Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Cork
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| 1st Earl of Cork | |
The 1st Earl of Cork
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| Tenure | 1629–1643 |
| Other titles | Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland |
| Known for | Plantations of Ireland |
| Born | 13 October 1566 Canterbury, Kent, England |
| Died | 15 September 1643 (aged 76) |
Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork (born October 13, 1566 – died September 15, 1643) was an important English politician. He was also known as the Great Earl of Cork. He served as the Lord Treasurer of the Kingdom of Ireland, which was a very important financial role.
Lord Cork played a big part in England's efforts to settle and control Ireland in the 1500s and 1600s. He bought huge amounts of land in areas called "plantations" in southern Ireland. His sons later helped fight against an Irish rebellion, which helped British and Protestant interests in Ireland.
He was the first person to hold the title of Earl of Cork. He was also the head of the Boyle family, which became very famous. Many of his descendants received important titles like Earl of Orrery, Earl of Burlington, and Earl of Shannon.
Contents
Early Life and New Beginnings
Richard Boyle was born in Canterbury, England, on October 13, 1566. He was the second son of Roger Boyle and Joan Naylor. His parents are buried in a special tomb in Preston. His older brother, John Boyle, later became a bishop.
Young Richard went to The King's School, Canterbury, where the famous writer Christopher Marlowe also studied. In 1583, he started university at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. After that, he studied law in London at the Middle Temple. He then worked as a clerk for a judge named Sir Roger Manwood.
Before finishing his law studies, Boyle decided to travel and gain experience. He moved to Ireland, arriving in Dublin on June 23, 1588. He had only a small amount of money, some valuable items, and his sword.
In 1590, he got a job as a deputy Escheator, which meant he helped manage land for the government. On November 6, 1595, he married Joan Apsley. She was from a wealthy family in Limerick and brought him land that earned £500 a year. Joan passed away in 1599 during childbirth, and their baby was stillborn.
A Rising Politician
Richard Boyle became very successful, which made some powerful people jealous. He faced accusations of disloyalty and was even put in prison a few times. He decided to go to England to explain himself to Queen Elizabeth I.
However, a rebellion broke out in Munster in October 1598, and Boyle lost his lands. This forced him to return to London. He soon began working for Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex.
His enemies tried to bring charges against him again in a special court. But Boyle managed to get Queen Elizabeth I to attend the hearing. She saw that the accusations were false and said he was "a man fit to be employed by ourselves."
Because of this, Queen Elizabeth I immediately appointed him Clerk of the Council of Munster in 1600. In December 1601, Boyle brought the Queen news of an important victory near Kinsale.
In 1602, Boyle was sent to England again to discuss Irish matters. He was knighted by Sir George Carew on July 25, 1603, near Dublin. On the same day, he married his second wife, Catherine Fenton. She was the daughter of Sir Geoffrey Fenton, a high-ranking government official. In 1606, he became a Privy Councillor for Munster, and in 1612, a Privy Councillor for all of Ireland. These were important advisory roles to the King.
Building His Fortune and Influence
In 1602, Richard Boyle bought huge estates from Sir Walter Raleigh. These lands, totaling about 42,000 acres, were in the counties of Cork, Waterford, and Tipperary. He paid £1,500 for them. He bought them because Sir George Carew encouraged him.
Boyle made Lismore Castle his main home and turned it into a grand residence. He added impressive buildings, a strong outer wall, and a gatehouse. The castle's main rooms were decorated with beautiful plaster ceilings, tapestries, and silks. He also had a large home in Youghal. To keep order on his lands, Boyle had 13 castles with soldiers living in them.
He officially founded the town of Clonakilty in 1613, receiving a special document from King James I.
In 1614, Boyle became a Member of Parliament for Lismore in the Parliament of Ireland. On September 6, 1616, he became a noble with the title Lord Boyle, Baron of Youghal.
Boyle also helped develop the town of Bandon, County Cork. He bought the land for Bandon in 1618. In Bandon, he started industries like iron-smelting and linen-weaving. He also encouraged English settlers, many from Bristol, to move there.
On October 26, 1620, Lord Boyle was given even higher titles: Earl of Cork and Viscount Dungarvan. He served as Sheriff from 1625 to 1626. In 1629, he became a Lord Justice, and in 1631, he was appointed Lord Treasurer of Ireland. This made him responsible for the country's finances.
Oliver Cromwell, a famous English leader, once said that if there had been an Earl of Cork in every part of Ireland, the Irish would not have been able to rebel. Boyle also helped develop other towns like Midleton, Castlemartyr, Charleville, and Doneraile. He employed over 4,000 people during his lifetime.
By 1636, Lord Cork decided to live in England for his later years. He bought a large estate called Stalbridge in Dorset for £5,000, which became his English home. He also bought other properties, including Annery House in Devon. He was very happy with Annery House because he could easily travel to Youghal from there.
Challenges and Family
Lord Cork's most well-known rival was Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford. Wentworth arrived in Ireland in 1633 as the Lord Deputy, a very powerful position. At first, Wentworth tried to reduce Boyle's power and income. However, Boyle cleverly worked against Wentworth's plans, which helped lead to Wentworth's downfall.
Boyle tried to be friendly with Wentworth at first, even suggesting a marriage between his son and Wentworth's niece. But Wentworth quickly made it clear he wanted to limit Boyle's influence. One example of this was when Wentworth forced Boyle to move his wife's tomb from a special place in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
Boyle wrote in his diary that Wentworth was "a most cursed man to all Ireland and to me in particular." When Wentworth was put on trial, Boyle was a key witness against him. He fully supported Wentworth's execution, writing in his diary that Wentworth "well deserved" it.
Boyle expected his children to obey him, but he was also a loving father. He was more forgiving of them than of his political enemies. For example, his daughter Lady Mary upset him by refusing to marry someone she disliked and then marrying a poorer man. But they soon made up, and he gave her a generous dowry.
Richard Boyle died in Youghal in September 1643. He had been forced to leave his lands during the Irish Rebellion of 1641. However, his sons later got the family estates back after the rebellion was put down.
Lord Cork's Lasting Impact
Lord Cork has been called the "first colonial millionaire." Historian Roy Foster described him as a perfect example of an English adventurer and settler in Ireland during Queen Elizabeth I's time.
The Boyle family motto is: 'God's Providence is my inheritance'. This shows their belief that their success came from God's plan. Lord Cork's ideas about religion and politics helped him gain favor with leaders on both sides of the English Civil War.
Family and Descendants
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Richard Boyle and his second wife, Catherine Fenton, had fifteen children. Many of them became important figures:
- Roger Boyle (1606–1615)
- Lady Alice Boyle (1607–1667)
- Lady Sarah Boyle (1609–1633)
- Lady Lettice Boyle (1610–1657)
- Lady Joan Boyle (1611–1657)
- Richard Boyle, 2nd Earl of Cork and 1st Earl of Burlington (1612–1698), who also became Lord High Treasurer of Ireland.
- Lady Katherine Boyle (1615–1691)
- Hon. Geoffrey Boyle
- Lady Dorothy Boyle
- Lewis Boyle, 1st Viscount Boyle of Kinalmeaky (1619–1642)
- Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery (1621–1679)
- Francis Boyle, 1st Viscount Shannon
- Lady Mary Boyle
- Hon. Robert Boyle (1627–1691), a famous scientist known as the father of modern chemistry. He wrote The Sceptical Chymist.
- Lady Margaret Boyle
Boyle built a detailed monument for himself, his wives, his mother, and his children in The Collegiate Church of St Mary Youghal in County Cork. There is also a similar, larger monument for the Boyle family in St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin. His older brother John is also buried there.
