Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh
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Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh PC (Ire)
(before 1589 – 1643) was a member of the Peerage of Ireland
and lord president of Connaught
. He was Chief Leader of the Army and Forces of Connaught during the early years of the Irish Confederate Wars
. In addition to Viscount Ranelagh
, he held the title Baron Jones of Navan.
Jones was the son of Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Thomas Jones
. He was knight
ed at Drogheda
on 24 March 1607. In 1609, he married Frances Moore, the daughter of Sir Garret Moore, eventual 1st Viscount Moore of Drogheda. Jones was a member of the Parliament of Ireland
for Trim, County Meath
from 1613 to 1615. In 1620, he was named to the privy council
of Ireland. He was the Chief Leader of the Army and Forces of Connaught
and was Vice President of Connaught from 1626.
In 1608 his father became involved in a bitter feud with Lord Howth, in which Roger also became embroiled. His reference to Howth as a brave man among cowards was enough to provoke his opponent, a notoriously quarrelsome man to violence. In the spring of 1609, Jones, Howth and their followers engaged in a violent fracas at a tennis court in Thomas Street, Dublin, and a Mr. Barnewall was killed. The Lord Deputy of Ireland
, Sir Arthur Chichester, an enemy of Howth, had him arrested immediately, though he was never brought to trial.
On 25 August 1628, Jones was created Baron Jones of Navan
and 1st Viscount Ranelagh
by King Charles I
. He was made Lord President of Connaught on 11 September 1630 to serve alongside Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot
.
Jones was killed in battle against Confederate
forces under the leadership of Owen Roe O'Neill
in 1643.
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(before 1589 – 1643) was a member of the Peerage 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,...
and lord president of Connaught
Lord President of Connaught
The Lord President of Connaught was a military leader with wide-ranging powers, reaching into the civil sphere, in the English government of Connaught in Ireland, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.*1569-1572 Sir Edward Fitton...
. He was Chief Leader of the Army and Forces of Connaught during the early years of the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish Confederate Wars
This article is concerned with the military history of Ireland from 1641-53. For the political context of this conflict, see Confederate Ireland....
. In addition to Viscount Ranelagh
Viscount Ranelagh
The titles of Viscount Ranelagh and Baron Jones of Navan were created in the Peerage of Ireland by Charles I on 25 August 1628 to Sir Roger Jones, son of Thomas Jones Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Thomas Jones father was Henry Jones, Esq. of Middleton in Lancashire...
, he held the title Baron Jones of Navan.
Jones was the son of Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland, Thomas Jones
Thomas Jones (Archbishop)
Thomas Jones was Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was also Dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral and Bishop of Meath and the patrilineal ancestor of the Viscounts Ranelagh....
. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed 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....
on 24 March 1607. In 1609, he married Frances Moore, the daughter of Sir Garret Moore, eventual 1st Viscount Moore of Drogheda. Jones was a member of the Parliament of Ireland
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland was a legislature that existed in Dublin from 1297 until 1800. In its early mediaeval period during the Lordship of Ireland it consisted of either two or three chambers: the House of Commons, elected by a very restricted suffrage, the House of Lords in which the lords...
for Trim, County Meath
Trim, County Meath
Trim is the traditional county town of County Meath in Ireland, although the county town is now Navan. The town was recorded in the 2006 census to have a population of 6,870....
from 1613 to 1615. In 1620, he was named to the privy council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
of Ireland. He was the Chief Leader of the Army and Forces of Connaught
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
and was Vice President of Connaught from 1626.
In 1608 his father became involved in a bitter feud with Lord Howth, in which Roger also became embroiled. His reference to Howth as a brave man among cowards was enough to provoke his opponent, a notoriously quarrelsome man to violence. In the spring of 1609, Jones, Howth and their followers engaged in a violent fracas at a tennis court in Thomas Street, Dublin, and a Mr. Barnewall was killed. The 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...
, Sir Arthur Chichester, an enemy of Howth, had him arrested immediately, though he was never brought to trial.
On 25 August 1628, Jones was created Baron Jones of Navan
Navan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
and 1st Viscount Ranelagh
Viscount Ranelagh
The titles of Viscount Ranelagh and Baron Jones of Navan were created in the Peerage of Ireland by Charles I on 25 August 1628 to Sir Roger Jones, son of Thomas Jones Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Thomas Jones father was Henry Jones, Esq. of Middleton in Lancashire...
by King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
. He was made Lord President of Connaught on 11 September 1630 to serve alongside Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot
Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot
Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot of Athlone was an English soldier active in Ireland.-Life:He was the son of Edward Wilmot of Culham and Elizabeth Stafford...
.
Jones was killed in battle against Confederate
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
forces under the leadership of Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill
Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
in 1643.
Family
Several children of the 1st Viscount Ranelagh maintained the family's prominence:- Arthur Jones, 2nd Viscount RanelaghArthur Jones, 2nd Viscount RanelaghArthur Jones, 2nd Viscount Ranelagh was an Irish politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1643.Jones was the son of Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh and his wife Frances Moore, daughter of Sir Garret Moore, eventual 1st Viscount Moore of Drogheda. He succeeded to the titles of...
, married Lady Catherine Boyle, who was the daughter of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of CorkRichard Boyle, 1st Earl of CorkRichard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork , also known as the Great Earl of Cork, was Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland....
, and also the older sister of pioneering chemist Robert BoyleRobert BoyleRobert Boyle FRS was a 17th century natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, and inventor, also noted for his writings in theology. He has been variously described as English, Irish, or Anglo-Irish, his father having come to Ireland from England during the time of the English plantations of...
. - Lady Margaret Jones married John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount MassereeneJohn Clotworthy, 1st Viscount MassereeneJohn Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene was an Anglo-Irish politician.-Life:He was a son of Sir Hugh Clotworthy, sheriff of county Antrim....
. - Mary Jones married Lieutenant ColonelLieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
John Chichester, son of Edward Chichester, 1st Viscount ChichesterEdward Chichester, 1st Viscount ChichesterEdward Chichester, 1st Viscount Chichester was the younger brother of Arthur Chichester, Baron Chichester. He was knighted in 1616, and after his brother's death in 1625 was in his memory ennobled as Viscount Chichester, of Carrickfergus in the County of Antrim, and Baron Chichester, of Belfast in...
. Their son inherited the title Arthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of DonegallArthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of DonegallArthur Chichester, 2nd Earl of Donegall was an Anglo-Irish politician.Chichester was the son of Lieutenant Colonel John Chichester, of Dungannon, County Tyrone, the latter being the younger brother of Arthur Chichester, 1st Earl of Donegall...
. - Thomas Jones, whose descendants reclaimed the Ranelagh Viscountcy after a period of dormancy following the death of Richard Jones, 1st Earl of RanelaghRichard Jones, 1st Earl of RanelaghRichard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh PC FRS , known as The Viscount Ranelagh between 1669 and 1677, was an Irish peer, politician both in the Parliaments of England and Ireland.-Background:...
.