Emilia Butler, Countess of Ossory facts for kids
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Emilia Butler, Countess of Ossory (born Æmilia van Nassau-Beverweerd) was an important Anglo-Dutch lady who lived in the 1600s. She was born in 1635 and passed away in 1688. She became a lady-in-waiting to the Queen of England, Catherine of Braganza.
Contents
Her Family and Early Life
Emilia was born in The Hague, a city in the Netherlands. Her father was Lodewijk van Nassau, who was the Governor of 's-Hertogenbosch. Her mother was Isabella, Countess of Hornes.
Emilia had an older sister named Elisabeth. Elisabeth later married Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, who was a well-known politician. Emilia also had a brother, Hendrik Van Nassau-Ouwerkerk, who became a famous Dutch military leader.
Marriage and Moving to England
Emilia got married in the Netherlands on 14 November 1659. Her husband was Thomas Butler, also known as viscount Thurles. He was the oldest son of a very important Irish nobleman, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde.
After their marriage, Emilia moved to England with her husband. She became an English citizen by a special law in 1660. A few years later, in 1662, her husband became the Earl of Ossory.
Life at the Royal Court
When Emilia arrived in London, she was introduced to Catherine of Braganza. Catherine was the wife of King Charles II of England. Emilia was then chosen to be a lady-in-waiting to the Queen. This meant she helped and attended the Queen at places like Hampton Court Palace.
In August 1662, Emilia was with the Queen at Greenwich Palace. This was when Queen Catherine met her mother-in-law, Queen Henrietta Maria, for the first time.
During a serious outbreak of the plague in 1665, Emilia went with the Queen and her household. They moved to the safe location of Hampton Court, and later to Oxford. In June 1670, she also joined the King and Queen in Dover. They were there to say goodbye to the Duchesse d'Orleans during her last visit.
Later, there were some difficult times with plots against the Queen and other Catholic figures. During these events in 1678, Emilia and other ladies of the Queen's court were wrongly suspected of being secret Catholics.
Later Life and Legacy
Lady Ossory served Queen Catherine for more than twenty years. She stopped working for the Queen after King Charles II passed away in 1685.
Emilia was known for her beauty. Her portrait was painted by a famous artist named Wissing. She was buried in Westminster Abbey in London on 12 December 1688.
Her Children
Emilia and Thomas had several children:
- James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665–1745), who later became a Duke like his grandfather.
- Charles Butler (1671–1758), who became the third Duke of Ormonde after his brother.
- Lady Elizabeth Butler (1660–1717), who married William Richard George Stanley, 9th Earl of Derby.
- Lady Henrietta Butler (died 11 October 1724), who married her cousin Henry de Nassau d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham.
Sources
- G. E. Cokayne, The Complete Peerage (1910–1959) (Ormonde).
- A. Strickland, Lives of the Queens of England, London (1888) (under "Catharine of Braganza")
