Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Arran facts for kids
Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Arran (1639–1686), was an important Irish nobleman. He served as the Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1682 to 1684. This was a very important job, like being the main ruler, when his father, the Lord Lieutenant, was away in England. Richard Butler was a member of the Irish Parliament, known as the Irish House of Lords, as the Earl of Arran. He also sat in the English Parliament as Baron Butler of Weston. He was known for being brave when he voted "not guilty" for William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford during a time of great fear called the Popish Plot.
Quick facts for kids
Richard Butler
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| Earl of Arran | |
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Detail from the portrait below
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| Tenure | 1662–1686 |
| Born | 15 July 1639 |
| Died | 25 January 1686 London |
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| Issue Detail |
Charlotte & others |
| Father | James, 1st Duke of Ormond |
| Mother | Elizabeth Preston |
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Contents
Birth and Family
Richard Butler was born on 15 July 1639, likely in Ireland. He was the fifth son of James Butler and his wife Elizabeth Preston. His father was a very important nobleman, who later became a duke.
His father's family, the Butler dynasty, were known as "Old English." This means they were descendants of Norman people who came to Ireland a long time ago. Their family had a special role as the Chief Butler of Ireland, given to them by King Henry II in 1177.
Richard's mother was related to his father's family, too. Both of his parents were Protestants. They got married on Christmas Day in 1629. Richard was one of ten children, but many of his brothers died when they were very young.
Early Life and Titles
In June 1647, when Richard was still a child, he was given as a hostage to the English Parliament by his father. This was a way to ensure his father would keep his promises.
Later, on 13 May 1662, Richard received several important titles in the Peerage of Ireland. He became Baron Butler of Cloughgrennan, Viscount Tullogh, and Earl of Arran. He even bought the Aran Islands to go with his new title. These titles were meant to pass down to his younger brother, John, if Richard didn't have any sons. However, John died before Richard, which later caused problems for the titles.
Marriages and Children
Richard, now known as the Earl of Arran, married two times. Both of his wives were wealthy women who brought a lot of money and land to the marriage.
In September 1664, he married Mary Stuart. She was also a baroness in her own right. Sadly, she died in 1668 when she was only 16 years old. They did not have any children together. She was buried in St Canice's Cathedral in Kilkenny, Ireland.
His second wife was Dorothy Ferrers. She was the daughter of John Ferrers of Tamworth Castle.
Richard and Dorothy had four children:
- James (1674–1676), who died as a baby.
- Thomas (1675–1681), who also died as a young child.
- Charlotte (1679–1725), who was their only child to live to adulthood. She inherited her father's property and later married Charles Cornwallis, 4th Baron Cornwallis.
- Thomas (1681–1685), who died in infancy.
Important Roles and Bravery
On 27 August 1673, Richard was given another important title: Baron Butler of Weston in the Peerage of England. This was a reward for his courage in sea battles against the Dutch during the Third Anglo-Dutch War.
In 1680, a big event happened called the Popish Plot. This was a time when many people in England were very afraid of Catholics, and some false accusations of treason were made. William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford, a Catholic, was put on trial for treason. Richard Butler was one of only 31 noblemen who voted "not guilty." This was a very brave thing to do because most people were against Catholics at the time. Even though Richard voted "not guilty," Stafford was found guilty by 55 other noblemen and was executed.
In April 1682, Richard was made Lord Deputy of Ireland. This meant he was in charge of Ireland while his father, the Lord Lieutenant, was in England. He held this important position until August 1684. He got this role because his older brother, Ossory, who had been the deputy before, had died in 1680.
Death
Richard Butler died in London on 25 January 1686 from a lung illness called pleurisy. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, a very famous church in London.
Since he did not have any sons who lived, and his younger brother John had died before him, all of Richard's titles ended when he died. His only daughter, Charlotte, inherited his family's land and property. She brought this wealth to her husband when she married Lord Cornwallis in 1699.
However, some of his Irish titles were later given to his nephew, Charles Butler, in 1693.
Images for kids
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Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Arran, attributed to Godfrey Kneller.
