Elizabeth FitzGerald, Countess of Lincoln facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth FitzGerald
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| Countess of Lincoln | |
Portrait of Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald painted by Steven van der Meulen in 1560
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| Born | 1527 Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland |
| Died | March 1590 (aged 63) Lincolnshire, England |
| Noble family | FitzGerald |
| Spouse(s) | Sir Anthony Browne Jr. Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln |
| Father | Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland. |
| Mother | Lady Elizabeth Grey |
| Occupation | Lady-in-waiting |
Elizabeth FitzGerald, Countess of Lincoln (1527 – March 1590) was an important Irish noblewoman. She was part of the famous FitzGerald dynasty. People also knew her as "The Fair Geraldine".
Elizabeth married Sir Anthony Browne first. Later, she married Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln, an English admiral. A famous poet, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, wrote a poem about her called The Geraldine.
Queen Elizabeth I of England was a close friend of Lady Elizabeth. Lady Elizabeth also worked for the Queen as a lady-in-waiting.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald was born in 1527 in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. Her father was Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, who was a powerful leader in Ireland. He was known as the Lord Deputy, meaning he governed Ireland for the King. Her mother was Lady Elizabeth Grey.
Elizabeth had a half-brother named Thomas FitzGerald, also called "Silken Thomas". Her family was very important in Ireland.
Growing Up at Court
When Elizabeth was young, she grew up at the court of King Henry VIII of England. She was a friend and companion to the young Princess Elizabeth Tudor. Lady Elizabeth first came to court with her mother in 1533.
In 1534, her father passed away while he was held in the Tower of London.
"The Fair Geraldine"
In 1537, when Elizabeth was just ten years old, the poet Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey wrote a famous poem about her. He called her "The Fair Geraldine" in his poem. The poet was impressed by her young beauty.
Some people thought they were in love, but this was not true. Elizabeth was only ten at the time. The poet likely wrote the poem to help her find a good marriage. He praised her noble family, beauty, and good qualities.
Life After Her Father's Death
After her half-brother, "Silken Thomas", and five of her uncles were executed, Elizabeth was sent away. She went to live with Princess Mary Tudor at Hunsdon. Her older brother, Gerald FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Kildare, had escaped to Europe.
Later, her brother Gerald returned to England. King Edward VI welcomed him back. Gerald also got his family's lands returned to him.
Marriages
In 1543, when Elizabeth was sixteen, she married Sir Anthony Browne. His first wife had passed away. Elizabeth became a stepmother to Sir Anthony's eight children. One of his sons, Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu, was important. One of his daughters, Mabel Browne, later married Elizabeth's brother, Gerald FitzGerald. The Browne family was very devoted to the Roman Catholic faith.
Sir Anthony Browne passed away in 1548. Elizabeth was only twenty-one and a widow. She had two children with Sir Anthony, but they both died young.
On October 1, 1552, she married her second husband, Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln. He was a very important naval officer, known as the Lord High Admiral. This was his third marriage. Edward Clinton was also a powerful official in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. He became the first Earl of Lincoln in 1572. He also served as an Ambassador to France.
Friendship with Queen Elizabeth I
Lady Elizabeth was a very close friend of Queen Elizabeth I of England. They had known each other since Queen Elizabeth was a baby. Their friendship grew stronger when they both lived in the household of Catherine Parr. Catherine Parr was the last wife of King Henry VIII.
After Sir Anthony's death, Lady Elizabeth went to live with Catherine Parr and her fourth husband, Thomas Seymour. Elizabeth and the future Queen Elizabeth I got along very well during this time.
Supporting Lady Jane Grey
In 1553, Elizabeth and her second husband supported a plan to make Lady Jane Grey queen. They wanted Lady Jane to rule instead of Princess Mary Tudor. Lady Jane had also lived in Catherine Parr's household, so Elizabeth might have cared for her.
When the plan failed, Elizabeth and her husband were able to regain Princess Mary's trust. Princess Mary then became Queen.
Life at Queen Elizabeth's Court
After Queen Elizabeth I became queen in 1558, Lady Elizabeth was one of her lady-in-waitings. In 1561, Elizabeth tried to warn Lady Catherine Grey to tell the Queen about her secret marriage. She wanted Catherine to confess before the Queen found out from others.
That same year, Lady Elizabeth briefly lost the Queen's favor. She was accused of some "offences" by the Archbishop of Canterbury. However, Lady Elizabeth soon regained her good standing with the Queen.
Later, in 1569, Lady Elizabeth used her husband's power as Lord High Admiral. She helped seize a ship that had been taken illegally by Martin Frobisher. Frobisher was arrested for his actions. Lady Elizabeth was allowed to keep the ship and its cargo.
Death
Elizabeth FitzGerald passed away in March 1590 in Lincoln, England. She was 63 years old. She is buried in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. She did not have any children with her last husband.
Depictions in Art and Books
Elizabeth's portrait was painted in 1560 by Steven van der Meulen. You can see it at Agecroft Hall in Richmond, VA. Another portrait of her, painted around 1575, is in the National Gallery of Ireland.
She is also a character in some historical novels. These include Green Darkness by Anya Seton and The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George. Karen Harper also wrote a historical novel about her called "The Irish Princess" in 2011.
Depictions in Film and Television
The Irish actress Gemma-Leah Devereux played Elizabeth in the TV series The Tudors. In the show, she was a lady-in-waiting to Catherine Howard.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Elizabeth FitzGerald, painted by an unknown artist, c.1575. It is displayed in the National Gallery of Ireland.
