Maurice FitzGerald

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Maurice FitzGerald († September 1, 1176 in Wexford ) was a Cambodian nobleman and one of the leaders of the first Anglo -Norman invasion of Ireland .

He was a son of Gerald of Windsor , the constable of Pembroke , and the Welsh princess Nest ferch Rhys . His brother David became Bishop of St Davids , through his mother he had numerous half-brothers, including Robert FitzHenry , Henry FitzHenry and Robert FitzStephen .

In 1136 he was one of the leaders in the Battle of Crug Mawr , the outcome of which led to the loss of Anglo-Norman rule over Ceredigion . In 1146 he was Lord of Emlyn and Constable of Llansteffan Castle . When the castle was conquered in 1146 by the Welsh under Cadell ap Gruffydd and Hywel ab Owain , he made a fruitless attempt to recapture it.

In 1167 Diarmuid Mac Murchadha Caomhánach , the king of Leinster , who was driven into exile by the then High King of Connacht , Ruaidhrí Ua Conchobair and his ally Tigernán Ua Ruairc in August 1166, gave support to the English king Henry II Henry II However, Diarmuid did not make any concrete commitments, so he went to Wales, where he won Maurice FitzGerald for his cause. Maurice was to support him with a force in the reconquest of Leinster, in return Diarmuid offered rule over Wexford . Maurice agreed with Rhys ap Gruffydd , the Welsh prince of Deheubarth, that his half-brother Robert FitzStephen would be released from his captivity if he took part in a campaign to Ireland. In May 1169 Maurice left Milford with Robert FitzStephen and his nephews Meiler FitzHenry and Miles of St Davids and an army of nearly 400 men and landed in Bannow Bay on the south coast of Wexford . This made their forces the first Anglo-Norman army to land in Ireland. The following day they received support from Maurice Prendergast , who also landed in the bay with over 300 men. Together with Diarmuids Irish warriors, they were able to conquer Wexford. In a subsequent campaign they marched to Osraige , where they attacked Ruaidri Ua Conchobair with his army. The Anglo-Normans were able to repel the attack and finally negotiated a treaty according to which Diarmuid recognized Ruaidri as the High King and Diarmudi remained ruler of Leinster, while the Anglo-Normans kept Wexford. Then Maurice made his first foray towards Dublin .

On August 23, 1170 Richard Strongbow landed with another Anglo-Norman force in Ireland. Maurice joined him with his troops and supported him in the conquest of Waterford , which was conquered on August 25th. Strongbow then managed to capture Dublin on September 21. After Diarmuid died in the spring of 1171, Strongbow, who had meanwhile become Diarmuid's son-in-law, tried to succeed him. However, this led to a rebellion by the Irish, as a result of which the Anglo-Normans in Dublin were besieged by a nephew of Diarmuids and Ruaidri. Maurice and his nephew Raymond FitzGerald were among the defenders who, after a two-month siege, finally ventured out of the city and put the Irish to flight.

In October 1171, Henry II landed in Ireland. He determined Wexford to royal possession and thus passed the claims of FitzGerald, but handed over the administration of the Cantred Uí Fáeláin and Naas to him . He was present when Tigernán Ua Ruairc , King of Brefni, was killed in 1172 while negotiating with the royal deputy Hugh de Lacy on the hill of Tlachtga in Meath . FitzGerald returned to Wales, but Strongbow asked him back to Ireland in 1173. Maurice had to hand over the administration of Uí Fáeláin to Strongbow, but received a fief from Strongbow in Wicklow between Bray and Arklow . To secure his property, he built The Black Castle near Wicklow .

Family and offspring

He was married to Alice, a daughter of Arnulf de Montgomery . They had the following children:

  • Nest ∞ Hervey de Montmorency
  • William († 1199) ∞ Alina de Clare, a daughter of Strongbow
  • Gerald († 1204) ∞ Eva of Bermingham
  • Thomas Fitz Maurice FitzGerald

Maurice Erbe became his son William. The wife of his son Gerald became heiress of the Offaly lordship, and her descendants were made Earl of Kildare in 1316 . Thomas fitz Maurice FitzGerald became the progenitor of the Earls of Desmond .

Web links

  • MT Flanagan: [1] Fitzgerald, Maurice . In: Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed November 16, 2013
  • Bertie George Charles: [2] Fitzgerald, Maurice . In: Welsh Biography Online . The National Library of Wales, accessed November 16, 2013

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Homepage of Wicklow: Black Castle. Retrieved November 16, 2013 .