Robert Preston, 1st Viscount Gormanston
Encyclopedia
Robert Preston, Ist Viscount Gormanston ( 1435-1503 ) was an Irish nobleman and statesman who held the offices of deputy to the Lord Chancellor of Ireland
and Lord Deputy of Ireland
.
He was the son of Christopher Preston, 3rd Baron Gormanston and Jane d'Artois. He succeeded his father as 4th Baron Gormanston in 1450.
In 1460 during the brief period when the Duke of York controlled the Government of Henry VI
, the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was held by John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham
and Preston was appointed his deputy . In 1478 he was raised to the degree of viscount. The following year Edward IV appointed his second son Richard, who was four years old, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Gormanston was appointed Lord Deputy.
After the downfall of the House of York
, Gormanston, like most of the Anglo-Irish nobility, supported the pretender Lambert Simnel
, but was pardoned in 1488 and restored to favour. In 1493 Henry VII reappointed him Lord Deputy:he held a Parliament
at Drogheda
, and a council at Trim
, attended by the Earl of Kildare and most other leading magnates, where Gormanston bound them all to keep the peace. The council does not seem to have been successful and soon after Gormanston , Kildare and others were summoned to England to account for the government of Ireland .Gormanston died in May 1503.
Robert Preston married Janet Molyneaux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneaux of Sefton. They had at least two children:
Lord 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:...
and 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...
.
He was the son of Christopher Preston, 3rd Baron Gormanston and Jane d'Artois. He succeeded his father as 4th Baron Gormanston in 1450.
In 1460 during the brief period when the Duke of York controlled the Government of Henry VI
Henry VI
Henry VI may refer to:* Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor .* Henry VI of Luxembourg, Count of Luxembourg, * Henry VI of England...
, the office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was held by John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham
John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham
John Dynham, 1st Baron Dynham was an English peer and politician. He was the Lord High Treasurer of England, Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Baron Dynham. He was the owner of Souldern...
and Preston was appointed his deputy . In 1478 he was raised to the degree of viscount. The following year Edward IV appointed his second son Richard, who was four years old, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Gormanston was appointed Lord Deputy.
After the downfall of the House of York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
, Gormanston, like most of the Anglo-Irish nobility, supported the pretender 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:...
, but was pardoned in 1488 and restored to favour. In 1493 Henry VII reappointed him Lord Deputy:he held a Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
at Drogheda
Drogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, and a council at Trim
Trim
Trim may refer to:* Cutting small pieces off something** Book trimming, a stage of the publishing process** Editing*** Editing a posting style in online discourse** Pruning, trimming as a form of pruning often used on trees-Places:...
, attended by the Earl of Kildare and most other leading magnates, where Gormanston bound them all to keep the peace. The council does not seem to have been successful and soon after Gormanston , Kildare and others were summoned to England to account for the government of Ireland .Gormanston died in May 1503.
Robert Preston married Janet Molyneaux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneaux of Sefton. They had at least two children:
- William Preston, 2nd Viscount Gormanston
- Elizabeth, who married Thomas FitzGerald of LaccaghThomas FitzGerald of LaccaghSir Thomas FitzGerald of Laccagh , younger son of the 7th Earl of Kildare, was Lord Chancellor of Ireland under Richard III and Henry VII, but rebelled against Henry and was killed at the Battle of Stoke....
, Lord Chancellor of Ireland.