James Fitz Maurice Fitz Gerald - Alienation From Desmond

Alienation From Desmond

At the end of 1568, the absent Earl of Desmond granted Sir Warham St Leger a lease of the barony of Kerricurrihy, which cast FitzMaurice's inheritance into confusion. In 1569 the lord deputy of Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney, was informed by FitzMaurice that he had assembled the people of Desmond to tell them that the lord deputy was unable to procure the release of the captive earl, who would be executed or perpetually imprisoned, and that the people should proclaim a new earl or captain: with one voice, the people were said to have cried out for FitzMaurice to be captain. The earl's wife, Eleanor Butler, wrote to her husband in November that FitzMaurice was seeking to bring the earl into further disrepute and to usurp his inheritance, "by the example of his father".

To re-assert Geraldine authority, FitzMaurice then launched what would become known as the first of the Desmond Rebellions. The southern part of Ireland erupted into a general rebellion, owing in part to attempts at establishing plantations. In June 1569, FitzMaurice and the Earl of Clancarty (MacCarthy Mor) invaded Kerrycurrihy, spoiled the inhabitants, took the castle-abbey of Tracton, hanged the garrison, and refused to depart without the surrender to them of the custody of Lady St Leger and Lady Grenville, the wives of the principal English colonists. FitzMaurice then joined in league with the turbulent brothers of the earl of Ormond, and entered a bond with the Earl of Thomond and John Burke, son of the Earl of Clanricard. He wrote to the mayor and corporation of Cork in July ordering the abolition of the new heresy of Protestantism, at a time when he appears to have been taking instruction from Irish Jesuits.

By September 1569, Sidney had broken the back of the rebellion and left Sir Humphrey Gilbert behind to suppress FitzMaurice, which he did so effectively that the rebel sought refuge in the woods of Aherlow. After Gilbert's departure FitzMaurice raised a new force in February 1570 and spoiled Kilmallock. In March, Ormond was given charge of the prosecution of all the rebels, but nothing resulted. Then, in February 1571, Sir John Perrot landed at Waterford as President of Munster and challenged FitzMaurice to a duel, which the rebel declined with the remark, "For if I should kill Sir John Perrot the Queen of England can send another president into this province; but if he do kill me there is none other to succeed me or to command as I do." The president was then ambushed by the rebels, who outnumbered his force ten to one, but was saved when the attackers retired on mistaking a small cavalry company for the advance party of a larger crown force. After a second and successful siege by Perrot of the Geraldine stronghold of Castlemaine, FitzMaurice sued for his pardon, which was granted in February 1573, after the rebel had prostrated himself in Kilmallock church with the president's sword point next to his heart. FitzMaurice submitted to the queen and swore fealty to the crown, at the same time giving up a son as hostage. Perrot was almost convinced he would become "a second St Paul".