George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Carew
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| Born | 29 May 1555 |
| Died | 27 March 1629 (aged 73) |
| Title | 1st Earl of Totnes (cr.1626) |
| Known for | Tudor conquest of Ireland |
| Nationality | English |
George Carew, the 1st Earl of Totnes (born May 29, 1555 – died March 27, 1629), was an important English leader. He was known as Sir George Carew for many years. Later, he was called The Lord Carew before becoming the Earl of Totnes.
He worked for Queen Elizabeth I during a time when England was trying to gain more control over Ireland. He became the President of a region in Ireland called Munster. George Carew was also very interested in heraldry, which is the study of coats of arms and family symbols. He even wrote a book about them.
Contents
George Carew's Family History
George Carew was the son of Dr. George Carew, who was a church leader. His grandfather was Sir Edmund Carew. George's mother was Anne Harvey.
George had an older brother named Sir Peter Carew. Sadly, Peter died in Ireland in 1580. After his brother's death, George inherited the family home called Upton Hellions in Devon, England. He later sold this home.
Early Life and Career
George Carew studied at Broadgates Hall, which is part of Oxford University. He was there from 1564 to 1573.
In 1574, he began working for the English government in Ireland. He joined the army in 1575. The next year, he became the captain of a military base at Leighlin for a short time. He also became the lieutenant governor of County Carlow.
In 1577, he was rewarded for bravely attacking a rebel leader named Rory Oge O'More. This rebel's forces had been threatening the castle.
Rising Through the Ranks
In 1578, Carew became a captain in the royal navy. He went on a sea journey with Sir Humphrey Gilbert. From 1579 to 1580, he led soldiers during the Second Desmond Rebellion in Ireland.
When his brother died in battle, George became the leader of Leighlin castle. He took strong action against those he believed were responsible for his brother's death. This led to some criticism from the government.
Queen Elizabeth I liked George Carew very much. Important government officials also supported him. In 1582, he became a gentleman pensioner to the queen. This was a special role at court. In 1583, he became the High Sheriff of Carlow.
He was made a knight in Dublin in 1586. This meant he was now called Sir George Carew. He returned to Ireland in 1588 to manage military supplies. He was also appointed to the council in 1590.
In 1596, Sir George Carew took part in a military trip to Cadiz in Spain. He also joined expeditions to the Azores in 1597. In the same year, he helped defend England from a Spanish invasion attempt. Soon after, he became a Member of Parliament.
In 1598, he briefly served as an ambassador to King Henry IV in France. In 1599, he became a treasurer for the army in Ireland. When the Earl of Essex left Ireland suddenly, Carew was appointed a lord justice.
President of Munster
George Carew became the President of Munster on January 27, 1600. This was during the Nine Years War. He arrived in Ireland a month later with Lord Mountjoy.
As President, he had a lot of power. He used clever tactics to manage different groups in Ireland. He met with Irish leaders and worked to restore order. He also put down rebellions by supporters of the Súgán Earl of Desmond.
In August 1600, Carew received 3,000 extra troops from England. However, some of his troops were later moved to help in a northern campaign. This happened when there was a high risk of Spanish forces landing in the south of Ireland.
Carew played a key role before and after the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. He attacked castles in the area to prevent the Spanish from gaining an advantage. During this time, he used strong tactics against rebels. His actions during the siege of Dunboy castle were very firm.
After Queen Elizabeth I died, Carew faced problems in Ireland. Some towns refused to recognize the new King James I. They wanted more religious freedom and local control. There were serious riots in Cork. Carew had to send soldiers to restore peace. His wife's life was even threatened during these riots.
Later Career and Honors
After the war in Ireland ended, Carew wanted to return to England because of his health. He was allowed to leave when Lord Mountjoy resigned.
Under King James I, George Carew was very well-liked. In 1603, he became a financial officer and vice-chamberlain to the queen, Anne of Denmark.
In 1604, Carew was elected as a Member of Parliament for Hastings. He was given the title of Baron Carew in 1605. In 1608, he became the Master of the Ordnance, in charge of military weapons.
In 1610, Carew was appointed Governor of Guernsey. He also visited Ireland again to report on how the country was recovering. He suggested creating new towns in the north of Ireland. This was to ensure more Protestant representatives in the parliament, which happened in 1613. He became a royal advisor in 1616.
In 1618, he asked the king to spare the life of Sir Walter Raleigh, a close friend. Carew's wife was also very kind to Raleigh's family after he was executed.
When Charles I became king in 1626, Carew became treasurer to Queen consort Henrietta Maria of France. He received an even higher honor when he was made the Earl of Totnes on February 5, 1626.
George Carew's Writings
George Carew was also known as a historian and collector of old documents. He was friends with other famous scholars like William Camden.
He collected many materials about Irish history and family trees. He left these to his secretary, Sir Thomas Stafford. Many of these documents are now kept in libraries.
His letters and papers have been published, giving historians a lot of information. After Carew's death, Stafford published a book called Pacata Hibernia. This book was about the wars in Ireland and is thought to be based on Carew's own writings. Carew also translated some historical texts from French.
Marriage and Family
In May 1580, George Carew married Joyce Clopton (died 1637). She was the daughter of William Clopton. They did not have any children together.
However, George Carew did have a son named Sir Thomas Stafford. Thomas Stafford was a courtier and a Member of Parliament. He worked closely with Carew in Ireland.
Death and Burial
George Carew died on March 27, 1629, in London. Since he had no male children from his marriage, his titles ended when he died.
He was buried in a special chapel at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford-upon-Avon. There is a large monument there with statues of him and his wife lying side by side. His wife, Joyce, lived for several more years after his death.
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