James FitzMaurice FitzGerald facts for kids

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald (died 1579) was an important Irish leader during the time of Queen Elizabeth I of England. People often called him "fitz Maurice." He was a captain-general of Desmond, a region in Ireland, when its main leader, Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond, was held in England.

Fitz Maurice led the first Desmond Rebellion in 1569 against English rule. The English sometimes called him the "Archtraitor" because of this. He gave up in 1573, showing respect to John Perrot, the English president of Munster, in a church in Kilmallock.

In 1575, after the Earl of Desmond returned to Ireland, fitz Maurice left the country. He went to Europe to seek help. In July 1579, he came back to Ireland with a small group of fighters. They landed near Dingle and then sailed to Smerwick Bay, taking over a place called Dún an Óir (Fort of Gold). He died in a small fight on August 18, 1579.

Early Life and Family

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald's mother was the daughter of Dermot O'Mulryan, a chief from County Tipperary.

When he was younger, fitz Maurice married Katherine Burke. She was the daughter of William Burke of Muskerry.

James and Katherine had three children:

• Maurice, who passed away in 1588.
• Gerald, who also passed away in 1588.
• Alice, who married Niall O'Neill.

His father, Maurice fitz John, died in 1564.

Becoming a Leader in Desmond

In 1565, Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond, was defeated in a fight by the Butlers. In 1567, the Earl and his brother were taken to the Tower of London in England.

While they were gone, fitz Maurice became the main military leader, or "captain general," of County Desmond. This meant he was in charge of the soldiers who worked for the Desmond FitzGeralds.

In 1568, fitz Maurice tried to collect taxes from a nearby area called Clanmaurice. He took 200 cattle, but the local lord, Thomas Fitzmaurice, 16th Baron Kerry, fought back and defeated him.

Later in 1568, the Earl of Desmond, who was still in prison, leased some land to an English knight, Sir Warham St Leger. This caused problems for fitz Maurice's family land.

Leading the First Rebellion

In 1569, fitz Maurice told the people of Desmond that the English Lord Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, couldn't free their Earl. He said the Earl might be executed or stay in prison forever. So, the people chose fitz Maurice to be their new captain.

To show the power of the FitzGeralds, fitz Maurice started what became known as the first Desmond Rebellions. Many parts of southern Ireland rebelled. This was partly because the English were trying to set up new settlements, called plantations, in Ireland.

In June 1569, fitz Maurice and another Irish leader, the Earl of Clancarty, attacked an area called Kerrycurrihy. They took over a castle and refused to leave until the wives of important English settlers were handed over. Fitz Maurice also joined forces with other powerful Irish families. He even wrote to the city of Cork, telling them to get rid of the new Protestant religion.

By September 1569, the English had largely stopped the rebellion. Fitz Maurice had to hide in the woods. But in February 1570, he gathered new forces. On March 2, he surprised the town of Kilmallock at night. He took its riches and burned the town.

In February 1571, Sir John Perrot arrived as the English President of Munster. He challenged fitz Maurice to a duel. Fitz Maurice refused, saying, "If I kill Sir John Perrot, the Queen of England can send another president. But if he kills me, there is no one else to lead as I do."

Fitz Maurice later attacked Perrot but had to retreat. After the English captured the Geraldine stronghold of Castlemaine, fitz Maurice asked for a pardon. He received it in February 1573. He showed his surrender by kneeling in Kilmallock church with Perrot's sword near his heart. Fitz Maurice promised to be loyal to the English Crown and gave his son as a hostage.

Seeking Help in Europe

After the Earl of Desmond returned to Ireland in 1573, fitz Maurice left for Europe. He said he wanted to get a pardon from the Queen through the French court.

In March 1575, he sailed to France with his family and other Irish leaders. He met with Catherine de' Medici, the Queen Mother of France, in Paris. He offered to help make the French king, Henry III of France, the king of Ireland. He was given a pension, which was like a regular payment, in 1576.

The next year, he went to the Spanish court. He offered the crown of Ireland to Don John, the brother of King Philip II of Spain. However, the Spanish king was careful and didn't agree right away. Fitz Maurice left his sons with a powerful church leader and traveled to Italy to meet Pope Gregory XIII.

Return to Ireland

At the Pope's court, fitz Maurice met an adventurer named Captain Thomas Stukley. Together, they convinced the Pope to pay for 1,000 soldiers to invade Ireland. Most of these soldiers were people the Pope wanted to get out of Italy. Stukley left Italy in early 1578 with his troops. Fitz Maurice and Stukley were supposed to meet in Portugal and then go to Ireland.

However, Stukley decided to help the King of Portugal in a war in Morocco. Stukley died there in a battle on August 4, 1578. Fitz Maurice didn't know this.

After Stukley's change of plans, fitz Maurice set out from Spain on June 17, 1579. He had a few troops on his ship and three smaller Spanish boats. They captured two English ships and landed at Dingle in Ireland on July 17, 1579. This started the Second Desmond Rebellion.

On July 18, they anchored in Smerwick Bay and set up a fort at Dún an Óir (Fort of Gold). On July 25, two more ships arrived with 100 soldiers. Four days later, their ships were captured by the English fleet. Fitz Maurice encouraged the Earl of Desmond and the Earl of Kildare to fight the English. He then left the fort to wait for Stukley, who, unknown to him, was already dead.

Death

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald died in a small fight on August 18, 1579. He was on his way to a monastery near Thurles in County Tipperary. He was caught in a skirmish with the forces of his cousin, Theobald Burke. Fitz Maurice was shot, but he fought his way through and killed Theobald Burke and his brother William.

His side won the battle, but his injuries were too severe. He asked his friends to confirm that he had not run away from the enemy. They told him he was brave, but he kept saying, "My wounds are clear, my wounds are clear."

Legacy

The English later attacked the invasion force at Smerwick. Many were killed after they surrendered in 1580. The English gained control, and the Second Desmond Rebellion ended in 1583. The Earl of Desmond and his followers were hunted down and killed by the English and some Irish clans.

The destruction of the Desmond Earldom meant that the Desmond lands were ruined. They were then given to English settlers in the Plantation of Munster. This was a big step in the Tudor conquest of Ireland.

Fitz Maurice was one of the first Irish leaders to use the religious differences between Catholics and Protestants as a reason to fight against the English Crown. Later Irish leaders, like Hugh O'Neill, may have been inspired by fitz Maurice. Their uprising became known as the Nine Years War.

Today, some people see fitz Maurice as the leader the FitzGeralds should have chosen to resist the English Reformation.