Thomas FitzWilliam, 1st Viscount FitzWilliam facts for kids

Thomas FitzWilliam, 1st Viscount Fitzwilliam (1581–1650), was an important Irish nobleman from a long time ago. He was born into a very rich and powerful family. He became a Viscount, which is a special title given by the King. Even though he was loyal to the English King, he faced many difficulties during a big war called the English Civil War. He ended up losing most of his money and died without much.

Who Was Thomas FitzWilliam?

Thomas FitzWilliam was a nobleman who lived in Ireland during the time of the Stuart Kings in England. He was known for his strong loyalty to the King, even when it caused him great trouble. His life shows how difficult it was for people in Ireland during a time of war and change.

Growing Up in Ireland

Thomas was born in Dublin, the capital city of Ireland, probably at his family's home called Merrion Castle. He was the oldest of five sons. His father was Sir Richard FitzWilliam, and his mother was Jane Preston. The FitzWilliam family had been in Dublin since about 1210. By the time Thomas was born, they were one of the richest and most important families in an area called the Pale. The Pale was a part of Ireland that was directly controlled by the English government.

Thomas was only 14 years old when his father passed away. As a young man, he went to London, England, to study law at a place called Gray's Inn.

A Knight and a Viscount

In 1605, Thomas was made a knight, which meant he could be called "Sir Thomas." This was also the year he got married.

Facing Challenges

In 1608, Thomas almost got into trouble because of a rebellion led by Sir Cahir O'Doherty. Thomas had promised that O'Doherty would behave well, but O'Doherty started a rebellion. Luckily, Thomas was not at home when a messenger arrived to arrest him.

He became the Sheriff of County Dublin in 1609. This was an important job, like being the chief law enforcement officer for the county. In 1610, the English King gave him a large amount of land in County Armagh. People generally trusted his loyalty to the King.

In 1629, King Charles I made him Viscount FitzWilliam. This was a high honor given because his family had served the King for a very long time. However, getting this title meant Thomas had to give a lot of money to the King. This was hard for him because he was also having legal fights with his brothers and sisters over his family's land. Thomas was a Catholic, like most of his family, but he publicly followed the Church of Ireland. Later, his son William and other family members were openly Catholic.

Loyalty During Tough Times

When the Irish Rebellion of 1641 started, Thomas FitzWilliam stayed loyal to the King. Many other noble families in the Pale joined the rebellion, including his mother's family, the Prestons. His cousin, Thomas Preston, 1st Viscount Tara, was even a military leader for the rebels.

Thomas FitzWilliam was one of only three nobles who offered to help the King's side defend Dublin. A group of soldiers was placed in his home, Merrion Castle, to protect it. But in June 1642, the castle was taken by the rebels. After that, Thomas could only live there for short times.

He offered his help to the King's officials in Ireland, but they turned him down. This was probably because they knew he was Catholic, even though he had always been loyal. So, he did not take part in the fighting anymore.

He spent some time in England, where the King treated him kindly. The King even promised to make him an English Earl, which is an even higher title, but this promise was never kept.

His Final Years

When Thomas returned to Ireland, he found out that he had been declared an "outlaw." This meant he had lost his legal rights. In his last years, he moved around a lot. He sometimes lived at Merrion Castle, sometimes with his oldest son at Howth, and sometimes in Louth. At times, he was very poor. In 1647, he wrote to his friend James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, asking for money that was owed to him. In 1648, he was promised a yearly payment of £100, but it is not clear if he ever received it.

Because of the chaos of the English Civil War, we don't know exactly when or where Thomas FitzWilliam died. Most people believe he died in 1650. His oldest son, Oliver, was allowed to get some of the family's land back in 1655, but most of it was not returned until 1663.

His Family Life

In 1605, Thomas married Margaret Plunkett. She was the daughter of Oliver Plunkett, 4th Baron Louth. Thomas and Margaret had four sons:

• Richard: He died before his father and had no children.
• Oliver FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell: He was married three times but did not have any children.
• Christopher: He mostly lived in England and had one daughter but no sons.
• William FitzWilliam, 3rd Viscount FitzWilliam: He was the ancestor of all the future Viscounts Fitzwilliam. He had six children with his wife, Mary Luttrell.

What People Thought of Him

His friend, James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, said that Thomas FitzWilliam was "in every way faithful to his allegiance." This means Ormonde believed Thomas was always completely loyal to the King. This is interesting because Ormonde later did not get along with Thomas's son, Oliver, who was seen as having divided loyalties during the time of Oliver Cromwell.