Henry Harington (died 1613) facts for kids

Sir Henry Harington (died 1613) was an English and Irish landowner and soldier. He is remembered for a battle he lost near Arklow in 1599.

Henry Harington was the son of Sir James Harington of Exton, England. His mother was Lucy, daughter of Sir William Sidney. Henry owned land in Bagworth, England, and Baltinglass, Ireland.

Soldier in Ireland

In 1599, Henry Harington served as a commander under the Earl of Essex. This was during the Nine Years' War in Ireland.

Battle of Deputy's Pass

On May 29, 1599, Harington's troops faced a defeat. They were fighting against forces led by Felim McFiach O'Byrne near Arklow. This battle, known as the Battle of Deputy's Pass, resulted in the loss of 250 of Harington's soldiers.

After this defeat, a special military court was held. Two captains were sentenced to death. Some of Captain Loftus's soldiers were also punished. Henry Harington never held a major military command again after this event.

Captured by Rory Og

Later in 1599, something else happened to Henry Harington. His cousin, Sir John Harington, wrote about it. Henry Harington met an Irish leader named "Rory Ogie" (or Rory Og) to talk. But Rory Og captured Henry and demanded money for his release.

Henry's friends did not send the money. Instead, they surrounded Rory Og's house with 100 soldiers. Rory Og wounded Henry 14 times. Then, he managed to escape through the soldiers. The English soldiers were very scared of Rory Og. They thought he had used magic to stop them from touching him.

Building a Castle

In 1608, Henry Harington started building a castle. This castle was located in Carnew, Ireland.

His Family

Henry Harington was married twice. His first wife was Cecilia Agar. She was from Elmesthorpe, England, and Grangegorman, Ireland. They had three sons:

• Sir John Harington of Elmesthorpe (died 1615). He married Mary Offley.
• Jacob Harington.
• William Harington (died 1613).

In 1587, Henry married his second wife, Ruth Pilkington. She was the daughter of James Pilkington, who was a Bishop. With Ruth, Henry had five daughters and three sons. Some of their children included:

• Henry Harington. He wrote a poem about being in prison for debt.
• William Harington (around 1590–1627). He became a Member of Parliament.
• Elizabeth Harington. She married Sir Richard Moryson.
• Anne Harington. She married Thomas Roper, 1st Viscount Baltinglass.
• A daughter who became a Maid of Honour for Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia.

Henry Harington passed away in 1613.