David Rothe facts for kids

David Rothe (born 1573, died 1650) was an important Roman Catholic Bishop of Ossory in Ireland. He lived during a very challenging time for Catholics in Ireland. He worked hard to support his faith and his community.

David Rothe's Life Story

Early Life and Education

David Rothe was born in 1573 in Kilkenny, Ireland. His family had connections to important people, like the Earl of Ormond. He traveled to Europe to study, first at the Irish College in Douai and then at the University of Salamanca in Spain. There, he earned a special degree as a doctor in both civil and church law. He became a priest in 1600 and then went to Rome.

From 1601 to 1609, he taught theology and worked as a secretary for Peter Lombard (Archbishop of Armagh). In 1609, he was given an important role as Vice-Primate of Armagh.

Returning to Ireland

Rothe was given the title of prothonotary Apostolic, which meant he had special authority from the Pope. He returned to Ireland in 1610. He lived in Kilkenny City and sometimes with his cousin, Richard Butler, 3rd Viscount Mountgarret, in Balleen.

One of his first jobs was to help solve disagreements between different groups of priests. He held important meetings, called synods, for the Ulster Province in Drogheda in 1614 and again in 1618. The government watched Rothe closely, but he was never put in prison or sent away, probably because of his powerful friends like Lord Mountgarret.

Becoming a Bishop

David Rothe was chosen to be the Bishop of Ossory on October 10, 1618. At this time, many of Ireland's top archbishops were living in other countries because of strict laws against Catholics. Because of these laws, he had to travel to Paris to become a bishop, which happened on April 1, 1619. He came back to Ireland in late 1621 and quickly became one of the most well-known bishops in the country.

Role in Kilkenny

In 1624, Rothe led another synod in Kilkenny. He worked very hard during a difficult period for Catholics. Because of Rothe's importance and the peaceful situation in Kilkenny, the Confederates (a group of Irish Catholics who formed their own government) held their 'parliament' in the city in 1642. Rothe also welcomed the Pope's special representative, Rinuccini, to Kilkenny in 1645.

Later, in 1648, Rothe disagreed with some of Rinuccini's decisions. Like other bishops appointed around that time, David Rothe tended to be more understanding towards the government.

Final Years

Even though he was very sick in 1649, Rothe continued to help the people of Kilkenny who were suffering from a terrible plague. However, soldiers loyal to Cromwell forced him to leave on March 28, 1650. After being robbed on his journey, he was allowed to return to his brother's house, where he died on April 20, 1650. He was buried in St. Mary's Church, and there is a special memorial, called a cenotaph, for him in St. Canice's Cathedral.

David Rothe's Writings

Rothe was also a writer. His most famous book is called Analecta. The first part of this book describes how Catholics in Ireland were treated unfairly during the time of Arthur Chichester, a government official.

He published the first part of Analecta in 1616, and the full work came out between 1617 and 1619. A new edition was published much later in 1884. He also wrote other books, including Brigida Thaumaturga (published in Paris in 1620) and Hiberniae sive Antiquioris Scotiae (published in Antwerp in 1621). Another book, Hibernia Resurgens, also came out in Paris in 1621. He also left behind a handwritten book called Hierographia Hiberniae.