William De Burgh is managed by the Medieval Project. Pre-1500 certified? Join: Medieval Project Discuss: Medieval

Biography

The fictional patriarch of this line was the creation of 17th century and later genealogists who created an extremely unaccurate family tree for the de Burgh family.

This problematic identification may have arisen in a passage by John Thomas Gilbert, in his 'History of the viceroys of Ireland' in which he describes what happened in Ireland following the death of Richard de Clare (Strongbow) in 1176, leaving the recently established Norman position there vulnerable to Irish resurgence. Gilbert introduces this passage by naming Henry ll's Seneschal 'Guillaume Fitz-Aldhelm de Burgh' . Gilbert then explains that Henry ll, then in Normandy, wrote, 'I now send to you Guillaume Fitz-Aldelm, my seneschal whom I have entrusted with the management and arrangement of affairs in my stead as my viceroy .... I shall confirm his proceedings as if executed by myself and all your transactions with him shall be ratified by me.' ^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ History of the viceroys of Ireland; with notices of the Castle of Dublin and its chief occupants in former times p: 41 by: John Thomas Gilbert, pub: Dalcassian 1865

• House of Burke - likely includes many of his descendants - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Burke