John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond

John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond (died 1261) was the son of Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald by his wife Ellinor, daughter of Jordan de Marisco, and sister of Geoffrey de Marisco, who was appointed justiciar of Ireland in 1215.[1][2] He was the grandson of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan.

John FitzGerald
Baron Desmond
Tenure	1259-1261
Predecessor	New creation
Successor	Thomas FitzGerald
Died	August 1261 Callan, modern Kilgarvan
Nationality	Irish
Wars and battles	Battle of Callann
Issue Maurice FitzJohn FitzGerald
Parents	Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald Sadbh

A memorial at the site of the Battle of Callann

John FitzGerald was Lord of Connelloe. He was the founder of the Desmond line of the FitzGerald dynasty and ancestor of the powerful Earls of Desmond (now extinct), as well as other dynasties, including the modern Green Knights of Kerry and former Black Knights of Glin. The other extinct Desmond Geraldines are the Lords of Decies and the White Knights.

In 1259, FitzGerald, received a royal grant of Desmond and west Waterford in fee. Fineen MacCarthy, son of Donal Gott MacCarthy and King of Desmond gathered his troops to oppose this.[3] MacCarthy's forces included the O'Sullivans, whom the Norman incursions into Munster in the 1180s had forced from their original homeland in County Tipperary. They became the chief princes underneath their close kinsmen the MacCarthys. MacCarthy was also joined by the O'Donoghue, also related.

In July 1261 the three Gaelic clans joined to face the Normans at the Battle of Callann and won a complete victory.[3] Both John FitzGerald and his son, Maurice FitzJohn FitzGerald, died in the fighting. John FitzGerald, was succeeded by his grandson, Maurice's son Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Baron Desmond.

The FitzMaurice Barons and later Earls of Kerry continue in the male line with the current Petty-FitzMaurice Marquesses of Lansdowne, but they descend from the 1st Baron Desmond's nephew, Thomas FitzMaurice, 1st Baron of Kerry, son of his brother Maurice FitzThomas Fitzgerald. Thus in fact they represent a "sister" branch to the FitzGeralds of Desmond. However this technically makes them slightly closer to the FitzGeralds of Desmond than either are to the Offaly-Kildare-Leinster Geraldines, represented by the modern Dukes of Leinster, who descend from Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly, uncle of the 1st Baron Desmond.

Marriages and issue

John was the father of Maurice FitzJohn FitzGerald, who died with him at the Battle of Callan. John was succeeded in his baronial title by Maurice's son, Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Baron Desmond.

Ancestors of John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond
Walter son of Otho Gerald de Windsor, Constable of Pembroke Castle Beatrice Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan Rhys ap Tewdwr, Prince of Deheubarth, of the House of Dinefwr Nest ferch Rhys, Princess of Deheubarth Gwladys ferch Rhiwallon ap Cynfyn of Powys Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald, Lord of O'Connelloe[4] John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond Sadhbh

References

1. Cokayne, George Edward, Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant. Volume III. London: George Bell & Sons. 1890. p. 83
2. Burke, Bernard, A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire. London: Harrison. 1866. p. 204
3. Curtis, Edmund. A History of Ireland, Routledge, 2005, ISBN 9781134466665, p. 75
4. Webb, Alfred. A Compendium of Irish Biography. Dublin: 1878.

External links

• The Battle of Callan, A.D. 1261

Peerage of Ireland
New creation	Baron Desmond 1st creation until 1261	Succeeded by Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald