Post by Mikey on Jun 17, 2013 17:43:12 GMT
Lord Thomas Fitzgerald
Lord Thomas Fitzgerald (1513-1537), otherwise known as Silken Thomas, was the 10th Earl of Kildare. His mother was a cousin of Henry VII and he spent much of his youth living in England.
Ireland under Henry VIII
At the start of Henry VIII's reign, Ireland was just a land that the Tudors claimed Lordship over. It was ruled by clan chiefs, the Kildare's had traditionally been the Governors of Ireland but by the 1530s Thomas Cromwell had been favouring the Butler Clan. During this time, English control was limited to the Pale, the area around Dublin.
The Kildare Rebellion
In 1532 Fitzgerald's father was called to London and sent to the Tower of London. Before he went he left Thomas in charge of the county. In 1534 rumours spread that Fitzgerald's father had been executed at the Tower, Thomas promised to avenge his father and went to Ireland to renounce his support of Henry VIII. It was later said that these rumours were spread by the Irish people hoping for a reaction. In 1535 Fitzgerald collected a large force in the Pale and laid siege to the walled city of Dublin, his army were crushed by the defenders. At this time, his father had not actually died, but after he heard news of his son's rebellion he took to his bed and became very ill, dying shortly afterwards. After a brief period raiding the Pale, Fitzgerald returned to his stronghold in County Kildare, but by 1535 this was taken by an English force and Fitzgerald was forced to flee. He believed he would have a lot of support from the public, but as Henry had not been fully excommunicated at this point, his plan failed. Fitzgerald was then excommunicated in 1536 for threatening to execute the Archbishop. The rebellion had ruined the Pale, which had already been hit by the plague. Lord Leonard Grey was then sent to be the Marshal of Ireland, he quickly defeated the rebels and Fitzgerald was captured and put into the Tower of London in 1535. Fitzgerald and his six uncles were executed in 1537, thus ending the rebellion. Henry tried to extirpate the House of Kildare, but there were still living relatives, Gerald became the new Earl of Kildare. Henry searched for Gerald but could not find him, Gerald evaded Henry until 1552, when Edward VI reinstated his possessions, and in 1554 Mary restored his title, making him the eleventh Earl of Kildare.
After the rebellion Henry demanded to be proclaimed King of Ireland and said that any nobles who acknowledged this claim could keep their land. Many nobles obliged as they believed it would not make much difference and they wanted to keep Ireland a separate kingdom from England and Wales. From then Henry wanted to increase control in Ireland and made all Lord Deputies English. There was never a chance of success, the rebellion has been said to have caused by Fitzgerald's inexperience and youth. It has also been said that they rebelled to hold onto power and to prove to Henry that the Fitzgerald's were needed as Lieutenant Deputy to the Crown.
Lord Thomas Fitzgerald (1513-1537), otherwise known as Silken Thomas, was the 10th Earl of Kildare. His mother was a cousin of Henry VII and he spent much of his youth living in England.
Ireland under Henry VIII
At the start of Henry VIII's reign, Ireland was just a land that the Tudors claimed Lordship over. It was ruled by clan chiefs, the Kildare's had traditionally been the Governors of Ireland but by the 1530s Thomas Cromwell had been favouring the Butler Clan. During this time, English control was limited to the Pale, the area around Dublin.
The Kildare Rebellion
In 1532 Fitzgerald's father was called to London and sent to the Tower of London. Before he went he left Thomas in charge of the county. In 1534 rumours spread that Fitzgerald's father had been executed at the Tower, Thomas promised to avenge his father and went to Ireland to renounce his support of Henry VIII. It was later said that these rumours were spread by the Irish people hoping for a reaction. In 1535 Fitzgerald collected a large force in the Pale and laid siege to the walled city of Dublin, his army were crushed by the defenders. At this time, his father had not actually died, but after he heard news of his son's rebellion he took to his bed and became very ill, dying shortly afterwards. After a brief period raiding the Pale, Fitzgerald returned to his stronghold in County Kildare, but by 1535 this was taken by an English force and Fitzgerald was forced to flee. He believed he would have a lot of support from the public, but as Henry had not been fully excommunicated at this point, his plan failed. Fitzgerald was then excommunicated in 1536 for threatening to execute the Archbishop. The rebellion had ruined the Pale, which had already been hit by the plague. Lord Leonard Grey was then sent to be the Marshal of Ireland, he quickly defeated the rebels and Fitzgerald was captured and put into the Tower of London in 1535. Fitzgerald and his six uncles were executed in 1537, thus ending the rebellion. Henry tried to extirpate the House of Kildare, but there were still living relatives, Gerald became the new Earl of Kildare. Henry searched for Gerald but could not find him, Gerald evaded Henry until 1552, when Edward VI reinstated his possessions, and in 1554 Mary restored his title, making him the eleventh Earl of Kildare.
After the rebellion Henry demanded to be proclaimed King of Ireland and said that any nobles who acknowledged this claim could keep their land. Many nobles obliged as they believed it would not make much difference and they wanted to keep Ireland a separate kingdom from England and Wales. From then Henry wanted to increase control in Ireland and made all Lord Deputies English. There was never a chance of success, the rebellion has been said to have caused by Fitzgerald's inexperience and youth. It has also been said that they rebelled to hold onto power and to prove to Henry that the Fitzgerald's were needed as Lieutenant Deputy to the Crown.