FitzGerald
Encyclopedia
The surname FitzGerald is a translation of the French-Norman
fils de Gérald, or son of Gerald (Gerald from "ger", spear, and "wald", rule). Variant spellings include Fitz-Gerald and the modern Fitzgerald. The name can also be used as two separate words Fitz Gerald. Its current head is Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster
.
and Great Britain
, the FitzGeralds are a Hiberno-Norman
or Cambro-Norman
dynasty, and have been Peers of Ireland
since at least the 14th century.
The main branches of the family are:
The dynasty is also sometimes referred to as the Geraldines, and the name Geraldine
can be a derivation of this adjective. Elizabeth FitzGerald
(1527–89) was known as the "Fair Geraldine" from her surname.
(1864-1895)
|4= 4. Charles William FitzGerald
4th Duke of Leinster (1847-1887)
|5= 5. Caroline Sutherland-Leverson-Gower
(da. 2nd Duke of Sutherland
) (1817-1887)
|6= 6. William Ernest Dunscombe
1st Earl of Feversham (b.1829)
|7= 7. Mabel Violet Graham
(18??)
|8= 8. Augustus Frederick FitzGerald
3rd Duke of Leinster (1791-1874)
|9= 9. Charlotte Augusta Stanhope
(1793-1859)
|10= 10. George Granville Sutherland-Leverson-Gower
2nd Duke of Sutherland KG (1786-1861)
|11= 11. Harriet Elizabeth Georgina Howard
(1806-1868)
|12= 12. William Dunscombe
2nd Baron Faversham (1798-1867)
|13= 13. Lousia Stewart
(d.1889)
|14= 14. James Robert George Graham PC
(1792-1861)
|15= 15. Fanny Callender
(d.1857)
|16= 16. William Robert FitzGerald
2nd Duke of Leinster KP (1749-1804)
|17= 17. Emilia Olivia St. George
(da. Usher St. George
) (b.17??)
|18= 18. Charles Stanhope
3rd Earl of Harrington (1853-1859)
|19= 19. Jane Fleming
(da. John Fleming
) (b.17??)
|20= 20. George Granville Leverson-Gower
1st Duke of Sutherland KG (1758-1833)
|21= 21. Elizabeth Countess of Sutherland
(1765-1839)
|22= 22. George Howard
6th Earl of Carlisle KG (1773-1848)
|23= 23. Georgina Cavendish
(da. 5th Duke of Devonshire
KG) (b.17??)
|24= 24. Charles Dunscombe
1st Baron Feversham (1764-1841)
|25= 25. Charlotte Legge
(da. 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
) (d.1848)
|26= 26. George Stewart
8th Earl of Galloway KT (1768-1834)
|27= 27. Jane Paget
(da. 1st Earl Uxbridge) (d. 1842)
|28= 28. James Grayham 1st Bart
(1761-1824)
|29= 29. Catherine Stewart
(da. 7th Earl of Galloway
(d.1836)
|30= 30. James Callander
(b.1774)
|31= 31. Elizabeth MacDonnel
(da. 5th Earl of Antrim) (d.1796)
}}
The Most Noble Maurice (FitzGerald), 6th Duke of Leinster. (1887–1922).
Marquess and Earl of Kildare, co. Kildare, Earl and Baron of Offaly, all in the Peerage of Ireland;
Viscount Leinster of Taplow, co. Bucks, in the Peerage of Great Britain
and Baron Kildare of Kildare in the Peerage of the United Kingdom;
Premier Duke, Marquess, and Earl of Ireland.
Norman language
Norman is a Romance language and one of the Oïl languages. Norman can be classified as one of the northern Oïl languages along with Picard and Walloon...
fils de Gérald, or son of Gerald (Gerald from "ger", spear, and "wald", rule). Variant spellings include Fitz-Gerald and the modern Fitzgerald. The name can also be used as two separate words Fitz Gerald. Its current head is Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster
Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster
Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Duke of Leinster , styled Earl of Offaly before 1976 and Marquess of Kildare between 1976 and 2004, is an Irish nobleman. The Duke is the highest ranking member of the Peerage of Ireland....
.
Peers of Ireland
Among the most celebrated families of IrelandIreland
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...
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, the FitzGeralds are a Hiberno-Norman
Hiberno-Norman
The Hiberno-Normans are those Norman lords who settled in Ireland who admitted little if any real fealty to the Anglo-Norman settlers in England, and who soon began to interact and intermarry with the Gaelic nobility of Ireland. The term embraces both their origins as a distinct community with...
or Cambro-Norman
Cambro-Norman
Cambro-Norman is a term used for Norman knights who settled in southern Wales after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Some historians suggest that the term is to be preferred to Anglo-Norman for the Normans who invaded Ireland after 1170 — many of whom originated in Wales. However, the term...
dynasty, and have been Peers of Ireland
Peerage of Ireland
The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...
since at least the 14th century.
The main branches of the family are:
- the FitzGeralds of Kildare (Earls of Kildare from 1316, later Marquesses of KildareDuke of LeinsterDuke of Leinster is a title in the Peerage of Ireland and the premier dukedom in that peerage. The title refers to Leinster, but unlike the province the title is pronounced "Lin-ster"...
and from 1766 Dukes of LeinsterDuke of LeinsterDuke of Leinster is a title in the Peerage of Ireland and the premier dukedom in that peerage. The title refers to Leinster, but unlike the province the title is pronounced "Lin-ster"...
and Premier Peers of Ireland) and - the FitzGeralds of Desmond (Barons DesmondEarl of DesmondThe title of Earl of Desmond has been held historically by lords in Ireland, first as a title outside of the peerage system and later as part of the Peerage of Ireland....
, later Earls of DesmondEarl of DesmondThe title of Earl of Desmond has been held historically by lords in Ireland, first as a title outside of the peerage system and later as part of the Peerage of Ireland....
); see the articles on those titles for lists of people who have held them.
The dynasty is also sometimes referred to as the Geraldines, and the name Geraldine
Geraldine
The feminine form of the first name Gerald. Famous women named Geraldine include:*Geraldine Ferraro, United States congresswoman and 1984 Vice Presidential candidate*Geraldine Chaplin, actress*Geraldine Fitzgerald, actress*Geraldine Page, actress...
can be a derivation of this adjective. Elizabeth FitzGerald
Elizabeth FitzGerald, Countess of Lincoln
Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, Countess of Lincoln , also known as The Fair Geraldine, was an Irish noblewoman and a member of the celebrated FitzGerald dynasty. She became the second wife of Sir Anthony Browne and later the third wife of English admiral Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln...
(1527–89) was known as the "Fair Geraldine" from her surname.
House of Kildare
- Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of OffalyGerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of OffalyGerald FitzMaurice, jure uxoris 1st Lord of Offaly was a Cambro-Norman nobleman who settled in Ireland, with his father, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan, founding the notable FitzGerald dynasty who were to play important roles in Irish history...
(c.1150- 1204) - Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of OffalyMaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of OffalyMaurice FitzGerald, 2nd Lord of Offaly was a Norman-Irish peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1232 to 1245. He mustered many armies against the Irish, and due to his harsh methods as Justiciar, he received criticism from King Henry III of England...
(1194–1257), Justiciar of Ireland - Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of OffalyMaurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of OffalyMaurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly was a Norman-Irish peer, soldier, and Justiciar of Ireland from 1272 to 1273.-Career:...
(1238–1286), Justiciar of Ireland - John FitzGerald, 1st Earl of KildareJohn FitzGerald, 1st Earl of KildareJohn FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare was a Peer in the Peerage of Ireland.The eldest son of Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald and Rohesia de St...
(died 1316) - Maurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of KildareMaurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of KildareMaurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare was a prominent Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland and Lord Justice of Ireland....
(died 1390) - Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of KildareGerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of KildareGerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare, KG , known variously as "Garret the Great" or "The Great Earl" , was Ireland's premier peer...
, "The Great Earl" (died 1513) - Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of KildareGerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of KildareGerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare , also known in Irish as Gearóid Óg , was a figure in Irish History. In 1513 he inherited the title of Earl of Kildare and position of Lord Deputy of Ireland from his father.-Family:...
, "Young Gerald" (1487–1534) - Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of KildareThomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of KildareThomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare , also known as Silken Thomas , was a figure in Irish history.He spent a considerable part of his early life in England: his mother Elizabeth Zouche, was a cousin of Henry VII...
, "Silken Thomas" (1513–1537) - Gerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of KildareGerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of KildareGerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Kildare , also known as the "Wizard Earl" , was an Irish peer....
, the "Wizard Earl" (1525–1585) - Lettice FitzGerald, 1st Baroness Offaly, suo jure Baroness Offaly (1580–1658)
- Lord Edward FitzGeraldLord Edward FitzGeraldLord Edward FitzGerald was an Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. He was the fifth son of the 1st Duke of Leinster and the Duchess of Leinster , he was born at Carton House, near Dublin, and died of wounds received in resisting arrest on charge of treason.-Early years:FitzGerald spent most of his...
(1763–1798), Irish aristocrat and revolutionary. - Lady Edward FitzGeraldLady Edward FitzGeraldLady Edward FitzGerald was married to Lord Edward FitzGerald, and was an enthusiastic supporter of Irish independence, scarcely less celebrated at the time than Lord Edward himself.-Background:...
, known as "Pamela" (c. 1773–1831), wife of Lord Edward FitzGerald.
(1864-1895)
|4= 4. Charles William FitzGerald
Charles FitzGerald, 4th Duke of Leinster
Charles William FitzGerald, 4th Duke of Leinster PC , styled Marquess of Kildare until 1874, was an Irish peer and politician.-Background:...
4th Duke of Leinster (1847-1887)
|5= 5. Caroline Sutherland-Leverson-Gower
(da. 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
) (1817-1887)
|6= 6. William Ernest Dunscombe
William Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham
William Ernest Duncombe, 1st Earl of Feversham , known as The Lord Feversham between 1867 and 1868, was a British Conservative politician....
1st Earl of Feversham (b.1829)
|7= 7. Mabel Violet Graham
(18??)
|8= 8. Augustus Frederick FitzGerald
Augustus FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster
Augustus Frederick FitzGerald, 3rd Duke of Leinster, etc., PC, PC was an Irish peer and freemason, styled Marquess of Kildare from birth until 1804. He was born and died in Carton....
3rd Duke of Leinster (1791-1874)
|9= 9. Charlotte Augusta Stanhope
(1793-1859)
|10= 10. George Granville Sutherland-Leverson-Gower
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland KG , styled Viscount Trentham until 1803, Earl Gower between 1803 and 1833 and Marquess of Stafford in 1833, was a British peer....
2nd Duke of Sutherland KG (1786-1861)
|11= 11. Harriet Elizabeth Georgina Howard
Harriet Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland
Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Howard was born Lady Harriet Howard, daughter of the 6th Earl of Carlisle and his wife Lady Georgiana Cavendish, who was a daughter of the famous Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. On 18 May 1823 Harriet married Earl Gower, eldest son of the 2nd Marquess of Stafford, and...
(1806-1868)
|12= 12. William Dunscombe
William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham
William Duncombe, 2nd Baron Feversham was a British peer and Tory politician.-Background:Feversham was the eldest son of Charles Duncombe, 1st Baron Feversham, and Lady Charlotte, daughter of William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth. The Hon. Arthur Duncombe and the Hon...
2nd Baron Faversham (1798-1867)
|13= 13. Lousia Stewart
(d.1889)
|14= 14. James Robert George Graham PC
(1792-1861)
|15= 15. Fanny Callender
(d.1857)
|16= 16. William Robert FitzGerald
William FitzGerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster
William Robert FitzGerald, 2nd Duke of Leinster, etc. KP, PC was an Irish liberal politician and landowner. He was born in London.-Career:...
2nd Duke of Leinster KP (1749-1804)
|17= 17. Emilia Olivia St. George
(da. Usher St. George
St George St George, 1st Baron St George
St George St George, 1st Baron St George was an Irish politician.Born St George Ussher, he was the son of John Ussher by his wife Mary St George, daughter of George St George, 1st Baron St George....
) (b.17??)
|18= 18. Charles Stanhope
Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington
General Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington PC, PC , styled Viscount Petersham until 1779, was a British soldier. Stanhope is sometimes confused with an exact contemporary of his, the 3rd Earl Stanhope....
3rd Earl of Harrington (1853-1859)
|19= 19. Jane Fleming
(da. John Fleming
Sir John Fleming, 1st Baronet
Sir John Fleming, 1st Baronet was an English baronet, created first Baronet Fleming of Brompton Park, Middlesex in the Baronetage of Great Britain on 22 April 1763....
) (b.17??)
|20= 20. George Granville Leverson-Gower
George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland
George Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland KG, PC , known as Viscount Trentham from 1758 to 1786, as Earl Gower from 1786 to 1803 and as The Marquess of Stafford from 1803 to 1833, was a British politician, diplomat, landowner and patron of the arts. He is estimated to have been the...
1st Duke of Sutherland KG (1758-1833)
|21= 21. Elizabeth Countess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland
Elizabeth Sutherland Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland , also suo jure 19th Countess of Sutherland, was a Scottish peeress, best remembered for her involvement in the Highland Clearances....
(1765-1839)
|22= 22. George Howard
George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle
George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle KG, PC, FRS , styled Viscount Morpeth until 1825, was a British statesman...
6th Earl of Carlisle KG (1773-1848)
|23= 23. Georgina Cavendish
(da. 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, KG was a British aristocrat and politician. He was the eldest son of the William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire by his wife the heiress Lady Charlotte Boyle, suo jure Baroness Clifford of Lanesborough, who brought in considerable money and estates to...
KG) (b.17??)
|24= 24. Charles Dunscombe
Charles Duncombe, 1st Baron Feversham
Charles Duncombe, 1st Baron Feversham was a British Member of Parliament.Feversham was appointed High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1790. He was elected to the House of Commons for Shaftesbury in 1790, a seat he held until 1796, and then represented Aldborough from 1796 to 1806, Heytesbury from 1812 to...
1st Baron Feversham (1764-1841)
|25= 25. Charlotte Legge
(da. 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth
William Legge 2nd Earl of Dartmouth PC, FRS , styled as Viscount Lewisham from 1732 to 1750, was a British statesman who is most remembered for his part in the government before and during the American Revolution....
) (d.1848)
|26= 26. George Stewart
George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway
Admiral George Stewart, 8th Earl of Galloway KT , styled Lord Garlies between 1773 and 1806, was a British naval commander and politician.-Background:...
8th Earl of Galloway KT (1768-1834)
|27= 27. Jane Paget
(da. 1st Earl Uxbridge) (d. 1842)
|28= 28. James Grayham 1st Bart
(1761-1824)
|29= 29. Catherine Stewart
(da. 7th Earl of Galloway
John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway
John Stewart, 7th Earl of Galloway KT was a Scottish peer, styled Viscount Garlies from 1747 until 1773. He succeeded his father Alexander in 1773. He was elected one of the representative peers, representing the Peerage of Scotland in the House of Lords, in 1774 and sat there until the 1790s...
(d.1836)
|30= 30. James Callander
James T. Callender
James Callender was a political pamphleteer and journalist whose writing was controversial in his native Scotland and the United States. His contemporary reputation was as a "scandalmonger", due to the content of some of his reporting, which overshadowed the political content...
(b.1774)
|31= 31. Elizabeth MacDonnel
(da. 5th Earl of Antrim) (d.1796)
}}
Marquess and Earl of Kildare, co. Kildare, Earl and Baron of Offaly, all in the Peerage of Ireland;
Viscount Leinster of Taplow, co. Bucks, in the Peerage of Great Britain
and Baron Kildare of Kildare in the Peerage of the United Kingdom;
Premier Duke, Marquess, and Earl of Ireland.
House of Desmond
The line of the Earls of Desmond has been extinct since the 17th century. Their branch of the dynasty continues only in their distant kinsmen, Ireland's hereditary knights (for whom see section below).- Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of DesmondMaurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of DesmondMaurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond was an Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland, Captain of Desmond Castle in Kinsale, so-called ruler of Munster, and for a short time Lord Justice of Ireland....
- Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of DesmondGerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of DesmondGerald fitzMaurice FitzGerald, also known by the Irish Gaelic "Gearóid Iarla" , was the 3rd Earl of Desmond, in southwestern Ireland, under the first creation of that title, and a member of the Hiberno-Norman dynasty of the FitzGeralds, or Geraldines...
, "Gearóid Iarla" (14th century) - James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of DesmondJames FitzGerald, 6th Earl of DesmondJames FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond , called 'the Usurper', was the youngest son of Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond, and Lady Eleanor, daughter of James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond...
- Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of DesmondThomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of DesmondThomas FitzJames FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond , called 'Thomas of Drogheda', was the son of James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond and Mary de Burgh....
- Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of DesmondGerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of DesmondGerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond was an Irish nobleman and leader of the Desmond Rebellions of 1579.-Life:...
, rebel killed at Glenageenty 1583 - Joan Fitzgerald, Countess of OrmondJoan Fitzgerald, Countess of OrmondJoan 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...
(died 1565), cousin and wife of the 15th Earl of Desmond - James FitzGerald, 1st Earl of DesmondJames FitzGerald, 1st Earl of DesmondJames FitzGerald , an Irish nobleman, was the successor of Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond. He assumed the title of Earl of Desmond, which had been suppressed in 1582 after the Desmond Rebellions...
(restored) - James FitzMaurice FitzGeraldJames FitzMaurice FitzGeraldJames Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald was a member of the 16th century ruling Geraldine dynasty in the province of Munster in Ireland. He rebelled against the crown authority of Queen Elizabeth I of England in response to the onset of the Tudor conquest of Ireland and was deemed an archtraitor...
, rebel killed in 1579-leader of the Desmond RebellionsDesmond RebellionsThe Desmond Rebellions occurred in 1569-1573 and 1579-1583 in the Irish province of Munster.They were rebellions by the Earl of Desmond – head of the FitzGerald dynasty in Munster – and his followers, the Geraldines and their allies against the threat of the extension of Elizabethan English...
(late 16th century) - Katherine FitzGerald, Countess of DesmondKatherine FitzGerald, Countess of DesmondKatherine FitzGerald, Countess of Desmond was a noblewoman of the Anglo-Norman FitzGerald dynasty in Ireland. English writers of the Tudor period, including Sir Walter Raleigh, helped popularize "the old Countess of Desmond" as a nickname for her. One estimate placed her age at death in excess of...
, known as the "old Countess of Desmond" (15th to 17th centuries). - Katherine FitzGerald, Viscountess GrandisonKatherine FitzGerald, Viscountess GrandisonKatherine FitzGerald, suo jure Viscountess Grandison , was a wealthy Irish heiress, being the only child of Sir John FitzGerald of Dromana, County Waterford. She inherited the Dromana estate in 1664 upon the death of her father. She was married three times; firstly to John Le Poer, 2nd Earl of...
(1660–1725)
FitzMaurice of Kerry
The closely related FitzMaurice Barons and later Earls of Kerry continue in the male line with the current Petty-FitzMaurice Marquesses of Lansdowne, but they descend from John FitzGerald, 1st Baron DesmondJohn FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond
John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond was the grandson of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan. He was the founder of the Desmond line of the FitzGerald dynasty and ancestor of the powerful Earls of Desmond , as well as other dynasties, including the modern Knights of Kerry and Knights...
's nephew, Thomas FitzMaurice, 1st Baron of Kerry, son of his brother Maurice FitzThomas. Thus in fact they represent a "sister" branch to the FitzGeralds of Desmond. However this technically makes them slightly closer to the FitzGeralds of Desmond than either are to the Offaly-Kildare-Leinster Geraldines, represented by the modern Dukes of Leinster, who descend from Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly
Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly
Gerald FitzMaurice, jure uxoris 1st Lord of Offaly was a Cambro-Norman nobleman who settled in Ireland, with his father, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan, founding the notable FitzGerald dynasty who were to play important roles in Irish history...
, uncle of the 1st Baron Desmond.
Hereditary Knights
These three hereditary knighthoods were created for their kinsmen by the Earls of Desmond, acting as Earls Palatine.- Knight of KerryKnight of KerryKnight of Kerry, also called the Green Knight, is one of three Anglo-Irish hereditary knighthoods, all of which existed in Ireland since feudal times. The others are the White Knight and the Knight of Glin...
(Green Knight) - the current holder is Sir Adrian FitzGeraldAdrian FitzgeraldSir Adrian James Andrew Denis FitzGerald, 6th Baronet, 24th Knight of Kerry is a hereditary knight, a Conservative Party politician in the UK, and former Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.-Family:...
, 6th Baronet of Valencia, 24th Knight of Kerry. He is also a Knight of Malta, and currently President of the Irish Association of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. - Knight of GlinKnight of GlinThe Knight of Glin, also called the Black Knight, was a hereditary title in the Fitzgeralds of Limerick, Ireland since the early 14th century. The family was a branch of the FitzGerald dynasty or Geraldines, related to the Earls of Desmond , who were granted extensive lands in County Limerick by...
(Black Knight) - the current holder is (Knight) Desmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of GlinDesmond FitzGerald, 29th Knight of GlinDesmond John Villiers FitzGerald, 29th Knight of Glin , was an Irish hereditary knight and president of the Irish Georgian Society.-Career:...
. - White Knight (Fitzgibbon family) - currently dormant
- Edmund FitzGibbonEdmund FitzGibbonEdmund Fitzgibbon was an Irish nobleman of the FitzGerald dynasty, who inherited the Anglo-Norman title of the White Knight and struggled to maintain his loyalty to the crown during the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England....
- Edmund FitzGibbon
Origins
The eponymous ancestor of the various FitzGerald branches, as well as of the De Barry familyDe Barry Family
The de Barry family is an ancient family of Cambro-Norman origins which once had extensive land holdings in Wales and County Cork, Ireland. The founder of the family was a knight who assited in the Norman Conquest of England and Wales during the 11th century...
and FitzMaurices, was Gerald FitzWalter of Windsor
Gerald de Windsor
Gerald de Windsor, also known as Gerald FitzWalter, was the nobleman in charge of the Norman forces in Wales in the late 11th century. Notably, he was the progenitor of the FitzGerald and de Barry dynasties of Ireland...
by his wife, Nest ferch Rhys. Gerald was an Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman
The Anglo-Normans were mainly the descendants of the Normans who ruled England following the Norman conquest by William the Conqueror in 1066. A small number of Normans were already settled in England prior to the conquest...
adventurer who took part in the 1093 invasion of South Wales upon the death in battle of Rhys ap Tewdwr
Rhys ap Tewdwr
Rhys ap Tewdwr was a Prince of Deheubarth in south-west Wales and member of the Dinefwr dynasty, a branch descended from Rhodri the Great...
, its last king and Nest's father. Gerald was a younger son of another Norman adventurer, Walter FitzOtho, William the Conqueror's Constable for Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle
Windsor Castle is a medieval castle and royal residence in Windsor in the English county of Berkshire, notable for its long association with the British royal family and its architecture. The original castle was built after the Norman invasion by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I it...
, then a strategic military fortress, and the King's Keeper of the Forests of Berkshire. These positions were later inherited by Gerald's oldest brother, William. Their father - Walter - is recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
as tenant-in-chief of lands in Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, and Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
.
Various claims are made for Gerald's antecedents: that his father was a Saxon baron, rather than Norman; that his mother was Gwladys ferch Ryall, or she was "princess" Gwladys ferch Gruffydd of Gwynedd, or else Gwladys ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn
Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn
Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn was a Welsh prince, the son of Cynfyn ap Gwerstan. On the downfall of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1063 he received North Wales on condition of faithfully serving Edward the Confessor ‘everywhere by water and by land.’ As the son of Angharad, daughter of Maredudd ab Owain ap Hywel...
of Powys; that Gerald's grandfather was one "Dominus Otherus", a Tuscan nobleman descended from a Gherardini
Gherardini
Gherardini may refer to :*Alessandro Gherardini was an Italian painter of the Baroque period, active mainly in Florence.*Maurizio Gherardini is an Italian sportsman, currently vice president and an assistant general manager for the Toronto Raptors NBA club.*Lisa Gherardini is the name of the...
Duke of Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
named Cosmo or Cosimus. All the foregoing claims are erroneous. Pursuant to Domesday, Walter's wife was Beatrice, not Gwladys, and particularly not Gwladys of Powys, who was Gerald's mother-in-law. It's unlikely the Conqueror would have granted Walter lands in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Surrey, and Middlesex, let alone made him keeper of a strategic military fortress, had he not been a Norman and proven trustworthy. "Dominus Otherus" is a misreading of Domeday, and the Gherardini ancestry is a 16th century hoax: there was no Duchy of Florence until the 15th century, and the only Dukes Cosmo were Medicis.
Nest ferch Rhys ap Tewdwr was the daughter of the last king of South Wales by his wife, Gwladys ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn of Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
. Their grandchildren, Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan
Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan
Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Maynooth, Naas, and Llanstephan) was a major figure in the Norman invasion of Ireland....
, Raymond le Gros and Philip de Barry
Philip de Barry
Philip de Barry , was a Cambro-Norman warrior from Manorbier in Pembrokeshire who participated in the colonisation of Kingdom of Desmond following the Norman invasion of Ireland...
were leaders in 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...
. Nest's son by her second marriage, Robert Fitz-Stephen
Robert Fitz-Stephen
Robert Fitz-Stephen was a 12th century Cambro-Norman soldier, one of the leaders of the Norman invasion of Ireland, for which he was granted extensive lands in Ireland. He was a son of the famous Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last king of Deheubarth . His father was Nest's second husband,...
, was another participant, as did William de Hay, husband of one of Gerald's and Nest's grand-daughters. Nest's grandson (through her son by Henry I of England
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
), Meiler FitzHenry
Meiler Fitzhenry
Meilyr FitzHenry was a Cambro-Norman nobleman and Lord Chief Justice of Ireland during the Lordship of Ireland.-Background and early life:...
, was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland for his cousin, Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
. The most renowned of Gerald's and Nest's grandchildren, Gerald of Wales
Giraldus Cambrensis
Gerald of Wales , also known as Gerallt Gymro in Welsh or Giraldus Cambrensis in Latin, archdeacon of Brecon, was a medieval clergyman and chronicler of his times...
, gave an account of the Norman invasion, as well as lively and invaluable descriptions of Ireland and Wales in the late 12th century.