Gerald Aylmer (judge) facts for kids

Sir Gerald Aylmer (around 1490–1560) was an important Irish judge during the time of Henry VIII, a powerful King of England. Sir Gerald played a big role in closing down many monasteries in Ireland. His family, the Aylmers, later became a noble family known as the Barons Aylmer.

Early Life and Career

Gerald Aylmer was born in County Kildare, Ireland. His father was Bartholomew Aylmer. Gerald married Alison Fitzgerald, whose family was related to the Knight of Kerry. His sister, Anne, married another important judge, Sir Thomas Luttrell.

In his younger days, Gerald Aylmer was loyal to Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, a powerful Irish leader. Aylmer worked as a sheriff in Limerick in the 1520s. Because he supported the Kildare family (who were called the Geraldines), he became a judge in the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland) in 1528.

Later, he became the Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer in 1534. This was a very important job in the King's financial court. After another judge passed away, Aylmer was promoted to Lord Chief Justice of Ireland in 1535. This made him the most senior judge in Ireland.

Helping the King's Army

Sir Gerald Aylmer became a key helper for Thomas Cromwell, who was King Henry VIII's chief minister. Aylmer worked closely with another important official, John Alan, to defeat the rebellion led by Silken Thomas, the new Earl of Kildare.

Aylmer also helped English leaders in Ireland during military trips. He joined campaigns against Irish clans like the O'Connors in 1537 and the Kavanaghs in 1538. He also fought against the Geraldines and the O'Neills.

In 1539, after a big battle called the Battle of Belahoe in County Monaghan, Aylmer was made a knight on the battlefield. This battle was a major win for the English against the O'Neills. As a reward, he received land in County Kildare.

Closing the Monasteries

In 1536, Aylmer and John Alan went to England to get a new law passed. This law was about closing down monasteries in Ireland. They brought this law back to the Irish Parliament.

The first monastery to be closed was St Wolstan's in County Kildare. As a result, Aylmer and his brother-in-law, Thomas Luttrell, received money every year. Later, St. Wolstan's itself was given to John Alan's family.

Aylmer joined a group that was given the job of closing many other monasteries in Ireland. Because of this, he gained valuable land in County Meath. He also led an investigation in Limerick in 1541 to look at religious treasures. In 1543, he bought the Franciscan friary in Drogheda.

It's not fully clear if Aylmer truly believed in the new Protestant faith that King Henry VIII was promoting. Many important Irish people at the time would follow the new religion publicly but might still secretly believe in the Roman Catholic church. Later generations of the Aylmer family were mostly Catholic.

Working for Four Monarchs

Sir Gerald Aylmer was knighted in 1539. He continued to serve under King Henry VIII's children who became rulers: Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. He was reappointed as Chief Justice in 1547 and again in 1553.

In 1541, he was part of a group of Irish lawyers who asked to rent a monastery in Dublin called Blackfriars. They wanted to use it to start what would become the King's Inns, Dublin, a place for lawyers to train.

Later Life and Family

In 1552, Aylmer was named Lord Justice of Ireland along with Sir Thomas Cusack. This meant he had a seat on the King's Council in Ireland. He had many important duties in the mid-1550s.

However, in 1556, he was removed from the Privy Council of Ireland. This happened when a new leader, Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex, took over and replaced many of the previous officials. Because of his age and health, Aylmer started attending the Council less often. In 1559, Queen Elizabeth I wanted to appoint a younger lawyer, John Plunket, as Chief Justice. Aylmer was then dismissed from his job and passed away the next year, in 1560.

His family continued to be important. His grandson, James, inherited his estates. Another grandson, Christopher, started a new branch of the family that later gained the title of Baron Aylmer in 1718.

The Aylmer family lived at Lyons in Ardclough, County Kildare, for many centuries. The property later passed to other families, including that of the famous aviation pioneer Tony Ryan.

Images for kids

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  Lyons Castle, Ardclough, which was the Aylmer family home for centuries