Peter Sarsfield facts for kids

Peter Sarsfield was an important landowner in Ireland during the 1600s. He came from a very rich and powerful family.

His family was known as the Old English. These were families who had come to Ireland from England many centuries before. They were Catholic and lived in an area called The Pale, which was near Dublin.

His Family's History

Peter Sarsfield's grandfather was Sir William Sarsfield. He was a very important person. Sir William even served as the Lord Mayor of Dublin, which is like being the main leader of the city.

Sir William bought a large property called Tully Castle in County Kildare. He gave this castle to Peter's father, who was his younger son. His older son received an even bigger estate called Lucan Manor. This shows how wealthy and influential the Sarsfield family was.

Peter's Marriage and New Connections

Peter Sarsfield married Lady Eleanor O'Dempsey. Her father was Lord Clanmalier. He was a leader from the Gaelic Irish nobility. These were the original Irish families who had ruled parts of Ireland for a long time.

Lord Clanmalier had accepted a special title from the English King. This was part of a plan called "surrender and regrant". It meant that Irish lords would give up their lands to the King, and then the King would give them back with a new English title. This helped to connect powerful Irish families with the English Crown.

Famous Descendants

Peter Sarsfield had a son named Patrick Sarsfield. This Patrick grew up to be a soldier. He fought in the Irish Confederate Wars, which were big conflicts in Ireland during the 1640s.

Peter's grandson was also named Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan. This grandson became a very famous Irish hero. He was a leading figure in the Williamite War in Ireland in the late 1600s. He was a Jacobite, which meant he supported King James II.