James Fitzedmund Fitzgerald facts for kids

John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald (died 1589) was an important Irish nobleman from the powerful FitzGerald dynasty in Munster, Ireland. He was a local leader in Imokilly and fought against the rule of Queen Elizabeth I of England.

John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald was the son of Edmund Fitzmaurice Riskald and Shylie. His mother was the daughter of Sir Maolrony McShane O'Carroll, a lord from Éile. The FitzGerald family's lands were in what is now County Cork.

Fighting for Freedom: The Desmond Rebellions

The Desmond Rebellions were a series of conflicts in Ireland where Irish lords fought against English rule. John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald played a big part in these rebellions.

The First Desmond Rebellion (1569-1573)

During the first rebellion, in 1569, Fitzgerald was trapped in Ballymartyr by Sir Henry Sidney, a high-ranking English official. After many of his men were hurt, he managed to escape through a nearby swamp.

He then hid with another rebel, James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, in the Aherlow woods until February 1573. Eventually, he and Fitzmaurice gave up to Sir John Perrot, the English President of Munster. They were pardoned in the church of Kilmallock.

In March 1575, Fitzgerald traveled with Fitzmaurice to St Malo in Brittany, France. They were welcomed by the local governor and returned to Ireland in July of the same year. Later, in 1576, Fitzgerald complained that Gerald Fitzgerald, 15th Earl of Desmond, was forcing his soldiers to stay on Fitzgerald's land, which was a common problem at the time.

The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579-1583)

When James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald returned to Ireland in July 1579, starting the Second Desmond Rebellion, John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald immediately joined the fight. After Fitzmaurice died unexpectedly, Fitzgerald became the main leader of the rebellion, even more so than the Earl of Desmond. This meant he faced the strongest attacks from the English army, led by Sir Thomas Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde.

Many times, it was reported that Fitzgerald had been killed, but he survived many battles. He even survived a serious injury, though his brother died in the fighting. In February 1581, he nearly captured Sir Walter Raleigh, a famous English explorer and soldier.

As the rebellion began to fail in May 1583, Fitzgerald's mother was executed by Ormond's forces. On June 14, Fitzgerald finally surrendered. By then, he had only 24 swordsmen and 4 horsemen left. Ormond respected Fitzgerald's bravery and asked Queen Elizabeth's secretary, Sir William Cecil, to pardon him.

After the rebellion, Fitzgerald's lands became a big issue during the English plan to settle Munster with new landowners. He was also seen as someone who might pass information to Spain, an enemy of England. In March 1587, he was arrested by Sir Thomas Norris and held in Dublin Castle. He died there in February 1589, just a few days after it was decided that he should get his lands back.

Family Life

John Fitzedmund Fitzgerald married Honora Fitzmaurice. They had twin sons around 1589 and two daughters. His eldest son, who was only one and a half years old when his father died, was placed under the care of an English officer named Captain Moyle.