Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot facts for kids

Charles Wilmot, 1st Viscount Wilmot of Athlone (born around 1572 – died 1644) was an English soldier who was very active in Ireland.

Life and Military Career

Charles Wilmot was the son of Edward Wilmot and Elizabeth Stafford. He started studying at Magdalen College, Oxford in 1587 when he was about 16 years old. However, he left college without finishing his degree. Instead, he joined the army and served in the wars happening in Ireland. He might have joined with his neighbor, Sir Thomas Norris, who also went to Magdalen College.

Early Military Roles

By 1592, Wilmot became a captain. In early 1595, he was sent to Newry. In the same year, he led sixty foot soldiers at Carrickfergus. In 1597, Sir Thomas Norris, who was now in charge of the forces in Munster (a province in Ireland), made Wilmot a sergeant-major. Wilmot was promoted to colonel in 1598. He was knighted (given the title of "Sir") by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex in Dublin on August 5, 1599.

Fighting in the Nine Years' War

On June 23, 1600, Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy ordered George Carew to make Wilmot a member of the Munster council. For the next two years, Wilmot played a big part in the final stages of the Nine Years' War. This was a major conflict in Ireland.

In July 1600, Carew left Wilmot in charge of Carrigafoyle Castle on the River Shannon. Soon after, Wilmot was given command of a large force of 1,050 foot soldiers and 50 horsemen. With this force, he defeated Thomas Fitzmaurice, 18th Baron Kerry in October. In November, he captured Listowel Castle after a siege that lasted sixteen days.

On December 8, 1600, he was given the job of constable of Castle Maine. In July 1601, he became the governor of County Cork. On March 5, 1602, he took Rahinnane Castle. In July 1602, Carew left Munster. He suggested Wilmot should be the vice-president. However, Robert Cecil said the queen would not accept Wilmot for that role. Still, Wilmot became the commander-in-chief of the forces while Carew was away. In September 1602, he was made governor of Kerry. He spent that winter clearing Kerry of rebels.

In late December 1602 and early January 1603, he won many battles against the Irish in Beare and Bantry. He took control of the entire area. In February, he moved north-west, captured Lixnaw again, and took control of the Dingle peninsula. He then met up with Carew.

After the War

In March, Wilmot helped Sir George Thornton govern Munster while Carew was away. The city of Cork, however, refused to accept his authority and would not declare James I as king. They closed their gates against him. Wilmot set up his guns outside the city to stop them from destroying forts. He waited for Carew to return, and then the city finally surrendered. After this, Wilmot settled down as the governor of Kerry.

In 1606, he again worked with Thornton as a joint-commissioner for governing Munster. In November 1607, he was given a pension and became a member of the Irish privy council. This council advised the king on Irish affairs. On May 20, 1611, he was granted the job of marshal of Ireland, but he gave it up on August 24, 1617. He was a member of the English Parliament for Launceston from April 5 to June 17, 1614.

President of Connaught and Viscount

On June 3, 1616, he was appointed President of Connaught. This meant he was in charge of the Connaught province, and his main office was in Athlone. On January 4, 1621, he was given the title of Viscount Wilmot of Athlone. This made him a nobleman in Ireland. As a reward for his service, he also received lands, including the abbey of Carrickfergus in 1614.

While he was president of Connaught, Wilmot started a plan to rebuild Athlone. In 1621, Sir Charles Coote accused him of renting out and selling crown lands (lands belonging to the king) and keeping the money for himself. These accusations were investigated, but Wilmot's defense was accepted for a while. On November 7, 1625, he received a pardon.

King Charles I also renewed his appointment as president of Connaught. In October 1627, the king chose him to lead a group of soldiers to help at the Isle of Rhé. However, his fleet was delayed at Plymouth because they lacked supplies and then faced bad storms. The ships were damaged and had to return to port. Meanwhile, the English forces at La Rochelle had to retreat. Wilmot then returned to Ireland. On November 6, 1629, he was appointed general and commander-in-chief of the forces there.

On September 11, 1630, Roger Jones, 1st Viscount Ranelagh joined him as co-president of Connaught. On August 6, 1631, Wilmot was one of the people chosen to govern Dublin and Leinster when the main governors were away.

Later Life and Challenges

In 1631, Wilmot hoped to be chosen as the new lord deputy of Ireland. This was a very important position. However, Thomas Wentworth was chosen instead. Wilmot felt this was an insult. Wentworth soon started looking into financial problems, which led to arguments with Wilmot.

In September 1634, Wilmot's actions in Athlone were questioned again. An investigation started in early 1635. Irish law officers sued Wilmot for misbehavior and for taking crown lands. Wilmot tried to get back at Wentworth, but on October 3, 1635, he was forced to give in. On July 13, 1636, he asked for Wentworth's favor. Wentworth insisted that Wilmot return the crown lands, but this was not fully resolved before Wentworth left Ireland.

Wilmot was too old to fight in the Irish Rebellion of 1641. However, he kept his job as joint-president of Connaught until he died. He was alive on June 29, 1643, but he passed away before April 1644. At that time, his son Henry and Sir Charles Coote were appointed joint-presidents of Connaught. His will, written on May 21, 1643, mentions a house near Charing Cross next to Scotland Yard.

Family

Elizabeth Wilmot (1612–1635), statue from a monument in Burlescombe Church, Devon.

Charles Wilmot married his first wife, Sarah Anderson, around 1605. Sarah was the fourth daughter of Sir Henry Anderson, who was a sheriff of London. Sarah passed away on December 8, 1615. They had three sons and one daughter:

• Arthur Wilmot (born before 1610, died 1632). He married Penelope Hill. Penelope later married two more times. With her third husband, she became the mother of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of Orford, a famous politician.
• Charles Wilmot (baptized 1610/1, died unmarried before 1633).
• Elizabeth Wilmot (1612–1635). She was baptized on May 25, 1612. She married Arthur Ayshford. She died at age 23. There is a statue of her and her husband on a monument in Burlescombe Church, near Tiverton, Devon.
• Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester (baptized 1613 – died 1658). He married Frances Morton first, and then Anne St John.

Wilmot's second wife was Mary Colley. She was the daughter of Sir Henry Colley and the widow of Garret Moore, 1st Viscount Moore, who died in 1627. Mary lived until June 3, 1654. She was buried with her first husband. She wrote letters to the Parliament during the Irish wars, which caused some trouble for James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde. Charles and Mary did not have any children together.

Moresources

• British History Online Accessed 14 October 2007
• Oswald Barron, 'The Wild Wilmots', The Ancestor XI (1904), 2–4 20–21.
•   "Wilmot, Charles". Dictionary of National Biography. (1885–1900). London: Smith, Elder & Co.