White Knight (Fitzgibbon family)
The White Knight | |
---|---|
Edward of Windsor | |
Peerage | Ireland |
First holder | Maurice FitzGibbon |
The White Knight is one of three
History
The first White Knight was Maurice FitzGibbon. He was knighted in the field by
The following passage discusses a traditional, folk origin of the House of FitzGerald: "The Fitz Geralds of Ireland, men of approued [sic] valour, were without question / descended from the auncient Trojans, when, that famous citty of Pergamus / beeing vtterly layd waste after ten yeares seidge, all her Princes slayne / in battailes, Prince Aeneas only surviueing; who beeing the close concealement / of Poliscena, Priam’s most beautiful daughter, was banished by the / Greekes, and followed by a gallant and warlike crewe of martiall youths, / who surviued theyre natiue countryes destruction. The Auncestors of Fitz Geralds / were of them who followed him in his exile."[7]
From a fragment of Irish poetry attributed to the Irish poet Donogh McCraith, translated into English: "Three renowned knights of Gerald’s powerfull [sic] race / In Ireland (well ’twas known), being stoutest had the place; / To distinguish each of these Gallants progenye, / By right of birth and worth, the White Knight bore the sway".[8]
The title of the White Knight, in the original Irish, can be anglicized as: "Ryther-a-fin".[9] The White Knight possessed large estates in the counties of Limerick and Cork.[10] Though it was common in the historical context of early medieval Ireland for one possessing Knight's Fees to take his name from the lands that he held by military service,[11] the White Knight was not called after his land, but is supposed to have taken his distinct appellation from the colour of his armour.[12] Maurice Fitzgibbon, 1st White Knight, led military expeditions alongside the Earl of Desmond in Scotland and Wales, serving as Lieutenant-General to the Earl of Desmond.[13]
The White Knights were constantly at war with the Lords Roche, their near neighbours. Whenever the followers or retainers of the two families met, except in alliance against a common foe, "there was sure to be a bloody encounter between them."
Holders of the title
The title passed from father to son for nearly three hundred years.
- Maurice Fitzgibbon, 1st White Knight (d. 1357)
- David Fitzgibbon, 2nd White Knight
- John Fitzgibbon, 3rd White Knight
- Maurice Fitzgibbon, 4th White Knight (d. 1419)
- John Fitzgibbon, 5th White Knight
- Maurice Mor Fitzgibbon, 6th White Knight(d. 1496)
- Maurice Oge Fitzgibbon, 7th White Knight(d. 1530)
- Maurice Fitzgibbon, 8th White Knight (d. 1543)
- John Fitzgibbon, 9th White Knight (d. 1569)
- John Oge Fitzgibbon, 10th White Knight (d. 1569)
- Edmund Fitzgibbon, 11th White Knight (d. 1608)
- Maurice Oge Fitzgibbon, 12th White Knight (d. 1611) — no children.[19]
After the death of
A claim to the title of The White Knight was asserted by Lord Kingston in 1821, who was a descendant by marriage of Margaret (1602–1666), the granddaughter of Edmond Fitzgibbon, 11th White Knight,[28] but was successfully contested and refused by the crown.[29]
The last recorded holder of the title of the White Knight was Maurice Fitzgibbon of Crohana, Kilkenny, who assumed the title in 1858.[30] Though the 'Kilkenny' branch of the family has since become extinct, the 'Limerick' branch remains extant.[31] The Fitzgibbons of Limerick represent the last remaining branch of the Fitzgibbon lineage.[32][33][34] The Fitzgibbons of Limerick held the title Earls of Clare (see: John FitzGibbon, 1st Earl of Clare) from 1794 until 1864.[35]
See also
Notes
- ^ Forester, Henry Rumsey, The pocket peerage of Great Britain and Ireland 1852 p.88 [1]
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 11. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [2].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Sept of the Old Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 7. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [3].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 37. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [4].
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 91. JSTOR. [5]
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [6]
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Earls of Desmond." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. I, pg 7. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1870. [7].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 6. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [8].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 36. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [9].
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [10]
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [11]
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [12]
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 14. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [13].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 76. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [14].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 76. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [15].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 93. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [16].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 94. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [17].
- ^ Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV, pg 23. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [18].
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 94. JSTOR. [19]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 94. JSTOR. [20]
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [21]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 94. JSTOR. [22]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 429. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 95. JSTOR. [23]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 430. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 430-432. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976. [24]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pg. 430. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
- ^ Forester, Henry Rumsey, The pocket peerage of Great Britain and Ireland 1852 p.88 [25]
- ^ O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858. JSTOR. [26]
- ^ Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. pp. 430-431. London, U.K.: Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
References
Forester, Henry Rumsey. The Pocket Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland. 1852. [27]
Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Irish Family Records. London, U.K. Burkes Peerage Ltd, 1976.
O'Donovan, John. "The Descendants of the Last Earls of Desmond." Ulster Journal of Archaeology, vol. 6, 1858, pp. 91–97. JSTOR. [28]
Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Sept of the Old Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [29].
Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Earls of Desmond." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. I. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1870. [30].
Graves, James, and Samuel Heyman, editors. "Unpublished Geraldine Documents, The Whyte Knight." The Journal of the Royal Historical and Archaeological Association of Ireland, vol. IV. Dublin University Press, Ireland. 1885. [31].