Nicholas St Lawrence, 4th Baron Howth
Encyclopedia
Nicholas St Lawrence, 4th Baron Howth (c. 1460-1526) was a leading Irish
soldier and statesman of the early Tudor period
.
and his first wife Alice White. His stepmother Joan Beaufort was a cousin of Henry VII
to whom Nicholas remained loyal. The date of his father's death and his succession to the title is in dispute but it was no later than 1487.
Lambert Simnel
appeared in Ireland claiming to be the Earl of Warwick
, nephew of Edward IV
. Simnel gained the support of most of the Anglo-Irish
nobility, notably the 8th Earl of Kildare, and was crowned
as "King Edward VI" at Christ Church Cathedral
in Dublin 1487. Nicholas, however, no doubt mindful of his own close connection to the Tudor dynasty
, warned Henry VII of the impending invasion. Following Henry's triumph at the Battle of Stoke, Nicholas was rewarded with a substantial grant of money and confirmation of his right to Howth.
from Henry VII) and later challenged the Earl of Ormond to a duel
on Kildare's account. Kildare and Howth fought together at the bloody Battle of Knockdoe
in 1504 between the forces of the Crown and the Burkes of Connaught. Howth is credited with urging the immediate attack which resulted in a victory for the Crown's forces.
from 1509 to 1513. As O'Flanagan remarks all his training was as a soldier and the appointment was presumably a tribute to his loyalty to the Crown; on the other hand his uncle and brother were both distinguished lawyers. O'Flanagan notes that his career as Chancellor leaves no trace on the records but that in the absence of any known complaints he presumably performed adequately enough. The death of the Earl of KIldare mean the end of Howth's political career; he was dismissed from the Chancellorship and the Council and lived in retirement until his death in 1526.
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
soldier and statesman of the early Tudor period
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
.
Early life
He was born about 1460, eldest son of Robert St Lawrence, 3rd Baron HowthRobert St Lawrence, 3rd Baron Howth
Robert St.Lawrence, 3rd Baron Howth was a leading statesman in 15th-century Ireland who held the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland, and had through marriage a close connection of the Tudor dynasty.- Background :...
and his first wife Alice White. His stepmother Joan Beaufort was a cousin of Henry VII
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....
to whom Nicholas remained loyal. The date of his father's death and his succession to the title is in dispute but it was no later than 1487.
Lambert Simnel
The pretenderPretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
Lambert Simnel
Lambert Simnel
Lambert Simnel was a pretender to the throne of England. His claim to be the Earl of Warwick in 1487 threatened the newly established reign of King Henry VII .-Early life:...
appeared in Ireland claiming to be the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
, nephew of Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. Simnel gained the support of most of the Anglo-Irish
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...
nobility, notably the 8th Earl of Kildare, and was crowned
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
as "King Edward VI" at Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Christ Church Cathedral is the cathedral of the United Dioceses of Dublin and Glendalough and the cathedral of the Ecclesiastical province of the United Provinces of Dublin and Cashel in the Church of Ireland...
in Dublin 1487. Nicholas, however, no doubt mindful of his own close connection to the Tudor dynasty
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
, warned Henry VII of the impending invasion. Following Henry's triumph at the Battle of Stoke, Nicholas was rewarded with a substantial grant of money and confirmation of his right to Howth.
Battle of Knockdoe
Despite their differences over the Simnel rebellion, Howth became a close ally of Kildare (who received a pardonPardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
from Henry VII) and later challenged the Earl of Ormond to a duel
Duel
A duel is an arranged engagement in combat between two individuals, with matched weapons in accordance with agreed-upon rules.Duels in this form were chiefly practised in Early Modern Europe, with precedents in the medieval code of chivalry, and continued into the modern period especially among...
on Kildare's account. Kildare and Howth fought together at the bloody Battle of Knockdoe
Battle of Knockdoe
The Battle of Knockdoe was a conflict between the Hiberno-Norman de Burghs and Anglo-Norman Fitzgeralds, along with their respective Irish allies. On the 19th of August 1504, the Parish of Lackagh was the site of what appears to have been an unusually bloody conflict, arising from a dispute...
in 1504 between the forces of the Crown and the Burkes of Connaught. Howth is credited with urging the immediate attack which resulted in a victory for the Crown's forces.
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Howth was Lord Chancellor of IrelandLord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
from 1509 to 1513. As O'Flanagan remarks all his training was as a soldier and the appointment was presumably a tribute to his loyalty to the Crown; on the other hand his uncle and brother were both distinguished lawyers. O'Flanagan notes that his career as Chancellor leaves no trace on the records but that in the absence of any known complaints he presumably performed adequately enough. The death of the Earl of KIldare mean the end of Howth's political career; he was dismissed from the Chancellorship and the Council and lived in retirement until his death in 1526.
Family
Lord Howth married three times and had children by each marriage. His first wife was Genet , daughter of Christopher Plunket, 3rd Baron Killeen; his second wife was Anne Berford; and his third wife was Alison Fitzsimons. He had eleven children:- Christopher, who succeeded as 5th Baron Howth;
- Amory;
- Robert;
- Thomas;
- Katherine, who married Sir John Plunkett;
- Marian, who married Sir Chrristopher Nugent and was the mother of the 5th Baron Delvin ;she married secondly Gerald Fitzgerald and thirdly John Parker, the Master of the Rolls in IrelandMaster of the Rolls in IrelandThe office of Master of the Rolls in Ireland originated in the office of the keeper of the Rolls in the Irish Chancery and became an office granted by letters patent in 1333. It was abolished in 1924....
; - Eleanor who married Sir Walter Cheevers;
- Margaret who married Sir William Darcy;
- Anne;
- Alison;
- Elizabeth.