Biography of Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare 1525-1585

Before 8th July 1503, the date Mrgrate Tudor left on her journet to Scotland, [his father] Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare [aged 16] and Elizabeth Zouche Countess Kildare were married at Collyweston Palace [Map]. She by marriage Countess Kildare. He the son of [his grandfather] Gerald Fitzgerald 8th Earl of Kildare [aged 47] and [his grandmother] Alice Fitzeustace Countess Kildare.

Around 1522 [his father] Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare [aged 35] and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare [aged 25] were married. She by marriage Countess Kildare. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Grey 1st Marquess Dorset and [his grandmother] Cecily Bonville Marchioness Dorset [aged 61]. He the son of Gerald Fitzgerald 8th Earl of Kildare and Alice Fitzeustace Countess Kildare.

In 1525 Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare was born to Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare [aged 38] and Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare [aged 28].

On 12th December 1534, some sources say the 13th, [his father] Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare [aged 47] died whilst imprisoned at the Tower of London [Map]. He was buried at the St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map]. His son [his half-brother] Thomas [aged 21] succeeded 10th Earl Kildare. His son, and five of his brothers were executed just over two years later - see Execution of the Fitzgeralds.

After 31st March 1540 [his brother-in-law] Anthony Browne [aged 40] and [his sister] Elizabeth "The Fair Geraldine" Fitzgerald Countess Lincoln [aged 13] were married. The difference in their ages was 27 years. She the daughter of [his father] Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare [aged 43]. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

After 1548 [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare [deceased] died.

On 1st October 1552 [his brother-in-law] Edward Clinton 1st Earl Lincoln [aged 40] and [his sister] Elizabeth "The Fair Geraldine" Fitzgerald Countess Lincoln [aged 25] were married. She the daughter of [his father] Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare and [his mother] Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare. They were half fourth cousins. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 14th May 1554. The xiiij day of May was creatyd my lord Garrett [aged 29] the yerle of Kyldare. [Note. This was a restoration rather than creation.]

Note. P. 63. Lord Garrett created earl of Kildare. Gerald Fitzgerald, reckoned as the eleventh earl in succession of his family. His father [Note. brother?] Thomas was executed at Tyburn, together with his five uncles, on the 2d Feb. 1535; his grandfather [Note. father?] Gerald the ninth earl having died a prisoner in the Tower of London on the 12th Dec. preceding; and was subsequently pronounced attainted by an act of Parliament in Ireland passed in May 1536. The young lord Garrett, or FitzGerald, having been educated abroad, is said to have been introduced to the court of king Edward the Sixth, and knighted by him in 1552 (Lodge's Peerage of Ireland, by Archdall, vol. i. p. 94); but we have seen (p. 334) that the latter statement is erroneous, and it is more probable that he did not return before his kinsman and patron cardinal Pole and other eminent members of the old communion. His patent of restoration was dated May 13, 1554, (Lodge,) and in the following November he returned to Ireland. He was now thirty years of age, and he died in London, Nov. 16, 1585.

On 14th May 1554 Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 29] was restored 11th Earl Kildare.

On 28th May 1554 Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 29] and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 18] were married at the Chapel Royal, St James's Palace. She by marriage Countess Kildare. He the son of Gerald Fitzgerald 9th Earl of Kildare and Elizabeth Grey Countess Kildare. They were third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 28th December 1559 [his son] Gerald Fitzgerald Baron Offaly was born to Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 34] and [his wife] Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 23]. He married October 1578 his sixth cousin Catherine Knollys Baroness Offaly and had issue.

In 1562 [his son] Henry Fitzgerald 12th Earl of Kildare was born to Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 37] and [his wife] Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 26]. He married 1589 his fifth cousin once removed Frances Howard Countess Kildare, daughter of Charles Howard 1st Earl Nottingham and Katherine Carey Countess Nottingham, and had issue.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 4th January 1562. The iiij day of January cam to the c[ourt the] yerle of Kyldare [aged 37], and browth the grett O'Nelle [aged 32] of Yrland, for he had the charge of hym [to bring] hym to the quen.

Note. P. 274. The great O'Neill of Ireland. This person, whom our Diarist in the next page takes the liberty to call "the wild Irishman," was John or Shane O'Neill, eldest son of Connac O'Neill, created earl of Tyrone by Henry VIII. in 1542. After a career the turbulence of which fully justifies Machyn's epithet, he was slain in the year 1567, by Alexander Oge MacConnell.

Henry Machyn's Diary. 1st July 1562. The furst day of July was the Marchand-tayllers' fest, and dynyd my lord mare [aged 66], the yerle of Sussex [aged 37], the yerle of Kyldare [aged 37], ser (blank) Stanley, and ser Thomas Whytt, ser Thomas Offeley [aged 62] and master Ro .., ser Wyllyam Huett, ser Marten Bowes [aged 65], master Cowper, master Allen, master Gyl[bert,] master Chamburlayn altherman, master Champyon, master Avenon, master Malere, and master Baskerfeld, and the master and the iiij wardens and the clarkes and the bedyll of the Skynnars, and mony worshephull men, and mony lades and gentyllwomen, and they had agaynst the dynner iijxx and (blank) bukes [bucks] and iiij stages; and master Wylliam Allen [aged 47] electyd shreyff for the quen, and master Whettelle the master, and master Raff Whytt hed warden and master Mar .. and master serjant Halle and master Browne wardens; and master Garter [aged 52] and master Clarenshux [aged 52] dynyd there.

Note. P. 287. The Skinners attend the Merchant-taylors' feast. In the 1st Rich. III. a dispute for precedency between the Skinners and Merchant-taylors was determined by agreement that either should take precedence in alternate years, and that the master and wardens of each should dine with the other company on their respective feasts of Corpus Christi and the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. See the ordinance effecting this arrangement in Herbert's Twelve City Companies, vol. ii. p. 319; and see remarks by the present writer in Archæologia, vol. xxx. p. 500.

In 1572 [his brother-in-law] Edward Clinton 1st Earl Lincoln [aged 60] was created 1st Earl Lincoln. [his sister] Elizabeth "The Fair Geraldine" Fitzgerald Countess Lincoln [aged 45] by marriage Countess Lincoln.

In October 1578 Gerald Fitzgerald Baron Offaly [aged 18] and Catherine Knollys Baroness Offaly [aged 18] were married. She by marriage Baroness Offaly. He the son of Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 53] and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 42]. They were sixth cousins.

In June 1580 [his son] Gerald Fitzgerald Baron Offaly [aged 20] died.

After 6th November 1585 [his son-in-law] Donogh O'Brien 4th Earl Thomond and Elizabeth Fitzgerald Countess Thomond were married. She by marriage Countess Thomond. She the daughter of Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 60] and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 49]. They were second cousin once removed.

On 16th November 1585 Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare [aged 60] died. His son Henry [aged 23] succeeded 12th Earl Kildare.

On 12th January 1617 [his former wife] Mabel Browne Countess Kildare [aged 81] died.

[his daughter] Elizabeth Fitzgerald Countess Thomond was born to Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare. She married after 6th November 1585 her second cousin once removed Donogh O'Brien 4th Earl Thomond and had issue.

Chronicle of Edward Hall [1496-1548]. In this yere the lord [his uncle] Leonard Gray, brother to Thomas lord Marques Dorset, being the King's Lieutenant in Ireland, practised sundry feats for his profit, as in delivering traitors being hostages, and especially his nephew Fitzgerald, brother to Thomas Fitzgerald before executed, and also caused such of the Irishe men, as he had intelligence with all, to invade such of the King's friends, which he favoured not. Wherefore the king sent for him, and he mistrusting and seeing no refuge wrote to the King's enemies, to invade the English pale after his departure. And also he kept the King's treasure, to his own use, without retaining soldiers, according to his commission whereupon, when he came to London, he was sent to the Tower [Map].

[his daughter] Mary Fitzgerald was born to Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare. She married Christopher Nugent and had issue.

[his son] William Fitzgerald 13th Earl of Kildare was born to Gerald "Wizard Earl" Fitzgerald 11th Earl of Kildare and Mabel Browne Countess Kildare.