William Southwell facts for kids

William Southwell (born in 1669, died on January 23, 1720) was an important person in Ireland's history. He was both a politician and an officer in the British Army.

Early Life and Family

William Southwell was the third son of Richard Southwell, who lived at Castle Matrix in County Limerick, Ireland. His mother was Lady Elizabeth O'Brien. William had two older brothers, Thomas and Richard.

During a big event called the Glorious Revolution in 1689, William and his brother faced trouble. The parliament of King James II of England declared them "attainted." This meant they were seen as traitors and lost their rights and property.

A Soldier's Career

In 1693, William Southwell joined the British Army under King William III. He fought in several important wars:

Fighting in the Nine Years' War

During the Nine Years' War, William was hurt in 1695 at the Second Siege of Namur. A "siege" is when an army surrounds a city or castle to try and capture it. After he recovered, he was promoted to captain.

The War of the Spanish Succession

Later, in the War of the Spanish Succession, William became a major in the 6th Foot regiment. He took part in battles like the Battle of Cádiz and the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702. Just one year later, he was promoted again to lieutenant-colonel.

In 1705, William led 400 special soldiers called grenadiers during the First Siege of Barcelona. The next year, he became the colonel of the 6th Regiment of Foot. A "colonel" is a high-ranking officer.

In 1708, he sold his position as colonel. Then, in 1714, he was made captain of the Battleaxe Guards. These guards had an important job: they protected the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The Lord Lieutenant was the King's main representative in Ireland.

Becoming a Politician

Besides his military career, William Southwell also served in politics.

In 1703, he was chosen to be a member of the Irish House of Commons for a place called Kinsale. The "Irish House of Commons" was like a parliament or government meeting place for Ireland at that time. He represented Kinsale until 1713.

After that, he represented Castlemartyr until 1715. Finally, he was a representative for Baltimore until he passed away in 1720.

His Family Life

In 1709, William Southwell married Lucy Bowen. She was the daughter of William Bowen from Ballyadams in County Laois. Lucy's grandfather was Sir William Domville, who was an important lawyer for Ireland.

William and Lucy had a large family with six sons and nine daughters. Their third son, Bowen Southwell, later became a Member of Parliament for Downpatrick, just like his father.