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William de Burgh

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William de Burgh (1160-1204) was born in Ireland and was the first Lord of Connaught.

Early career

In 1184 among the retinue of Prince John of England, son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

John apparently gave him back his lands in Ireland and Connaught.

Sometime in the 1190s, William married a daughter of Isabel Plantagent, daughter of King of England.

Alliance with Connacht

In 1200, "Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair went into Munster, to the son of Mac Carthy and William Burke to solicit their aid." This marked the start of de Burgh's interest in the province. Though King of Connacht Cathal Crobderg Ua Conchobair (reigned 1190 - 1224) faced much opposition, mainly from within his own family and wished to engage Burke's aid to help secure his position. The following year William and Ua Conchobair led an army from Limerick to Tuam and finally to Boyle. Ua Conchobair's rival, Cathal Carragh Ua Conchobair marched at the head of his army to give them battle but was killed in a combined Burke/Ua Conchobair onslaught after a week of skirmishing between the two sides.

William and Ua Conchobair then travelled to Iar Connacht and stayed at Cong for Easter. Here, William and the sons of Rory O'Flaherty conspired to kill Ua Conchobair but the plot was foiled, apparently by holy oaths they were made to swear by the local Coarb family. However, when de Burgh demanded payment for himself and his retinue, battle finally broke out with over seven hundred of de Burgh's followers said to have being killed. William, however, managed to return to Limerick.

Death

The Annals of the Four Masters recorded his passing in 1204:

"William Burke plundered Connaught, as well churches as territories; but God and the saints took vengeance on him for that; for he died of a singular disease, too shameful to be described."

Descendants

He was survived by his sons Richard Mor de Burgh (d.1242), Bishop Hubert de Burgh of Limerick (d. 1251), Sheriff William de Burgh (d. 1247) and an apparently illegitimate son, Richard de Burgh.

The senior male line of the family came to an end with the murder of William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster, in 1333. A junior branch later gave rise to the Earls of Clanricarde.

His descendants include:

See also

Sources

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