Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler
Encyclopedia
Theobald Walter or Theobald Butler or Theobald Walter le Boteler was the first Baron Butler and the first Chief Butler of Ireland. He also held the office of Butler of England and was the High Sheriff of Lancashire
for 1194. Theobald was the ancestor of the Butler family
of Ireland
. He was involved in the Irish campaigns of King Henry II of England
and John of England
. His eldest brother Hubert Walter
became the Archbishop of Canterbury
and justiciar
and Lord Chancellor
of England
.
- future Chief Justiciar and Archbishop of Caterbury, Walter, Roger and Hamon. Theobald Walter was brought up, along with his brother Hubert (the future Archbishop of Canterbury), by his uncle Ranulf de Glanvill, the great justiciar of Henry II
who had married his mother's sister Bertha.
of England. When Theobald accompanied Prince John to Ireland
in 1185, he was named Butler of Ireland and was also granted a large section of the north-eastern part of the Kingdom of Limerick.
As butler of Ireland in 1177 he and his successors were to attend the Kings of England at their coronation, and that day present them with the first cup of wine. Some time after, that King granted him the prisage of wines, to enable him, and his heirs, the better to support the dignity of that office. By this grant, he had two tons of wine out of every ship, which broke bulk in any trading port of Ireland, and was loaded with 20 tons of that commodity, and one ton from 9 to 20.
Theobald was active in the war that took place when Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
attempted to regain his throne after retiring to the monastery of Cong
, as Theobald's men were involved in the death of Donal Mór na Corra Mac Carthaigh during a parley in 1185 near Cork
. In 1194 Theobald supported his brother during Hubert's actions against Prince John, with Theobald receiving the surrender of John's supporters in Lancaster
. Theobald was rewarded with the office of sheriff of Lancaster, which he held until Christmas of 1198. He was again sheriff after John took the throne in 1199.
In early 1200, however, John deprived Theobald of all his offices and lands because of his irregularities as sheriff. His lands were not restored until January 1202.
Theobald founded the Abbey of Owney, in the townsland of Abington (meaning "the monastery of Uaithne"), of which nothing now remains, near the modern village of Murroe
in County Limerick
Ireland around 1200. He also founded the Cockersand Abbey
in Lancaster, Abbey of Nenagh
in County Tipperary
, and a monastic house at Arklow
in County Wicklow
.
, heiress of Robert le Vavasour, a baron of Yorkshire, John Lodge in the Peerage of Ireland in 1789 gave the year as 1189, but on no apparent authority, as no other author follows him on this. He died between 4 August 1205 and 14 February 14, 1206, and was buried at Owney abbey. Their children were Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland and a daughter Maud who married Gerard de Prendergast who had an only daughter who married John de Cogan.
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
for 1194. Theobald was the ancestor of the Butler family
Butler dynasty
Butler dynasty refers to the several branches of the Butler family that has its origins in the Cambro-Norman family that participated in the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century. Variant spellings include le Boteler and le Botiller. The surname has its origins in the hereditary office of...
of 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...
. He was involved in the Irish campaigns of King Henry II of England
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...
and John of England
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
. His eldest brother Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
became the Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and justiciar
Justiciar
In medieval England and Ireland the Chief Justiciar was roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister as the monarch's chief minister. Similar positions existed on the Continent, particularly in Norman Italy. The term is the English form of the medieval Latin justiciarius or justitiarius In...
and Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Family
Theobald was the son of Hervey Walter and his wife Maud de Valoignes, who was one of the daughters of Theobald de Valoignes. Their children were Theobald, HubertHubert Walter
Hubert Walter was an influential royal adviser in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries in the positions of Chief Justiciar of England, Archbishop of Canterbury, and Lord Chancellor. As chancellor, Walter began the keeping of the Charter Roll, a record of all charters issued by the...
- future Chief Justiciar and Archbishop of Caterbury, Walter, Roger and Hamon. Theobald Walter was brought up, along with his brother Hubert (the future Archbishop of Canterbury), by his uncle Ranulf de Glanvill, the great justiciar of 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...
who had married his mother's sister Bertha.
Career
Theobald's father had been the hereditary holder of the office of butlerButler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
of England. When Theobald accompanied Prince John to 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...
in 1185, he was named Butler of Ireland and was also granted a large section of the north-eastern part of the Kingdom of Limerick.
As butler of Ireland in 1177 he and his successors were to attend the Kings of England at their coronation, and that day present them with the first cup of wine. Some time after, that King granted him the prisage of wines, to enable him, and his heirs, the better to support the dignity of that office. By this grant, he had two tons of wine out of every ship, which broke bulk in any trading port of Ireland, and was loaded with 20 tons of that commodity, and one ton from 9 to 20.
Theobald was active in the war that took place when Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...
attempted to regain his throne after retiring to the monastery of Cong
Cong
Cong may refer to:*Cong , a form of jade artifact from ancient China*Cong , a Chinese surname.*Cống people, an indigenous people of about 1,700 in Vietnam*Cong, County Mayo, a village in the Republic of Ireland...
, as Theobald's men were involved in the death of Donal Mór na Corra Mac Carthaigh during a parley in 1185 near Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
. In 1194 Theobald supported his brother during Hubert's actions against Prince John, with Theobald receiving the surrender of John's supporters in Lancaster
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. Theobald was rewarded with the office of sheriff of Lancaster, which he held until Christmas of 1198. He was again sheriff after John took the throne in 1199.
In early 1200, however, John deprived Theobald of all his offices and lands because of his irregularities as sheriff. His lands were not restored until January 1202.
Theobald founded the Abbey of Owney, in the townsland of Abington (meaning "the monastery of Uaithne"), of which nothing now remains, near the modern village of Murroe
Murroe
Murroe, officially Moroe , is a small village in County Limerick, Ireland.Murroe is located in the north-eastern part of County Limerick approximately 15 km from Limerick City and close to the Tipperary border. Nearby towns include Cappamore and Newport. The village is located on the R506 road. It...
in County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
Ireland around 1200. He also founded the Cockersand Abbey
Cockersand Abbey
Cockersand Abbey is a former abbey near Cockerham in the City of Lancaster district of Lancashire, England. It was founded before 1184 as the Hospital of St Mary on the marsh belonging to Leicester Abbey. It was refounded as a Premonstratensian priory and subsequently elevated to an abbey in 1192...
in Lancaster, Abbey of Nenagh
Nenagh
Nenagh is the county town of North Tipperary in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of North Tipperary and in 2011 it had a recorded population of 7,995. It is a civil parish in the historical barony of Ormond Lower...
in County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, and a monastic house at Arklow
Arklow
Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...
in County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow 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 Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
.
Issue
Theobald married Maud le VavasourMaud le Vavasour
Maud le Vavasour, Baroness Butler was an Anglo-Norman heiress and the wife of Fulk FitzWarin, a medieval landed gentleman who was forced to become an outlaw in the early 13th century...
, heiress of Robert le Vavasour, a baron of Yorkshire, John Lodge in the Peerage of Ireland in 1789 gave the year as 1189, but on no apparent authority, as no other author follows him on this. He died between 4 August 1205 and 14 February 14, 1206, and was buried at Owney abbey. Their children were Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland and a daughter Maud who married Gerard de Prendergast who had an only daughter who married John de Cogan.