James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond
James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond (4 October 1331 – 18 October 1382) was a noble in the Peerage of Ireland. He was Lord Justice of Ireland in 1359, 1364, and 1376.
The son of James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond and Eleanor de Bohun, James was born at Kilkenny and given in ward, 1 September 1344, to Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond, for the fine of 2306 marcs; and afterward to Sir John Darcy who married him to his daughter Elizabeth. He was usually called The Noble Earl, being a great-grandson of King Edward I of England.[1]
Career
In 1362, he slew 600 of Mac Murrough's followers at Teigstaffen (County Kilkenny). On 22 April 1364, was appointed L.D. to the Duke of Clarence. He was L.J. by 24 July 1376, with a salary of £500 a year, in which office he was continued by King Richard II of England. On 2 April 1372, he was made constable of Dublin Castle, with the fee of £18 5s. a year.[2] He was summoned to the Parliaments held by Richard II.
He died 18 October 1382 in his castle of Knocktopher (near which he had, in 1356, founded a Friary for Carmelite friars). He was buried in St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny.
Marriage and issue
On 15 May 1346, he married Elizabeth Darcy, daughter of Sir John Darcy, Knight of Knaith (another Lord Justice of Ireland) and Joan de Burgh. They had four children:
- James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond (1376–1405).
- Thomas Butler, Justice of Cork
- Ellen Butler who married the poet Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond. She died in 1404.
- Jean Butler who married Teige O'Carroll, Prince of Éile. She died of the plague in 1383.
See also
References
- Richardson, Douglas, and Kimball G. Everingham. Magna Carta Ancestry A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. Royal ancestry series. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2005. googlebooks Accessed November 9, 2007
- Butler family Accessed November 9, 2007
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