William FitzWilliam, 3rd Viscount FitzWilliam facts for kids
William FitzWilliam, 3rd Viscount FitzWilliam (around 1610–1674) was an important Irish nobleman who lived during the time of the Stuart kings. He fought on the side of the King during the English Civil War. Later, he made peace with the government led by Oliver Cromwell. In his older years, he openly practiced the Roman Catholic faith, which was against the law at that time.
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Early Life and Family Roots
William was born at Merrion Castle in Dublin, which is now part of Mount Merrion. He was the youngest son of Thomas FitzWilliam, 1st Viscount FitzWilliam and Margaret Plunkett. The FitzWilliam family first came to Ireland around the year 1210. By the 1600s, they owned a lot of land in Dublin.
The family was known for being loyal to the English King. In 1629, King Charles I of England gave William's father the title of "Viscount." This was to thank him for his help to the King. However, getting this title was expensive. The family had to borrow money by mortgaging their lands to pay for it.
Fighting in the Civil War
When William was young, he often worked with his older brother, Oliver FitzWilliam, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell. Oliver became a Colonel in the French Army, and William served as his lieutenant. Both brothers earned the trust of King Charles I.
Oliver returned to Ireland to fight for the King. William became the Governor of Whitchurch and a Lieutenant General in Shropshire, England. These were important military roles during the English Civil War.
Making Peace and New Homes
As it became clear that the King's side was losing the war, both Oliver and William decided to make peace with Oliver Cromwell. In 1655, after their father and oldest brother had passed away, they got some of their family lands back.
Before the war became very serious, William and his family lived at Dundrum Castle. They were forced to leave in 1642 but came back in 1646. Around 1652, the FitzWilliams left Dundrum for good. Their next home was Simmonscourt Castle in Ballsbridge, where some ruins can still be seen today.
Becoming Viscount FitzWilliam
In 1667, William's brother Oliver passed away. Since Oliver had no children, and their third brother Christopher had also died earlier, William became the 3rd Viscount FitzWilliam. The higher title of "Earl" that Oliver had held ended with him.
William was Viscount for only three years. He seemed to prefer living in Dublin City rather than at Merrion Castle, which was outside the city at the time. He died in his townhouse in Dublin in 1674. He asked for the bells of Christ Church Cathedral to be rung when he passed away.
Religious Beliefs
King Charles II of England was known to favor the Catholic Church, and he even became Catholic just before he died. Perhaps encouraged by this, William openly practiced his Roman Catholic faith. This was despite the Penal Laws, which made it illegal for Catholics to do many things.
When William died, several Catholic priests were with him. He was buried in Donnybrook Church, like his brother Oliver. However, his burial service followed Catholic traditions. His son and heir, Thomas, was also openly Catholic. William's daughters mostly married into Catholic landowning families, rather than Protestant noble families. One daughter, Catherine, married into the titled Netterville family, who were also Catholic.
Family Life
William married Mary Luttrell, who was the daughter of Thomas Luttrell of Luttrellstown Castle. Mary passed away around 1673. They had six children:
- Thomas FitzWilliam, 4th Viscount FitzWilliam
- Mary, who married John Browne of Clongowes Wood, County Kildare
- Rose, who married Christopher Malpas of Winston
- Margaret, who married James Crawley
- Catherine, who married Nicholas Netterville, a grandson of the 1st Viscount Netterville
- Dorothy, who married Thomas Meagher
