Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron of Dunsany
Encyclopedia
Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron of Dunsany (c. 1410 – c. 1463) was an Irish
peer
.
Sir Christopher was the second son of Sir Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron Killeen; the elder Sir Christopher had married Joan Cusack, heiress of Dunsany Castle and Killeen
, and appears to have given Killeen to their elder son, John, and Dunsany to the younger son. A charter of 1439, a few years before his father's death, refers to the younger Sir Christopher as lord
of the manor
of Dunsany. (Dns. de Dunsany).
He is referred to by William Camden
, in the next century, as being the first Baron of Dunsany, that is: an hereditary member of the Irish House of Lords
. What year he became a peer is uncertain. The first reference to the Dunsanys as peers is in the roll of the two Irish earls and eleven Irish barons who met with Henry VII of England
and Ireland at Greenwich
in 1489; the third Lord Dunsany, Sir Christopher's grandson, is listed last of the eleven, after Lord Trimleston; other Irish parliaments use almost the same order of precedence. It so happens that we know the date of the patent of the Barony of Trimleston to be 4 March 1462; it is one of two baronial patents that survive. Cokayne concludes, in the Complete Peerage, that, if this precedence represents the date of creation, then, since Sir Christopher's will is dated 1 August 1462, probably shortly before his death, the Barony of Dunsany was created in that year. The Complete Peerage also notes, however, that the order of precedence was likely to reflect the relative importance of the lords, rather than the age of their titles.
Debrett's single sourceless sentence on the subject describes the charter of 1439 as a writ, although Cokayne denies that Ireland recognised the creation of peerages by writ; some websites have copied Debrett.
Christopher Plunkett was succeeded by his son Richard Plunkett, 2nd Baron of Dunsany.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
Sir Christopher was the second son of Sir Christopher Plunkett, 1st Baron Killeen; the elder Sir Christopher had married Joan Cusack, heiress of Dunsany Castle and Killeen
Killeen
-Places:* Killeen, County Armagh - a village in County Armagh, Northern Ireland* Killeen, County Cork - a village in County Cork, Ireland* Killeen, County Down - a townland in County Down, Northern Ireland...
, and appears to have given Killeen to their elder son, John, and Dunsany to the younger son. A charter of 1439, a few years before his father's death, refers to the younger Sir Christopher as lord
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of the manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Dunsany. (Dns. de Dunsany).
He is referred to by William Camden
William Camden
William Camden was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and officer of arms. He wrote the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and the first detailed historical account of the reign of Elizabeth I of England.- Early years :Camden was born in London...
, in the next century, as being the first Baron of Dunsany, that is: an hereditary member of the Irish House of Lords
Irish House of Lords
The Irish House of Lords was the upper house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from mediaeval times until 1800. It was abolished along with the Irish House of Commons by the Act of Union.-Function:...
. What year he became a peer is uncertain. The first reference to the Dunsanys as peers is in the roll of the two Irish earls and eleven Irish barons who met with Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
and Ireland at Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
in 1489; the third Lord Dunsany, Sir Christopher's grandson, is listed last of the eleven, after Lord Trimleston; other Irish parliaments use almost the same order of precedence. It so happens that we know the date of the patent of the Barony of Trimleston to be 4 March 1462; it is one of two baronial patents that survive. Cokayne concludes, in the Complete Peerage, that, if this precedence represents the date of creation, then, since Sir Christopher's will is dated 1 August 1462, probably shortly before his death, the Barony of Dunsany was created in that year. The Complete Peerage also notes, however, that the order of precedence was likely to reflect the relative importance of the lords, rather than the age of their titles.
Debrett's single sourceless sentence on the subject describes the charter of 1439 as a writ, although Cokayne denies that Ireland recognised the creation of peerages by writ; some websites have copied Debrett.
Christopher Plunkett was succeeded by his son Richard Plunkett, 2nd Baron of Dunsany.