Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormonde
Encyclopedia
Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormonde and 4th Earl of Ossory (1569 – 1632/3), was an Irish peer, the son of John Butler of Kilcash
(who was the son of the 9th Earl
) and of Lady Katherine MacCarthy, herself the daughter of Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
. He inherited the earldom because his uncle Thomas (Black Tom or Thomas Dubh) had died without legitimate male issue.
. The failure of Henry VIII of England
's policy of maintaining a balance of power between the Butlers and Geraldines had been made all too apparent by the Battle of Affane
. King James sought a different solution, by engineering the marriage of Black Tom's daughter and heiress, Elizabeth Butler, with one of his own Scottish favourite
s, Richard Preston. He made Preston Earl of Desmond
and awarded Elizabeth instead of Walter, most of the Ormond estates.
After much time and money had been spent in litigation, King James made an award which Earl Walter refused to submit to. He was thereupon, in 1617, committed to the Fleet prison
, where he remained for eight years in great want, no rents reaching him from his estate. James meanwhile brought a writ of quo warranto against him for the county palatine of Tipperary
, which had been vested in the head of the family for nearly four hundred years, and which could not therefore under any circumstances have belonged to his cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Preston; no answer was made to the writ, if indeed an opportunity was afforded for answer, and James took the county palatine into his own hands.
Earl Walter was set at liberty in 1625 and a large part of his estates restored to him. For some while he lived in a house in Drury Lane, London, with his grandson James, afterwards Duke of Ormonde. In 1629, on the projected marriage of his grandson and Elizabeth Preston, Charles I of England
granted her marriage and the wardship of her lands to him by letters patent dated 8 Sept. After the marriage he was recognised, 9 Oct. 1630, as heir to the lands of his uncle, Earl Thomas, as well as of Sir John Butler his father.
Walter also suffered problems within his own family. His son Thomas, Viscount Thurles, married the daughter of Sir John Poyntz of Gloucestershire
against Walter's wish, and years later, he was accidentally drowned at The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey at the beginning of Walter's long imprisonment in the Fleet Prison
. Viscount Thurles was a prominent Catholic and at the time of his death, was being sent to England on charges of having garrisoned Kilkenny
.
He died at Carrick-on-Suir
on 24 Feb. 1632-3, and was buried in St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny on 18 June 1633.
, (also known as Ellen) daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret
and Grizel FitzPatrick. Their common great-grandfather was Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond. Their children were:
John Butler of Kilcash
John Butler of Kilcash was the third son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and Lady Joan Fitzgerald.-Marriage and issue:...
(who was the son of the 9th Earl
James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormonde
James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory was the son of Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond and Lady Margaret Fitzgerald...
) and of Lady Katherine MacCarthy, herself the daughter of Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery
Cormac na Haoine was the 10th Prince of Carbery from 1531–1567. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty.He was the eldest son of Donal MacCarthy Reagh, 9th Prince of Carbery Cormac na Haoine (1490–1567) was the 10th Prince of Carbery from 1531–1567. He belonged to the MacCarthy Reagh...
. He inherited the earldom because his uncle Thomas (Black Tom or Thomas Dubh) had died without legitimate male issue.
Life and career
He served as a Member of Parliament for Tipperary. Consistently a devout Catholic, he was known as "Walter of the Beads". His claim to the family estates was thwarted by James I of EnglandJames I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. The failure of Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's policy of maintaining a balance of power between the Butlers and Geraldines had been made all too apparent by the Battle of Affane
Battle of Affane
The Battle of Affane was fought in county Waterford, in south-eastern Ireland, in 1565, between the forces of the Fitzgerald Earl of Desmond and the Butler Earl of Ormond. The battle ended in the rout of the Desmond forces...
. King James sought a different solution, by engineering the marriage of Black Tom's daughter and heiress, Elizabeth Butler, with one of his own Scottish favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
s, Richard Preston. He made Preston Earl of Desmond
Earl of Desmond
The 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....
and awarded Elizabeth instead of Walter, most of the Ormond estates.
After much time and money had been spent in litigation, King James made an award which Earl Walter refused to submit to. He was thereupon, in 1617, committed to the Fleet prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
, where he remained for eight years in great want, no rents reaching him from his estate. James meanwhile brought a writ of quo warranto against him for the county palatine of Tipperary
Tipperary
Tipperary is a town and a civil parish in South Tipperary in Ireland. Its population was 4,415 at the 2006 census. It is also an ecclesiastical parish in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly, and is in the historical barony of Clanwilliam....
, which had been vested in the head of the family for nearly four hundred years, and which could not therefore under any circumstances have belonged to his cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Preston; no answer was made to the writ, if indeed an opportunity was afforded for answer, and James took the county palatine into his own hands.
Earl Walter was set at liberty in 1625 and a large part of his estates restored to him. For some while he lived in a house in Drury Lane, London, with his grandson James, afterwards Duke of Ormonde. In 1629, on the projected marriage of his grandson and Elizabeth Preston, Charles I of England
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...
granted her marriage and the wardship of her lands to him by letters patent dated 8 Sept. After the marriage he was recognised, 9 Oct. 1630, as heir to the lands of his uncle, Earl Thomas, as well as of Sir John Butler his father.
Walter also suffered problems within his own family. His son Thomas, Viscount Thurles, married the daughter of Sir John Poyntz of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
against Walter's wish, and years later, he was accidentally drowned at The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey at the beginning of Walter's long imprisonment in the Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
. Viscount Thurles was a prominent Catholic and at the time of his death, was being sent to England on charges of having garrisoned Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
.
He died at Carrick-on-Suir
Carrick-on-Suir
Carrick-on-Suir is a town in South Tipperary in Ireland. As the name – meaning "the rock of the Suir" – suggests, the town is situated on the River Suir. The of the town gives the population as 5,906 and shows that it has grown by 5.7% since 2002...
on 24 Feb. 1632-3, and was buried in St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny on 18 June 1633.
Marriage and issue
He married his second cousin Hon. Helen ButlerHelen Butler
Helen Butler , also known as the Honorable Helen Butler, was the daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret and Grizel FitzPatrick. She married her second cousin Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond...
, (also known as Ellen) daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret
Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret
Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret , was the son of Richard Butler, 1st Viscount Mountgarret and Eleanor Butler. He married Grany or Grizzel FitzPatrick, daughter of Barnaby Fitzpatrick, 1st Baron Upper Ossory....
and Grizel FitzPatrick. Their common great-grandfather was Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond. Their children were:
- Ellis Butler (d. 19 February 1625)
- Ellen Butler (d. 16 June 1663) who married Pierce Butler, 1st Viscount Ikerrin
- Thomas Butler, Viscount ThurlesThomas Butler, Viscount ThurlesThomas Butler, Viscount Thurles was the son of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and the Honorable Helen Butler. He resided at Thurles Castle, Thurles, County Tipperary...
(1594–1619), who married Elizabeth Poyntz, daughter of Sir John Poyntz. Kt. and had issue. - Elizabeth Butler (b. 1631)