of 4,910. Its main industries include meat processing and pharmaceuticals. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ikerrin...
property, was considered to be worth £400 yearly. The 9th Earl had purchased the Dullogh from the Kavanaghs who had been in occupation of the land since before the Norman invasion of Ireland
Norman Invasion of Ireland
The Norman invasion of Ireland was a two-stage process, which began on 1 May 1169 when a force of loosely associated Norman knights landed near Bannow, County Wexford...
. Sir Peter Carew put forward his claims in right of his ancestors, the lords of Idrone. It was in defence of this property that Sir Edmund came into conflict with the Government.
Edmund, then heir to his brother, earned infamy when he led the Butler Revolt in 1569. Alongside his brothers Edward and Pierce, Edmund's rebellion was in direct response to the Lord Deputy of Ireland
Lord Deputy of Ireland
The Lord Deputy was the King's representative and head of the Irish executive under English rule, during the Lordship of Ireland and later the Kingdom of Ireland...
, Sir Henry Sidney who unjustly granted Edmund's lands in Idrone to the English adventurer Sir Peter Carew
Peter Carew
Sir Peter Carew was an English adventurer, who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England and took part in the Tudor conquest of Ireland.He is to be distinguished from another Sir Peter Carew Sir Peter Carew (1514? – 27 November 1575) was an English adventurer, who served during the...
. Edmund and his brothers responded by raiding English settlements up and down the breadth of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
and were declared traitors by Sidney. This was all the more remarkable because the Butlers had long been famed for their incredible loyalty to the Crown of England.
Eventually Edmund's brother, the Earl of Ormond, fearing for the future of his lands and titles, responded by joining his erstwhile enemy Sidney and marched against Edmund. Under pressure from Earl Thomas, he was attainted by Queen Elizabeth I. But on surrendering his estate to the Queen, 10 October 1570, he was pardoned, (together with his brothers Edward and Piers) dated at Gorhambury 12 March 1573, of all their treasons. While she agreed to save his life, Elizabeth did not remove the attainder on Edmund. His brothers Edward and Piers Butler remained with the Desmond forces.
Nevertheless the indefatigable Edmund, with the help of Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne, escaped from Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle off Dame Street, Dublin, Ireland, was until 1922 the fortified seat of British rule in Ireland, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of it dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland...
where he was imprisoned. He rather ungallantly fell from a rope hung from the battlements and was forced to spend the night roaming around in the castle fosse
Fosse
Fosse is a three-act musical revue showcasing the choreography of Bob Fosse. After 21 previews, the original Broadway production, conceived and directed by Richard Maltby, Jr...
evading Sidney's troops.
Final days
He remained at large until his death in 1602 when Queen Elizabeth I reversed the attainderAttainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
on his last remaining legitimate son Theobald. His elder two sons were executed at Thurles
Thurles
Thurles is a town situated in North Tipperary, Ireland. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Eliogarty and is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly...
by their uncle Earl Thomas during another rebellion in 1596. He was also survived by an illegitimate son Thomas who was made a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
in 1628.
Marriage and issue
He married Eleanor Eustace the second daughter of Rowland Eustace, 2nd Viscount BaltinglassRowland Eustace, 2nd Viscount Baltinglass
Roland Eustace, 2nd Viscount Baltinglass of Harristown, County Kildare, Ireland, was born in 1505 and died in 1578. He was the son of Sir Thomas Eustace , 1st Viscount Baltinglass and Margaret Talbot, daughter of Sir Peter Talbot of Malahide Castle, County Dublin.-Early life:Little is known of his...
, sister to James
James Eustace, 3rd Viscount Baltinglass
James Eustace of Harristown, 3rd Viscount BaltinglassJames FitzEustace, the eldest son of Roland FitzEustace, the 2nd Viscount of Baltinglass and Joan, daughter of James Butler, 8th Baron Dunboyne. He was born in 1530 and died in Spain in 1585...
(who was in rebellion against Queen Elizabeth, and died without issue). Their children were:
- Piers Butler (d.1596), who married Mary Butler, with issue.
- James Butler (d.1596)
- Theobald Butler, (c.1570-1613) created 1st Viscount Butler of TulleophelimViscount Butler of TulleophelimViscount Butler of Tulleophelim, in the County of Carlow, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 4 August 1603 for Theobald Butler, the son of Sir Edmund Butler of Cloughgrenan, second son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond . He later served as Lord Lieutenant of Carlow. The...
in 1603. He married Lady Elizabeth Butler. - Joan Butler, who married Teige, 4th Baron Upper OssoryBaron Upper OssoryThe title of Baron Upper Ossory in the Peerage of Ireland was created on 11 June 1541 for Barnaby Fitzpatrick. This was in pursuance of the Surrender and regrant policy of King Henry VIII of England. Under the policy, Gaelic chiefs were actively encouraged to surrender their lands to the king and...
. - Katherine Butler, who married William Fitzjohn Eustace.
- Sir Thomas Butler, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Butler, 1st BaronetSir Thomas Butler, 1st Baronet was an Irish nobleman, the illegitimate son of Sir Edmund Butler of Cloughgrenan and grandson of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond....
of Cloughgrenan (d.1642) ((illegitimate). He married Anne Bagenal, with issue.