Sir Valentine Blake, 3rd Baronet facts for kids

Sir Valentine Blake, 3rd Baronet (died 1652) was an Irish merchant and politician. He was an important figure in Galway during a time of big changes in Ireland. He was part of the Irish Confederation, a group that worked to protect Irish interests.

The Life of Sir Valentine Blake

Valentine Blake was the oldest of three sons. His parents were Sir Thomas Blake and Juliane Browne.

Early Life and Career

In 1628, Valentine Blake joined the Middle Temple. This was a special place in London where people studied to become lawyers. A year later, in 1629, he was made a knight. This meant he received the title "Sir."

From 1634 to 1635, he became a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Parliament of Ireland. He represented either Tuam or Galway county. An MP is someone chosen by people to speak for them in the government. By 1638, he was part of Galway's town council, which helped run the city. In 1641, he was listed as an alderman, a senior member of the council. He became the 3rd Baronet after his father passed away in 1642.

Role in Irish Politics

In 1639, Valentine Blake was elected as an MP for Galway Borough. However, in 1642, he was removed from the Irish House of Commons. This happened because he was linked to the Irish Rebellion of 1641. This rebellion was a major conflict in Ireland.

Sir Valentine Blake was active in Galway during this time. He helped gather support to stand against the British soldiers stationed at Forthill, a place overlooking the town.

Mayor of Galway and the Irish Confederation

From 1643 to 1644, Sir Valentine Blake served as the Mayor of Galway. He was also a very active member of the Irish Confederation. This was a group formed by Irish Catholics to protect their rights and interests during the wars.

He supported peace agreements made by Ormonde in 1646 and 1649. In 1648, he and Sir Richard Blake were captured by soldiers but were later released safely.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1651, Sir Valentine Blake was one of the people from Galway who tried to get help from Charles IV, Duke of Lorraine. This effort did not work out. He was also one of six town leaders who signed the agreement to surrender Galway on April 5, 1652.

He passed away in 1652 and was buried in St. Francis's abbey in Galway.

Sir Valentine Blake and his wife, Eleanor, had four sons and three daughters. After his death, much of the family's land was taken by the government. However, a lot of it was given back to his children later on. The Blake family continued to be important landowners and politicians in the area for many years. The current holder of the title is Sir Anthony Teilo Bruce Blake, who was born in 1951.