Richard FitzPatrick, 1st Baron Gowran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard FitzPatrick, 1st Baron Gowran
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| Died | 9 June 1727 |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service/ |
.svg){kind=small} Royal Navy |
| Commands held |
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| Battles/wars | War of the Spanish Succession |
Richard FitzPatrick, 1st Baron Gowran (who died on June 9, 1727) was an important British naval captain. He was known for his bravery and skill in leading ships during battles.
Contents
A Life of Service and Leadership
Richard FitzPatrick was born into an important family. His father was John Fitzpatrick from Castletown in Queen's County (now County Laois in Ireland). His mother was Elizabeth, whose father was Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles.
Richard joined the Royal Navy, which is the navy of Great Britain. In 1687, he became the commander of a ship called HMS Richmond. A year later, in 1688, he was made captain of HMS Assurance.
In 1689, he moved to HMS Lark. With this ship, he sailed in the North Sea to fight against the French navy. He did very well in this role.
Because of his success, Richard was promoted in 1690. He took command of HMS St Albans, a larger warship. On July 18, he captured a French warship with 36 guns near Rame Head. This battle lasted four hours. The French ship lost 40 sailors, while St Albans lost only four. The French ship was so damaged that it had to be towed to Plymouth.
In 1691, he continued his success. He forced two more French warships ashore. He also helped to free 14 merchant ships from a group of 22 that were being held by the enemy.
Major Battles and Retirement
Later, Richard commanded HMS Burford, a powerful ship with 70 guns. In 1696, he served under Lord Berkeley. He was sent to attack Groix, an island near France. From there, he brought back 1,300 cattle, along with horses and small boats.
When the War of the Spanish Succession began, he was promoted again. He took command of HMS Ranelagh, an 80-gun ship. He took part in the expedition against Cadiz in 1702. He also fought in the successful attack on Vigo that followed. Soon after these battles, he retired from the navy.
A New Role in Politics
In 1696, King William III gave Richard FitzPatrick land in Queen's County. This was a reward for his loyal service. In 1713, he became a member of the Irish House of Commons. He represented Queen's County in the Irish Parliament.
In 1715, he was given a special honor. He became Baron Gowran of Gowran, Kilkenny, which is a title of nobility. He took his seat in the Irish Parliament as a Baron on November 12. He helped to write a message to the king, congratulating him on becoming king. Richard FitzPatrick died on June 9, 1727.
His Family
In 1718, Richard FitzPatrick married Anne Robinson. She was the daughter of Sir John Robinson. They had two sons, named John and Richard. After Richard FitzPatrick died, his wife, Lady Gowran, lived with their son John.
Their son John later became the 1st Earl of Upper Ossory in 1751. John was the father of another famous Richard FitzPatrick.
