Biography of Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond 1533-1583

Paternal Family Tree: Fitzgerald

Before 1531 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and Joan Roche were married. The date speculative. He the son of [his grandfather] John Fitzgerald 12th Earl Desmond and [his grandmother] Móre O'Brien. They were great uncle and niece.

Before 1532 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and Joan Roche marriage annulled. The date speculative. as is the reason; probably consangunity given that she was his great niece. In addition to repusiating his wife he also bastardised their son [his half-brother] Thomas Ruadh FitzGerald of Conna whose grandson would claim the Earldom.

Before 21st December 1532 James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory (age 31) and [his future wife] Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 23) were married. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. He the son of Piers "Red" Butler 8th Earl Ormonde 1st Earl Ossory (age 65) and Margaret Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory. They were fifth cousins.

In or before 1533 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and [his mother] More O'Carroll were married. He the son of [his grandfather] John Fitzgerald 12th Earl Desmond and [his grandmother] Móre O'Brien.

Around 1533 Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond was born to James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and More O'Carroll.

In 1548 [his mother] More O'Carroll died.

In or after 1548 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and [his step-mother] Catherine Butler (age 42) were married. She the daughter of Piers "Red" Butler 8th Earl Ormonde 1st Earl Ossory and Margaret Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory. He the son of [his grandfather] John Fitzgerald 12th Earl Desmond and [his grandmother] Móre O'Brien. They were half fourth cousin once removed.

In August 1548 Francis Bryan (age 58) and [his future wife] Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 39) were married. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond.

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The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

In 1551 Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond (age 18) and Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 42) were married. No issue. A political marriage; the age difference being twenty-four years. She was the eldest daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. The marriage brought a temporary truce to the Desmond and Ormonde factions. The difference in their ages was 24 years; she, unusually, being older than him. She the daughter of James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond. He the son of James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and More O'Carroll. They were second cousins.

After 17th March 1553 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and Evelyn MacCarthy Mor were married. He the son of [his grandfather] John Fitzgerald 12th Earl Desmond and [his grandmother] Móre O'Brien.

On 14th October 1558 [his father] James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond died.

Around 1559 [his step-son] Thomas "Black Tom" Butler 10th Earl Ormonde 3rd Earl Ossory (age 27) and Elizabeth Berkeley Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 24) were married. She by marriage Countess Ormonde, Countess Ossory. He the son of James Butler 9th Earl Ormonde 2nd Earl Ossory and [his wife] Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 50).

On 2nd January 1565 [his wife] Joan Fitzgerald Countess Ormonde and Ossory (age 56) died.

After 2nd January 1565 Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond (age 32) and Eleanor Butler were married. He the son of James Fitzgerald 13th Earl Desmond and More O'Carroll.

After 1566 [his son-in-law] Maurice Roche 6th Viscount Fermoy and [his daughter] Catherine Fitzgerald Viscountess Fermoy were married. They were half fourth cousins.

Selections from Old Kerry Records Page 117. [9th November 1583] "On Saturday 9th of this November, the Earle (age 50) left the woods near the Island of Kerrie (Castle Island) and went westward beyond Tramore to Doiremore (Derry More) Wood near Bonyonider, from whence he sent two of his horsemen with eighteen kernes to bring him a preye; they • went to Cahirnafahye and there took a preye of Maurice Mac Owen brother-in-law of Deponent, forty cowes, nine coppuls with household stufte, and stripped naked the said Maurice his wife and children. The preyers to terrify the people from making pursuite gave oute that the Earle and the rest of his companye were close at hand. Maurice Mac Owen sent word to Lieutenant Stanley at Dingell,to Deponent and his brother Donill Mac Donill of the taking of the preye: whereupon Deponent and his brother Donill having word sent them from Lieutenant Stanley to pursue, and track out the preye, and to call to their ayde the Ward ot Castle-Mang, set forward being fourteen proper Kernes in companie. He obtained five souldiers from the Constable of Castle-Mang, and came up with the others on the mountain of Slieve-Misse; ...

Selections from Old Kerry Records Page 117. [11th November 1583] In the dawning of the day on Mundaye, the 11th of November, they put themselves in order to set upon the traytors in their cabins; this examinate with his brother Donnil with their kerne broke the foreward, (went first) and appointed the souldiers to keepe the rereward, saving that one Daniel O'Kelly, a souldier, which had but his sword and target stood in the forewarde with them; they all making a greate crye entered the cabbin, where the Earle lay, and this Deponent ran round throwe the cabbin after the Earle's companie which fledde to the woode, and at his return backe to the cabbin doore, the Earle being stroken by one of the companie by whom certayne hee knoweth not, (but that alle the footemenne and souldiers were together within the cabbin.) hee discovered himselfe sayinge, "I am the Earle of Desmond (age 50). Save my lyfe!" To whom this Deponent answered, — "thou hast killed thyself long agone, and noue thou shalt be prisoner to the Queen's Majestic and to the Earl of Ormonde, Lord Gcnerall of Munster." whereon this Deponent took him by his arme being cutte, and willed the Earle to make spcede else they would carrye awayc his headc seeing the traytours drew very neare to have him rescued. Whereupon Donnil Mae Donnil sayde, " I will carry him on my backe awhile and so shall every one of you;" Donnil carried him a good while and being weary he put him ofTe, the traytors being at hande all the companie refused to carry him anie furtherfrom Castle Mang sent after the track declared they would proceed no further, but Deponent promised them "two beeves of the prey" if they succeeded in recovering it. The men agreeing, the party went forward, and the track was followed by daylight to Ballyore, and by moonlight toward Glamiageeiitie at Slieve Loughra, when the Deponent and his elder brother got up above the glenne to view whether they might see anie fire in the woode, or heare anie stirre, and having come to the heighte over the glin they saw a fire underneath them. Donnil went to spy and returned reporting there were some persons there, but no cattel; they agreed to wait until the preye was found with them. In the dawning of the day on Mundaye, the nth of November, they put themselves in order to set upon the traytors in their cabins; this examinate with his brother Donnil with their kerne broke the foreward, (went first) and appointed the souldiers to kecpe the rereward, saving that one Daniel O'Kelly, a souldier, which had but his sword and target stood in the forewarde with them; they all making a greate cryc entered the cabbin, where the Earle lay, and this Deponent ran round throwe the cabbin after the Earle's companie which fledde to the woode, and at his return backe to the cabbin doore, the Earle being stroken by one of the companie by whom certayne hee knoweth not, (but that alle the footemenne and souldiers were together within the cabbin.) hee discovered himselfe sayinge, " I am the Earle of Desmond.' Save my lyfe!" To whom this Deponent answered, — "thou hast killed thyself long agone, and noue thou shalt be prisoner to the Queen's Majestic and to the Earl of Ormonde, Lord Gcnerall of Munster." whereon this Deponent took him by his arme being cutte, and willed the Earle to make speede else they would carrye awayc his headc seeing the traytours drew very neare to have him rescued. Whereupon Donnil Mae Donnil sayde, " I will carry him on my backe awhile and so shall every one of you;" Donnil carried him a good while and being weary he put him offe, the traytors being at hande all the companie refused to carry him anie further considering the eminent danger they stood in, the traytours drawing ncarc. Whereat this Deponent willed the souldier, Daniel CPKelly, to cut off the Erie's head for that they could not apply to fight and to carry him away, to whose direction Kelly obeyed, drawing out his sword and striking off the Erie's head, which they brought to Castle Mang to be kept there, till they were ready to take it to the Lord General. Daniel OKelly being examined testified to the above narrative, and stated that he himself wounded the Erie in the cabbin. Saide before the Right Honourable the Erie of Ormonde, the Bishop of Ossory and the Sovereign of Kilkenny."

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On 11th November 1583 Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond (age 50) was beheaded in Glenageenty Wood near Tralee, County Kerry.

[his daughter] Catherine Fitzgerald Viscountess Fermoy was born to Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond and Eleanor Butler.

[his daughter] Ellen Fitzgerald was born to Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond and Eleanor Butler.

Biography of Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond 1533-1583

Royal Ancestors of Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond 1533-1583

Ancestors of Gerald Fitzgerald 14th Earl Desmond 1533-1583