Thomas Molyneux (statesman)
Thomas Molyneux, or Molinel (1531–1597) was a French-born English statesman, who held high office in Ireland during the Elizabethan era. He founded a dynasty which produced several distinguished members, and became the Molyneux baronets of Castle Dillon, County Armagh.
Life
Molyneux was born in Calais, which was the last English possession in France until the French seized it in 1558.[1] His father was William Molyneux, or Molinel. Both his parents died when he was very young. An only child, he was raised by John Biskin or Brishin, an alderman of the town.[1] When the French seized Calais in January 1558, he was taken prisoner, but freed after he paid a ransom of 500 crowns[1] (the size of the ransom suggests that he had wealthy relatives).
He moved to
He received a grant of land at
In 1594 his qualifications to hold public office were questioned: it seems that his French birth and his years in Bruges had raised suspicions that he was a
He died just after New Year 1597, and was buried in
Family and descendants
He and Catherine had two sons and two daughters.
Through Daniel, who married Jane, daughter of Sir William Ussher of Donnybrook and Isabella Loftus (and Arthur's sister) by whom he had eight children, [1]Thomas had a number of distinguished descendants, including:
References
- Attribution
- This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Gilbert, John Thomas (1894). "Molyneux, Thomas (1531-1597)". In Lee, Sidney (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 38. London: Smith, Elder & Co.