Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond

Thomas was born about February 1531[lower-alpha 2] in southern Ireland. He was the eldest son of James Butler and his wife Joan FitzGerald. At the time of his birth, his father was still heir apparent but would succeed as 9th Earl of Ormond in 1539. His father's family was the Butler dynasty, an Old English family that descended from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed Chief Butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177.[7]

Thomas's mother was a child of James FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond. Her family, the Geraldines, also were an Old English family. It was once believed that his parents had married about 1520, but this is now known to be impossible as, in 1521-2, his father was briefly betrothed to his English cousin Anne Boleyn. James and Joan did not marry until about 1528, with Thomas as their first child being born three, rather than eleven, years later.[8]

He was one of seven brothers, which are listed in his father's article. No sisters are known and he probably had none, since the siblings were born about two years apart.

In 1539 his grandfather died and his father succeeded as the 9th earl of Ormond.[9] Born in Ireland, Butler was sent to London in May 1544 aged about 13,[10] to be brought up at the English court where he adopted English speech, dress, and manners, as well as the Protestant religion.[11]

Earl of Ormond

On 28 October 1546, when Butler was 15, his father, the 9th Earl of Ormond died in London after having been poisoned during a banquet at Ely House,[12] probably at the instigation of Anthony St Leger, who was Lord Deputy of Ireland and a political opponent. Thomas Butler succeeded as the 10th Earl of Ormond and the 3rd Earl of Ossory. He became a ward of the King.

Ormond, as he now was, was knighted on 20 February 1547, at the coronation of Edward VI.[13] On 10 September 1547 during the Rough Wooing he served at the Battle of Pinkie under Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset against the Scots.[14] In 1554, during the reign of Queen Mary, Ormond helped to put down Wyatt's rebellion.[15]

His mother remarried to Francis Bryan in 1548, and then to Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond in 1551.[16]

In 1554 his illegitimate son, Piers FitzThomas Butler of Duisk, was born. There were unfounded rumours that Elizabeth was the mother, something which was particularly impossible at the time of Piers's birth when the Princess was away from court, imprisoned, then under house arrest, and frequent public questioning for her alleged complicity in the Wyatt Rebellion.[17] Piers's son, Edward would become the 1st Viscount Galmoye.

On 17 November 1558 Elizabeth succeeded Mary as Queen of England.[18] On 26 August 1559 Ormond was appointed Lord Treasurer of Ireland by the Queen,[19][20] which automatically made him a privy councillor of Ireland.[21]

Thomas Butler, Earl of Ormond, by Steven van der Meulen

About 1559 Ormond married his first wife, Elizabeth Berkeley, daughter of Thomas Berkeley, 6th Baron Berkeley and Anne Savage.[22] His bride was considered a beauty at the court. However, the marriage was not happy and she had lovers. They separated in 1564 without having had children, but she refused a divorce. She would finally die on 1 September 1582 in Bristol. That meant that Ormond did not have an heir and that according to the normal rule of succession, his younger brother Edmund was his heir presumptive.

In the 1560s Ormond built the Tudor manor-house extension to Ormonde Castle on the banks of the River Suir in Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary.[23] All of this was done to provide Elizabeth with a suitable palace at which to stay when she travelled to Ireland. Elizabeth planned twice to visit him there: once in 1602 (which visit was cancelled by her illness); and again in 1603. She died, however, before the planned visit could take place. It is known that Elizabeth appreciated Thomas's effort, and was—as she was with all of her maternal cousins—very fond of him. Thomas survived Elizabeth by 11 years.

At the age of 51, having been freed by the death of his estranged first wife on 1 September 1582, Ormond remarried Elizabeth Sheffield on 9 November in London. She was the daughter of John Sheffield, 2nd Baron Sheffield and Douglas, daughter of William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham.

Thomas and Elizabeth had three children:

1. John (1584–1589), died young;[35]
2. Elizabeth (before 1593 – 1628), married 1st her first cousin Theobald, son of Thomas's brother Edmund, but Theobald died childless in 1613; she married 2ndly Richard Preston, 1st Earl of Desmond, and had one daughter, Elizabeth Preston;[36]
3. Thomas (before 1601 – 1606), died young on 17 January 1606 and is buried in Carrick-on-Suir.[37][38]

Ormonde Castle at Carrick on Suir

In 1580 Ormond improved Kilkenny Castle by building the great gallery.[39]

In spring 1588, the Queen made Ormond a Knight of the Garter.[40] When in the summer of that year the Spanish Armada menaced England, he was with her at the review of the troops at Tilbury where she gave the patriotic speech to the troop at Tilbury. He had at that occasion the honour to carry the sword of state before her.[41]

In 1600 he helped to suppress Tyrone's Rebellion. Between April 1600 and June 1600 he was held captive by Owny MacRory O'More who had invaded Munster with Irish forces from Leinster.

Ormond's second wife died in November 1600.[42] In June 1601 Ormond, aged 70, married his third wife, Helena Barry, daughter of David de Barry, 5th Viscount Buttevant.[43] It was her second marriage, her first husband having been John Power. The marriage remained childless.[44]

He was further honoured by being appointed vice-admiral of Leinster in 1602.

An anonymous manuscript originating from the library of the Irish College at Louvain[45] tells us the following anecdote.

The 10th Earl of Ormond, as an old blind man, celebrated Christmas with his family at Carrick Castle. The adults sat at the table, while the children played on the floor around them. The Earl heard a noise behind him and asked who it was. He was told it was little Jemmy of Kilcash, Walter's grandson whipping his top. The Earl asked for the boy to be brought to him, held him on his lap, and caressed his hair. He sighed and said "My family shall be much oppressed and brought very low, but by this boy it shall be restored again and in his time be in greater splendour than ever it has been".[46]

In 1613 his son-in-law Lord Tulleophelim died childless in his forties.[47] A son of Lord Thomond asked for his widow Elizabeth's hand, but the King decided that she should marry Lord Dingwall, a favourite from his days in Scotland.[48]

The tenth Lord Ormond died on 22 November 1614 at Carrick[49] and was buried at St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny.

As the Earl died without legally recognised male issue, and his younger brother Edmund was attainted, the Earldom reverted in the male line, to the Kilcash cadet branch, which had started with the third brother John Butler of Kilcash and whose living representative was John's son Walter.

Included:

• Treasurer of Ireland (1559–1614)[20]
• Lieutenant of County Tipperary (1575)
• Lieutenant of County Kilkenny (1575)
• Lord General of the Forces in Munster (1582–1583)
• General of the Forces in Leinster (1594–1596)
• Lieutenant-General of the all Forces in Ireland (1597)
• Vice-Admiral of Leinster (1602)

• Butler, Rachel Evelyn (1862). The Prophecy. Vol. I. London: Richard Bentley. OCLC 14815794.