Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles facts for kids

Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (born before 1596 – died 1619) was an important person in Irish history. He was the son of Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond, a powerful noble. Thomas lived in Westgate Castle in Thurles, County Tipperary, Ireland. He passed away before his father, which meant his son, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, inherited the family titles later on. James became a very famous Irish leader and a commander for the King.

Early Life and Family

Thomas Butler was born in 1594. He was the oldest son of Walter Butler and his wife, Helen Butler. When Thomas was born, his father was the nephew of the current Earl of Ormond, Black Tom.

Thomas's family, the Butler Dynasty, were known as "Old English." This means they were descendants of Norman settlers who came to Ireland a long time ago. Their ancestor, Theobald Walter, was given an important job by King Henry II in 1177. He was made the chief butler of Ireland, which was a high-ranking position.

Thomas's mother, Helen Butler, was the oldest daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret. Thomas's parents were cousins, as they shared a great-grandfather, Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond. They got married around 1584.

Thomas had many siblings, two brothers and nine sisters. However, he was the only son who lived to adulthood.

Marriage and Children

Around 1608, or definitely before 1610, Thomas Butler married Elizabeth Poyntz. His father was not happy about this marriage. Elizabeth was the second daughter of Sir John Pointz, who lived in Iron Acton, England.

Thomas and Elizabeth had three sons and four daughters:

• Sons:
  • James (1610–1688), who later became the 1st Duke of Ormond.
  • John (died 1636), who passed away while traveling in Naples and never married.
  • Richard (1615–1701), who lived at Kilcash.
• Daughters:
  • Helena or Ellen or Eleanor (1612–1682), who married Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty before 1633.
  • Eleanor or Ellen, who married Sir Andrew Aylmer (1613–1671), a baronet, in 1634.
  • Mary (died 1680), who married Sir George Hamilton, 1st Baronet, of Donalong in 1635.
  • Elizabeth (died 1675), who married twice. Her first husband was James Purcell (1609–1652), Baron of Loughmoe, and they had a son named Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe (1651–1722). Her second husband was John FitzPatrick.

Becoming Viscount Thurles

When "Black Tom," the 10th Earl of Ormond, passed away on November 22, 1614, Thomas's father became the 11th Earl. This meant Thomas became the heir apparent, which is the person next in line to inherit a title. He was given the courtesy title of Viscount Thurles.

Even though Thomas's title was secure, there was a disagreement over the Ormond family lands. Richard Preston, 1st Earl of Desmond, claimed the lands because he had married Elizabeth, who was Black Tom's only surviving child.

Death and What Happened Next

In 1619, Thomas's father was put in prison in England. After this, Thomas was called to England to answer some serious questions. He was accused of doing something against the king, specifically for having soldiers in Kilkenny.

However, on December 15, 1619, the ship Thomas was on crashed near the Skerries, Isle of Anglesey, and he drowned. Thomas, like his father, was a strong Catholic. It seems that King James I was unhappy because Thomas would not follow the official Anglican religion. This might have been the real reason he was called to England.

Thomas passed away before his father, who died in 1634. Because of this, Thomas's oldest son, James, became the next in line to inherit the titles. James held the courtesy title of Viscount Thurles until he became the 12th Earl of Ormond after his grandfather's death. Thomas's wife, Elizabeth, lived for more than 50 years after he passed away.