Florence MacCarthy facts for kids
Florence MacCarthy (also known as Fínghin mac Donncha Mac Carthaig) lived from 1560 to 1640. He was an important Irish clan chief and a member of the Gaelic nobility of Ireland (called flaith) in the late 1500s. He was the last person who could truly claim the important title of Mac Carthaig Mór before the English government stopped it. Florence got involved in the Nine Years' War (1595–1603), which led to his arrest by the English Crown. He spent the last 40 years of his life held in London. His clan's lands were later divided among his relatives and Anglo-Irish settlers.
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Early Life of Florence MacCarthy
Florence MacCarthy was born in 1560 at Kilbrittain Castle. This castle is near Kinsale in the Irish province of Munster. He belonged to the powerful MacCarthy Reagh family, who ruled the area called Carbery. His father was Donogh MacCarthy Reagh, the 15th Prince of Carbery.
Florence's career was important because he controlled lands in west Munster. This was a time when England was trying to take over Ireland, a period known as the Tudor conquest of Ireland. Southwest Munster was a key area because Spain, a Catholic country, often thought about sending help to Catholic rebellions in Ireland.
There were several powerful branches of the MacCarthy dynasty. The MacCarthy Reagh family, to which Florence belonged, was the wealthiest. They were also quite independent. Florence found himself in a tricky situation, caught between the English government and these different MacCarthy families.
Loyalty to the Crown
During the Desmond Rebellions (1569–73 and 1579–83), the MacCarthy Reagh family showed loyalty to the English Crown. This helped them stay independent from their powerful neighbors, the Earl of Desmond and the Mac Carthaig Mór, who had both joined the rebellion.
Florence's father, Donnchadh Mac Carthaig Reagh, was very loyal to the Crown. He even helped drive the rebel Earl of Desmond out of his land. When his father died in 1581, Florence was in his late teens or early twenties. He led about 300 men who served the English. With help from an English captain, William Stanley, Florence helped push Desmond's remaining followers away. He also claimed credit for killing two of Desmond's main captains.
When his father died, Florence inherited a lot of property. However, he did not become the new prince. That title went to his uncle, Owen MacCarthy Reagh. The position of tanist (the chosen successor) went to Florence's cousin, Donal na Pipi.
In 1583, Florence visited the Queen's court. She gave him a lot of money and a yearly payment. In 1585, he also served as a member of the Irish Parliament in Dublin.
First Time in the Tower of London
Florence MacCarthy married Ellen, who was the only daughter and heir of the Mac Carthaig Mór. This marriage was a problem for the English government in Munster. They worried that Florence would unite the two main MacCarthy families, making him too powerful.
There were also rumors that Florence was talking with Spain. People especially suspected him of being in touch with William Stanley. Stanley was an English captain who had switched sides and joined the Spanish army in a war in Europe.
Arrest and Release
Because of these worries, Florence was arrested in 1588. The English authorities wanted to stop him from taking the Mac Carthaig Mór title. They felt it was too dangerous for one person to control so much land and so many followers in a country they were trying to control.
Florence was first held in Shandon Castle in Cork. After six months, he was moved to Dublin, and then to London. He arrived in London in February 1589 and was sent to the Tower of London. His wife escaped from Cork a few days later, likely following his instructions.
In March, Florence was questioned by the privy council (a group of royal advisors). He denied being involved in any plots with English Catholics or William Stanley. He was sent back to the Tower. However, fifteen months later, his wife appeared in court. A powerful lord, Earl of Ormonde, offered to pay a large sum of money to guarantee Florence's good behavior.
Since no charges were proven against him, Florence was set free in January 1591. He had to promise not to leave England or travel far from London without permission. The Queen's main secretary, Lord Burghley, supported him. Florence was able to get protection from people he owed money to. He also got permission to get back money that a rival, Lord Barry, owed the Crown. Florence blamed Lord Barry for his arrest. Later, Florence was allowed to return to Ireland.
Disputes Over Land and Titles
Florence MacCarthy returned to Ireland in November 1593, even though he was still technically a prisoner. His wife and child had already returned. The next year, his uncle Owen (the Mac Carthaig Reagh) died. His cousin, Donal na Pípí, became the new leader. Donal na Pípí promised that Florence would be his successor.
In June 1594, Florence appeared before the council in Dublin. He had to answer new accusations from David de Barry, 5th Viscount Buttevant, a local rival. These accusations again linked Florence to Spanish plots with William Stanley. Florence then went back to England to try and take Lord Buttevant to court, but it didn't work out. In 1594, a man who had once been part of Florence's household was executed for plotting to kill the Queen. This did not help Florence's reputation.
The Mac Carthaig Mór Title
In 1596, Donal Mac Carthaig, who was the Mac Carthaig Mór and Earl of Clancarthy, died without a male heir. This made the question of who would be the next leader very complicated. By law, his lands should have gone back to the Crown. However, Florence had a claim to the lands because he had a mortgage on them and because of his wife's rights.
Another Donal, who was the Earl's son born outside of marriage, also claimed the title of Mac Carthaig Mór. Florence would later call him "Donal the bastard."
It was unlikely that the English authorities would recognize Florence as the Mac Carthaig Mór. They wanted to break up the large MacCarthy lands. So, the real legal fight was for Florence to get back lands from an English person who held them because of a debt the late Earl owed. In June 1598, Florence traveled to England to try and sort this out.
However, the situation changed completely when Hugh O'Neill's army arrived in Munster. O'Neill was leading a big rebellion across Ireland, known as the Nine Years' War, against the English government.
Caught Between Sides
In the autumn, Donal Mac Carthaig (the late Earl's son) was said to have joined O'Neill's rebellion and taken the title of Mac Carthaig Mór. But another important leader, the O'Sullivan Mór, supported Florence. He held back the special "White Wand" that was used to officially approve a new leader, showing his support for Florence.
The English Crown was in a difficult spot. It seemed like all the Irish lords in Munster were joining the rebellion. So, they offered Florence a full pardon. They said if he stopped his followers from rebelling, they would somewhat recognize his claim to the title over Donal Mac Carthaig. But Florence hesitated. He only returned to Munster after Sir Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, a powerful English lord Florence had been relying on, left his command in Ireland in late 1599.
Florence had managed to get English support for his claims to land and title. But he also kept in touch with the rebels. Some people thought he truly supported the rebels, especially since he was described as "very zealous in the old religion" (Catholicism) when he was young. However, it's more likely that Florence was using both sides to get what he wanted.
War in Munster
During the Nine Years' War in Munster, Florence MacCarthy did not fully join the English military efforts. Instead, he secretly talked with the rebels led by Hugh O'Neill and also with the Spanish. O'Neill's plan was to support Irish lords who had problems with English rule and who had enough land and followers to help his war.
In 1599, Florence visited Fitzthomas, a rebel leader, in Carbery. Florence claimed he spoke in favor of the Queen, but it's more likely he promised to support the rebels if O'Neill recognized him as Mac Carthaig Mór. In the days that followed, Fitzthomas and Donal Mac Carthaig attacked Lord Barry's land because Barry refused to join the rebellion. From his base at Kinsale, Florence blocked all ways into his own territory.
Florence Becomes Mac Carthaig Mór
In 1600, O'Neill's army arrived in Munster. Florence MacCarthy met with O'Neill and was officially named Mac Carthaig Mór, replacing his rival, Donal Mac Carthaig. To the English, it seemed Florence had clearly sided with O'Neill, and they took military action against him. But Florence might have just been playing both sides to become the Mac Carthaig Mór.
In April, an English army led by Captain George Flower raided Florence's lands in Carbery. They fought a fierce battle with Florence's men, and over 200 people died.
In the same month, Sir George Carew became the governor of Munster. He had enough men and supplies to bring peace to the province. Carew called Florence to Cork to explain his actions. At first, Florence refused to come without promises for his safety. When he did come, he refused to give his son as a hostage. Carew urged him to support the English, but Florence only promised to stay neutral. He argued that he was loyal, but if he openly sided with the English, his own followers would leave him. This was a common excuse used by Irish leaders.
In fact, Florence had secretly written a letter to Hugh Roe O'Donnell, another northern rebel leader. In the letter, he promised his full support to their cause. He was also the main contact in southern Ireland for the Spanish, who planned to land in Munster. Florence likely believed this landing would end the war for good. On January 5, 1600, he wrote to Philip II of Spain, offering his support and lands to the King's service against the "Heretics" (Protestants).
Arrest and Imprisonment
In the following months, Carew crushed the rebellion in Munster. He recaptured rebel castles, arrested Fitzthomas, and convinced Donal MacCarthy to switch sides. Carew saw this as very important because Donal Mac Carthaig was a strong rival and knew the difficult terrain where Florence was based.
After bringing peace to the province, Carew did not want Florence MacCarthy to remain as Mac Carthaig Mór. He believed Florence's power would make it impossible for the English to control the area in the future. So, Carew arrested Florence. He called Florence to his camp for talks and arrested him 14 days before his safe conduct (a promise of safety) was supposed to end. This was against the law, but Queen Elizabeth's secretary, Robert Cecil, approved it for reasons of state.
The Irish historical record, the Annals of the Four Masters, states that Florence was arrested in Cork. He protested that he had been taken against a promise of safety, but it did not help. He was sent to England in August 1601 and put in the Tower of London.
Carew also arrested Florence's son and other relatives. Just a month later, the Spanish landed at Kinsale. They immediately asked for Florence MacCarthy, who was their main local contact. His absence was a big problem for organizing local support. Most of the MacCarthy family, including both Donal and Donal na Pipi, did join the Spanish side. However, they surrendered after the English won the Battle of Kinsale in 1601.
Life in London Custody
Florence MacCarthy tried to get out of prison, promising to fight against O'Neill. After the English victory at the Battle of Kinsale, his brother, Diarmuid Maol, who was leading Florence's followers, was accidentally killed. Many of Florence's relatives also died fighting the English or rival Irish groups.
In 1604, Florence was moved to another prison, the Marshalsea, for his health. But he was later sent back to the Tower. This time, he was allowed to have his books.
In 1606, Donal na Pípí gave up his claim to the Mac Carthaig lordship and was given control of the Carbery territory. Then, Sir Richard Boyle and Lord Barry tried to take the land Florence had inherited from his father. But Florence successfully fought them in court. However, much of his former lands were given to others.
He went back to the Marshalsea prison in 1608. In 1614, he was released but had to promise not to leave London. In 1617, he was sent back to the Tower. This was based on information from his servant, who claimed Florence was involved with William Stanley and other exiled Irish Catholic priests and nobles. Florence was supposed to be released in 1619. But in 1624, he was sent to another prison, the Gatehouse, to a "little narrow close room without sight of the air." This happened because two people who had guaranteed his release had died. He was finally freed in 1626 after new people guaranteed his release. In 1630, he won a long legal case for the barony of Molahiffe, though the lands were still held by English people who had loaned money.
Florence MacCarthy lived the rest of his life in London. There, he wrote a history of Ireland, called Mac Carthaigh's Book, using old Irish texts. He wrote that even though many people thought the Irish should be removed from their lands, they were not as rebellious or dangerous as those who wanted their land claimed. He died in 1640.
Legacy of Florence MacCarthy
Florence MacCarthy had a difficult relationship with his wife. She became jealous of his inheritance and even told the English authorities about him. She also seemed to disagree with his political choices. In 1607, he wrote that he had "sent away that wicked woman that was my wife."
Despite their disagreements, they had four known children:
- Teige (who died as a boy in the Tower)
- Donal (who became Protestant and married Sarah, daughter of the MacDonnell Earl of Antrim)
- Florence (who married Mary, daughter of Donal III O'Donovan)
- Cormac (also called Charles)
Over time, the title of Mac Carthaig Mór was ended. Florence MacCarthy's personal lands were given to English settlers, including Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. Other MacCarthy lords, like Donal na Pipi of Carbery and Donal MacCarthy, were allowed to keep their lands. But they had to give up about a third of their inheritance to the Crown.
Donagh MacCarthy, a relative of Florence, later became Viscount of Muskerry. He would become one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1641 and Confederate Ireland in the 1640s.
Historical Descriptions
An unknown writer in 1686 described Florence MacCarthy. He wrote that Florence was "a man of extraordinary stature" (meaning very tall) and very clever. He also had courage and was very passionate about what he believed was the true religion and freedom for his country.
However, his rival, Donal "the bastard" MacCarthy, had a different view. He called Florence "a damned counterfeit Englishman whose study and practice was to deceive and betray all the Irishmen in Ireland."
Images for kids
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Map showing the Barony of Carbery in Tudor times.
See also
- Irish nobility
- Eóganachta
- Tudor conquest of Ireland
- Nine Years' War (Ireland)
- Mac Carthaigh's Book
