Biography of Maurice Fitzgerald 9th Earl Desmond -1520

Paternal Family Tree: Fitzgerald

Maurice Fitzgerald 9th was born to [his father] Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond and [his mother] Ellice Barry Countess Desmond.

On 22nd August 1455 [his father] Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond and [his mother] Ellice Barry Countess Desmond (age 35) were married. She by marriage Countess Desmond. He the son of [his grandfather] James Fitzgerald 6th Earl Desmond.

In 1462 [his father] Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond succeeded 7th Earl Desmond.

In 1463 [his father] Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.

In 1468 [his father] Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond and Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl of Kildare (age 47) attended Parliament in Drogheda [Map] to answer charges of treason. Both were found guilty and attain. Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond sought sanctuary in Drogheda Priory [Map] where he was captured by John "Butcher of England" Tiptoft 1st Earl of Worcester (age 40). On 14th February 1468 Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond was summarily beheaded. He was buried initially in St Peter's Church Drogheda [Map] then Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin [Map]. Some accounts claim John "Butcher of England" Tiptoft 1st Earl of Worcester also murdered two of his young sons. Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl of Kildare escaped and was subsequently pardoned and attainder reversed when King Edward IV found Ireland was ungovernable without him. In 1470 Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl of Kildare was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland under George York 1st Duke of Clarence (age 18) which position he held until the Duke's death in 1478.

In 1468 Maurice Fitzgibbon 6th White Knight (age 38) and [his mother] Ellice Barry Countess Desmond (age 48) were married.

In 1468 [his brother] James Fitzgerald 8th Earl Desmond (age 9) succeeded 8th Earl Desmond.

After 1470 [his mother] Ellice Barry Countess Desmond (deceased) died.

Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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On 7th December 1487 [his brother] James Fitzgerald 8th Earl Desmond (age 28) was murdered by John Murtagh at the instigation of his brother [his brother] John at Rathkeale, County Limerick. His brother Maurice succeeded 9th Earl Desmond.

Annals of Ireland. 1488. John Mantach, the principal agent in the death of the [his brother] earl of Desmond, was put to death by Maurice, the son¹ of the earl, and Maurice, the son of the earl, was nominated earl.

Note 1. A mistake for brother.

Around 1495 [his son] James Fitzgerald 10th Earl Desmond was born to Maurice Fitzgerald 9th and [his future wife] Ellen Roche Countess Desmond (age 29). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.

In or before 1498 Maurice Fitzgerald 9th and Ellen Roche Countess Desmond (age 32) were married. He the son of Thomas Fitzgerald 7th Earl Desmond and Ellice Barry Countess Desmond. They were great uncle and niece. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward I of England.

Around 1498 [his son] Thomas Fitzgerald was born to Maurice Fitzgerald 9th and [his wife] Ellen Roche Countess Desmond (age 32). Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.

In 1520 Maurice Fitzgerald 9th died. His son James (age 25) succeeded 10th Earl Desmond.

Around 1535 [his former wife] Ellen Roche Countess Desmond (age 69) died.

Annals of Ireland. The earl of Desmond ([his brother] James Fitzgerald), was treacherously killed by his own people at Rath Gaola (Rathkeale, county of Limerick), at the instigation of his brother [his brother] John; but John and all the murderers were expelled by Maurice¹, the son of the earl.

Note 1. A mistake for brother.

Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes

Récits d’un bourgeois de Valenciennes aka The Chronicle of a Bourgeois of Valenciennes is a vivid 14th-century vernacular chronicle written by an anonymous urban chronicler from Valenciennes in the County of Hainaut. It survives in a manuscript that describes local and regional history from about 1253 to 1366, blending chronology, narrative episodes, and eyewitness-style accounts of political, military, and social events in medieval France, Flanders, and the Low Countries. The work begins with a chronological framework of events affecting Valenciennes and its region under rulers such as King Philip VI of France and the shifting allegiances of local nobility. It includes accounts of conflicts, sieges, diplomatic manoeuvres, and the impact of broader struggles like the Hundred Years’ War on urban life in Hainaut. Written from the perspective of a burgher (bourgeois) rather than a monastery or royal court, the chronicle offers a rare lay viewpoint on high politics and warfare, reflecting how merchants, townspeople, and civic institutions experienced the turbulence of the 13th and 14th centuries. Its narrative style combines straightforward reporting of events with moral and civic observations, making it a valuable source for readers interested in medieval urban society, regional politics, and the lived experience of war and governance in pre-modern Europe.

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[his daughter] Ellis Fitzgerald was born to Maurice Fitzgerald 9th and Ellen Roche Countess Desmond. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.

[his daughter] Joan Fitzgerald was born to Maurice Fitzgerald 9th and Ellen Roche Countess Desmond. Coefficient of inbreeding 6.25%.