Maurice Fitzgerald (abt. 1478 - 1520)

Born about 1478 in Lackagh, County Kildare, Ireland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1520 at about age 42 in Crossmorris, Lackagh, County Kildare, Ireland

Biography

Maurice Fitzgerald of Lackagh was the son and heir of Thomas Fitzgerald and Anne Preston.^[1].

Two similar accounts of Maurice acting as deputy in the absence of his first cousin, the 9th Earl of Kildare, and Maurice's subsequent murder in 1520:

• When, in 1519, Gerald, Earl of Kildare, was summoned to the English court to answer to certain charges made against him, he, with the King’s consent, appointed his cousin, Sir [Maurice] Fitzgerald, of Laccagh, to act as Deputy in his absence.^[2] This same Maurice was slain in the following year in an affray with the O’Mores of Leix.^[3] The spot where he met his death, about half-a-mile from his own castle in the direction of Kildare, was afterwards marked by a wayside cross, and the place still bears [in 1891] the name of Cross Maurice (Crossmorris, Co. Kildare). Of this memorial the socket only remains, but some fragments found built into an adjoining cottage show it to have been richly sculptured. This event is thus recorded by the Four Masters: "A.D. 1520, Maurice, the son of Thomas, son of the Earl, the choice of the English Geraldines, was slain by Conn, the son of Melaghlin O’More, as were also many along with him."^[4]

• Gerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, while Justiciary in Ireland, was in 1519 summoned to England to answers charges of maladministration brought against him by his enemies. Before leaving the country he appointed his kinsman, Sir Maurice FitzGerald, Knight, of Lackagh, to succeed him in the office. The following year [1520] FitzGerald was cruelly slain by O'More. To avenge this deed the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Thomas Howard KG, assembled in 1521 not a few of the nobles and others of English origin and then proceeded into Leix.^[5]

Details about Maurice's wife, Anne Eustace, born ca. 1470:^[6]

• Anne married her distant cousin^[7][8] 1) Richard FitzEustace of Harristown, County Kildare (brother of Thomas, 1st Viscount Baltinglass) and married 2) Sir Maurice FitzGerald, Knight, of Lackagh, County Kildare.

• Anne's father was Sir Robert FitzEustace, Knight, of Coghlanstown and Goganstown, and of Roestown, County Meath. He was constable of the Castle of Ballymore-Eustace, died 1486. Unknown spouse.

• Anne's paternal grandfather was Sir Richard FitzEustace, Knight, same titles as Robert. Died 1445. Married Catherine Preston, possible widow of William Lawless, and probably connected to the family of Christopher Preston of Gormanstown.

• Anne's paternal great-grandfather was Sir Maurice FitzEustace, Knight, of Coghlanstown, County Kildare. Sheriff of Dublin in 1386 and 1389. Died ca.1402. Spouse (unnamed) was widow of either Sir Robert Holliwood or Sir James Delahyde.

Sources

1. ↑ From the pedigree chart "FitzGeralds of Lackagh, Co. Kildare" created by noted Irish researcher Walter FitzGerald and published in the Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society:
   • https://archive.org/details/journalofcountyk01coun/page/n313/mode/2up
2. ↑ Ware’s Annals
3. ↑ Ware’s Annals
4. ↑ Mario Corrigan, “Dioceses of Kildare and Leighlin: Parish of Monasterevan" (2006)
   • http://www.kildare.ie/ehistory/index.php/monasterevan-parish-of-comerfords-dioceses-of-kildare-and-leighlin/
5. ↑ Fitzgerald, Walter. "Historical Notes on the O'Mores", Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol. 6, 1909, p.22.
6. ↑ Walter FitzGerald, "The FitzEustaces of County Kildare," Journal of the County Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol. 7, 1912, with detailed family pedigree on p.302:
   • https://archive.org/details/journalofcountyk07coun/page/302/mode/2up/search/lackagh
7. ↑ Their common ancestor was Oliver FitzEustace (born ca.1310) of Castlemartin.
   • Anne's pedigree was Robert (1420-1486), then Sir Richard (d.1445), then Sir Maurice, then Oliver (b.1310).
   • Richard's pedigree was Richard (ca.1440-1493); Edward, Lord Deputy of Ireland (1405-1454); John (?); Roland (b.1340), then Oliver (b.1310).
     • http://www.roneustice.com/Family%20History/IrishFamiliessub/KildaresubCastlemartinHarristown.html
8. ↑ See also the 2 separate FitzEustace pedigrees, prepared by historian Walter FitzGerald:
   • https://archive.org/details/journalofcountyk03coun/page/312/mode/2up
   • https://archive.org/details/journalofcountyk07coun/page/302/mode/2up

• Annals of the Four Masters