Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond

Walter was born in 1559,[2][lower-alpha 2] the second son of John Butler of Kilcash and his wife Katherine MacCarthy. His father was a younger son of James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond. His father's family, the Butler Dynasty, was Old English and descended from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed chief butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177.[5]

Walter's mother was a daughter of Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh.[6] Her father was the 13th prince of Carbery. Her family was Gaelic Irish. Walter's parents were both Catholic. Walter was one of four siblings, who are listed in his father's article.

Butler was brought up as a devout Catholic and was known as "Walter of the Beads"[7] (Irish: "Váitéar an Phaidrín").[8]

His father, John of Kilcash, died on 10 May 1570 when Walter was about eleven. [6] His brother James inherited but died unmarried sometime before September 1576 when Walter became the owner of the land around Kilcash Castle that had been his father's appanage.[9]

Butler worked closely with his uncle, the Earl of Ormond.[10] As a reward for his military service with the earl, he was knighted by Adam Loftus and Robert Gardiner in 1598.[11]

About 1584 Butler married a second cousin, Helen Butler (also known as Ellen), eldest daughter of Edmund Butler, 2nd Viscount Mountgarret and his wife Grizel FitzPatrick.[12][13] Their common great-grandfather was Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond.

Walter and Helen had two sons:

1. Thomas Butler, Viscount Thurles (1594–1619), married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Pointz, and had issue, including James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond[14]
2. James, died young in France[15]

—and nine daughters:

1. Margaret, married Barnaby Fitzpatrick, 5th Baron Upper Ossory[16]
2. Catherine, married Piers Power of Monalargie, 2nd son of Richard Power, 2nd Baron Power of Curraghmore[17][18][19]
3. Ellen (died 1663), married Pierce Butler, 1st Viscount Ikerrin[20]
4. Helena, married James Butler of Grellagh, 5th son of James Butler, 2nd Baron Dunboyne[21]
5. Joan, married 1st George Bagenal,[22] 2ndly Theobald Purcell, and 3rdly Sir Thomas Esmond, 1st Baronet.
6. Mary, married George Hamilton of Greenlaw and Roscrea[23]
7. Elizabeth, married 1st Sir Edmond Blanchville and 2ndly Richard Burke, 6th Earl of Clanricarde[24]
8. Eleanor (died 1633), died unmarried[25]
9. Ellis Butler (died 1625), who married Sir Terence O'Brien-Arragh, 1st Baronet of Arragh[26]

In 1613 the only Irish parliament of the reign of James I was called. On 13 April 1613 Butler was returned as member of the Irish House of Commons for County Tipperary County.[27] He was part of the resistance to government attempts to introduce anti-Catholic legislation.[28]

His uncle, Black Tom, the 10th Earl died on 22 November 1614[29] leaving an only daughter, Elizabeth, who had married Richard Preston, 1st Earl of Desmond. Butler, his nephew, succeeded as the 11th Earl of Ormond and expected to also inherit the estates, but his claim to the family estates was challenged by Richard Preston, the husband of the 10th Earl's only child. The dispute was arbitrated by King James I, who awarded most of the estate, including Kilkenny Castle, to Preston. Ormond, as he now was, spent much time and money in litigation opposing the King's decision. His persistence resulted in him being committed to the Fleet prison in 1617.[30] He remained incarcerated for eight years in great want with no rents reaching him from his estate. James meanwhile challenged his ownership of the county palatine of Tipperary with a writ of quo warranto (by what right?). This county had been vested in the head of the family for nearly four hundred years and could therefore under no circumstance have belonged to his cousin Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Preston. No answer was made to the writ, if indeed an opportunity was afforded for an answer, and James took the county palatine into his own hands.

Ormond was freed in 1625 and large parts of his estates were restored to him.[31] For some while he lived in a house in Drury Lane, London, with his grandson James, afterwards Duke of Ormond. In 1629, on the projected marriage of his grandson with Elizabeth Preston, Preston's only child, Charles I of England granted her marriage and the wardship of her lands to him by letters patent dated 8 September. After the marriage Ormond was recognised, on 9 October 1630, heir to the lands of his uncle, Earl Thomas, as well as of Sir John Butler of Kilcash, his father.

Ormond also suffered problems within his own family. His son Thomas, styled viscount Thurles, married the daughter of Sir John Poyntz of Gloucestershire against his wish. In 1619 Thomas was accidentally drowned at The Skerries, Isle of Anglesey,[32] at the beginning of Walter's long imprisonment in the Fleet Prison. Viscount Thurles had been a prominent Catholic and at the time of his death, was being sent to England on charges of having garrisoned Kilkenny.

Ormond died at Carrick-on-Suir on 24 February 1633 and was buried in St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny, on 18 June 1633.[33] His eldest son having predeceased him, he was succeeded by his grandson, James Butler, later the 1st Duke of Ormond.