Elizabeth de Veele
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth le Veel, also known as Elizabeth Calf, was an Anglo-Irish
noblewoman, and wife of Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh
, King of Leinster. Her marriage to Art violated the Statutes of Kilkenny
, and resulted in her property being forfeited to the English crown. This caused her husband to declare war in Ireland
against the forces of King Richard II of England
.
, County Kildare
, Ireland on an unknown date, the daughter and heiress of Sir Robert le Veel of Norragh. Norragh had been in her family since the manors of Norragh and Skethness were granted to her ancestor Sir Michael le Veel in 1320. Her family is better known by the name Calf, which is the Anglicised version of le Veel.
family.
In 1390, Elizabeth married her second husband, Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh, King of Leinster (1357-1417). The marriage produced at least three sons:
The marriage between Art and Elizabeth violated the Statutes of Kilkenny which prohibited intermarriage between the English and the Irish. Art also claimed the important barony of Norragh by right of his wife who had inherited the barony suo jure
in 1374, when her father died.
When the barony was forfeited to the English crown in 1391, Art declared war against the English. King Richard II arrived in Ireland in 1394, at the head of an army which consisted of over 8,000 men. The English suffered many casualties due to the covert attacks Art perpetrated against King Richard's men. Finally a truce was reached in 1395; Art went to Dublin where he swore fealty to King Richard and received the honour of a knighthood. The barony on Norragh was restored to him. However, when the king departed for England in May 1395, Art renounced his fealty and proceeded to harass the English who lived in the Pale. In 1398, when Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
, and King Richard's heir apparent
, was killed at the Battle of Kells in a skirmish with an Irish clan, the English king sought revenge against Art. King Richard lead a second expedition to Ireland in 1399, and Art's lands of Norragh were once again forfeited to the English crown. However, it was this last expedition to Ireland which cost the king his throne; as he had brought with him most of his household knights and loyal nobles. Upon his return to England, King Richard discovered that the kingdom had fallen into the hands of his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who would subsequently imprison and depose Richard, and reign as King Henry IV
.
Elizabeth le Veel died on an unknown date. She is the ancestress of the present day MacMurrough-Kavanagh family including the current Chief of the Name, Andrew MacMurrough Kavanagh of Borris House.
Anglo-Irish
Anglo-Irish was a term used primarily in the 19th and early 20th centuries to identify a privileged social class in Ireland, whose members were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy, mostly belonging to the Church of Ireland, which was the established church of Ireland until...
noblewoman, and wife of Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh
Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh
Art Mór Mac Murchadha Caomhánach is generally regarded as the most formidable of the later Kings of Leinster. He revived not only the royal family's prerogatives but their lands and power...
, King of Leinster. Her marriage to Art violated the Statutes of Kilkenny
Statutes of Kilkenny
The Statutes of Kilkenny were a series of thirty-five acts passed at Kilkenny in 1366, aiming to curb the decline of the Hiberno-Norman Lordship of Ireland.-Background to the Statutes:...
, and resulted in her property being forfeited to the English crown. This caused her husband to declare war in Ireland
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...
against the forces of King Richard II of England
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
.
Family
Elizabeth was born at NorraghBarony of Norragh
The Barony of Norragh in County Kildare was granted by Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare, Lord of Leinster, and Earl of Pembroke also known as Strongbow, to Robert St. Michael before 1176....
, County Kildare
County Kildare
County Kildare is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland on an unknown date, the daughter and heiress of Sir Robert le Veel of Norragh. Norragh had been in her family since the manors of Norragh and Skethness were granted to her ancestor Sir Michael le Veel in 1320. Her family is better known by the name Calf, which is the Anglicised version of le Veel.
Marriages and issue
In 1374 upon the death of her father she married her first husband Sir John Staunton of Otymy who died before 1390. She had at least one child by Sir John, a daughter Elizabeth who would marry into the WellesleyWellesley
- People :* Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , Irish soldier, statesman, and Prime Minister of the UK* Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington , British politician* Arthur Wellesley, 4th Duke of Wellington , British soldier...
family.
In 1390, Elizabeth married her second husband, Art mac Art MacMurrough-Kavanagh, King of Leinster (1357-1417). The marriage produced at least three sons:
- Diarmait Lavderg (died 1417)
- Donnchadh mac Art MacMurrough, Lord of Garyshill, King of Leinster (reigned 1417-1455), fathered a son, Murtough Kavanagh, who was the heir to the kingdom of Leinster
- Gerald Kavanagh, Lord of FernsFernsFerns can refer to:* Fern, any of many groups of Pteridophyta in the plant kingdom* Ferns, County Wexford, a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland* The Roman Catholic Diocese of Ferns* The Bishop of Ferns and Leighlin...
(died 1431). He is the direct ancestor of the present day MacMurrough-Kavanaghs.
The marriage between Art and Elizabeth violated the Statutes of Kilkenny which prohibited intermarriage between the English and the Irish. Art also claimed the important barony of Norragh by right of his wife who had inherited the barony suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
in 1374, when her father died.
When the barony was forfeited to the English crown in 1391, Art declared war against the English. King Richard II arrived in Ireland in 1394, at the head of an army which consisted of over 8,000 men. The English suffered many casualties due to the covert attacks Art perpetrated against King Richard's men. Finally a truce was reached in 1395; Art went to Dublin where he swore fealty to King Richard and received the honour of a knighthood. The barony on Norragh was restored to him. However, when the king departed for England in May 1395, Art renounced his fealty and proceeded to harass the English who lived in the Pale. In 1398, when Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was the British King's representative and head of the Irish executive during the Lordship of Ireland , the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, and King Richard's heir apparent
Heir apparent
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting, except by a change in the rules of succession....
, was killed at the Battle of Kells in a skirmish with an Irish clan, the English king sought revenge against Art. King Richard lead a second expedition to Ireland in 1399, and Art's lands of Norragh were once again forfeited to the English crown. However, it was this last expedition to Ireland which cost the king his throne; as he had brought with him most of his household knights and loyal nobles. Upon his return to England, King Richard discovered that the kingdom had fallen into the hands of his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who would subsequently imprison and depose Richard, and reign as King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
.
Elizabeth le Veel died on an unknown date. She is the ancestress of the present day MacMurrough-Kavanagh family including the current Chief of the Name, Andrew MacMurrough Kavanagh of Borris House.