Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde

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Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde and 1st Earl of Ossory (c. 1467 – August 26, 1539), also known as The Red Piers, was the son of Sir James Butler, of Polestown, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, and Sabh Kavanagh, the daughter of Donel Reagh Mac-Morrough Kavanagh.

Piers was cousin and heir of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormonde. On March 20, 1489, King Henry VII appointed him Sheriff of Kilkenny. He was subsequently knighted (prior to September 1497) and on February 28, 1498 he received a pardon for crimes committed in Ireland. (Including the murder of James Ormonde, also heir to the Earl of Ormonde.) He was also made Senechal of the Liberty of Tipperary on June 21, 1505.

On the death of Thomas Butler on August 3, 1515, Piers Butler became the 8th Earl of Ormonde. On March 6, 1522, the King appointed him Chief Governor of Ireland as Lord Deputy; he held this office until May 13, 1524 when he became Lord Treasurer.

As the king wanted the Earldom of Ormonde for Thomas Boleyn, he induced Piers and his coheirs to resign their claims on February 18, 1528. Piers was quickly (five days later) made Earl of Ossory. On February 22, 1538, the Earldom of Ormonde was restored to him.

He died on August 26, 1539 and was buried in the church of St. Canice, Kilkenny.

[edit] Family

He married Lady Margaret FitzGerald, daughter of Gerald FitzMaurice FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare and Alison Eustace, circa 1485. They had issue:

• James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormonde (b.c.1501-1546), married Lady Joan FitzGerald, daughter and heiress of 11th Earl of Desmond, and had issue.
• Helen Butler (b. b 1523-1597), married Donough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Thomond, son of Conor O'Brien, Prince of Thomond and Annabell de Burgh
• Richard Butler, 1st Viscount Mountgarret (b. b 1539), married Eleanor Butler, daughter of Theobald Butler, had issue.
• Margaret Butler (b. b 1539), married Barnaby FitzPatrick, 1st Lord of Upper Ossory and had issue.
• Joan Butler (b. b 1528), married James Butler, 2nd Baron Dunboyne son of Edmund Butler, 1st Baron Dunboyne and Julia MacCarthy and had issue.

[edit] References

• The Lineage and Ancestry of H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales Edinburgh, by Gerald Paget (1977)

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by New creation	Earl of Ossory 1528–1539	Succeeded by James Butler
Preceded by Thomas Butler	Earl of Ormonde 1538–1539