Thomas FitzWilliam, 4th Viscount FitzWilliam facts for kids
Thomas FitzWilliam, 4th Viscount FitzWilliam (born around 1640, died 1704) was an important Irish nobleman and politician. He was a strong supporter of King James II, a group known as the Jacobites. He played a key role during the Williamite War in Ireland, a big conflict in Ireland.
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Early Life and Family History
Thomas FitzWilliam was the only son of William FitzWilliam, 3rd Viscount FitzWilliam and Mary Luttrell. He was likely born at Dundrum Castle, where his parents lived.
His family, the FitzWilliams, were once very wealthy landowners in Dublin. However, after the Irish Rebellion of 1641, they lost most of their land. Thomas's father, William, spent some years in France and fought for King Charles I during the English Civil War. He even became the Governor of Whitchurch in England.
Later, in 1655, William and his older brother, Oliver, made an agreement with the English Parliament. This allowed them to get some of their family land back. When King Charles II returned to power (this was called the Restoration of Charles II), the FitzWilliams were in high favor. They had shown great loyalty to the King. Because of this, they got back the rest of their lands, including their main home, Merrion Castle.
Thomas's father became the Viscount in 1667. Thomas himself inherited the title three years later, in 1670. He also received a lot of land in County Westmeath from his mother's brother, Thomas Luttrell.
Beliefs and Political Role
Thomas's father was a very religious Roman Catholic. Thomas shared his father's strong Catholic faith. It is said that he even gave money to help build a Catholic Mass house in Booterstown.
When James II became King, Thomas strongly supported his policies, which favored Catholics. For several years, Thomas became a very important political figure. King James II appointed him to the Privy Council of Ireland, which was a group of important advisors to the King. He also made Thomas a Commissioner of the Treasury, meaning he helped manage the country's money.
During the Williamite War in Ireland, Thomas was given a military command. In 1691, he gathered a group of soldiers to help during the Siege of Limerick. However, his forces were defeated in a fight with the Williamite army.
After the Jacobite cause failed, Lord FitzWilliam faced legal trouble. An Act of Attainder was passed against him, which meant he could lose his titles and lands. However, this act was later reversed. It's not clear if this happened because his family had always been loyal to the Crown, or because they were very wealthy and influential.
In 1695, Thomas took his seat in the Irish House of Lords, a part of the Irish Parliament. He was willing to promise loyalty to King William III. However, his conscience would not allow him to join the Church of Ireland, which was the official church. Because of this, he left the House of Lords. No further action was taken against him. He died on February 20, 1704, still owning all his lands.
Family Life
Lord FitzWilliam married twice. His first wife was Mary Stapleton. She was the daughter of Sir Philip Stapleton, a leading Parliamentarian. This marriage was a bit surprising because of the big differences in religion and politics between their families. Thomas and Mary had one son who survived:
His second wife was Elizabeth Pitt. She was the daughter of George Pitt and Lady Jane Savage. Elizabeth had been married twice before. Thomas and Elizabeth had one daughter:
- Mary, who married George Talbot. They had nine children, including:
- George Talbot, who became the 14th Earl of Shrewsbury
