Charles MacCarthy, 1st Viscount Muskerry

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Charles MacCarthy
Viscount Muskerry
A shield of arms showing a red deer on a white ground
Tenure1628–1641
PredecessorCormac, 16th Lord Muskerry
SuccessorDonough, 1st Earl of Clancarty
Born1564
Died20 February 1641
London
BuriedWestminster Abbey
Spouse(s)Margaret O'Brien, Ellen Roche
Issue
Donough & others
FatherCormac, 16th Lord Muskerry
MotherMary Butler

Charles MacCarthy, 1st Viscount of Muskerry (1564–1641), also called Cormac Oge, sat in the Irish House of Lords during two parliaments where he opposed Strafford, Charles I's authoritarian governor,[a] and in 1641 contributed to the governor's fall by travelling to Westminster to submit grievances.

Birth and origins[]

Charles was born about 1570[b] as the eldest son of Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy and Mary Butler.[3] His father, Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy, was the 16th Lord of Muskerry.[c] When he was called Cormac rather than Charles, he was distinguished from his father by the generational suffix "Oge", the younger.[d] His father's family were the MacCartys of Muskerry, a Gaelic Irish dynasty that branched from the MacCarthy-Mor line with Dermot MacCarthy, second son of Cormac MacCarthy-Mor, a medieval Prince of Desmond.[14] This second son had been granted the Muskerry area as appanage.[15]

His mother was a daughter of Theobald Butler, 1st Baron Cahir.[16] His mother'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.[17]

hideFamily tree
Charles MacCarthy with wife, parents, and other selected relatives.[e]
Teige
11th Lord
1472–1565
Conor
3rd Earl

c. 1535 – 1581
Dermot
13th Lord
1501–1570
Cormac
14th Lord
d. 1583
tanist
Callaghan
15th Lord
tanist
resigned 1584
John of
Kilcash

d. 1570
Donogh
O'Brien
4th Earl
Thomond

d. 1624
Cormac
MacDermot
16th Lord

1552–1616
Mary
Butler
David Roche
7th Viscount
Fermoy

1573–1635
Walter
11th Earl

1559–1633
'Beads'
Margaret
O'Brien

d. c. 1599
Charles
1st Viscount
d. 1641
Ellen
Roche

d. c. 1599
Thomas
Viscount
Thurles

d. 1619
d.v.p.*
Donough
1st Earl

1594–1665
Eleanor
Butler

1612–1682
James
Butler
1st Duke

1610–1688
Charles
Viscount
Muskerry**

c. 1633 – 1665
d.v.p.*
Margaret
Bourke

d. 1698
Callaghan
3rd Earl

c. 1638 – 1676
Elizabeth
FitzGerald

d. 1698
Justin
Viscount
Mountcashel

c. 1643 – 1694
Charles James
2nd Earl
1663–1666
infant
Donough
4th Earl

1668–1734
Elizabeth
Spencer

1671–1704
Legend
XXXSubject of
the article
XXXLords & Viscounts Muskerry,
& Earls of Clancarty
XXXEarls & dukes
of Ormond
*d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)
**courtesy title

Religion[]

His father, Cormac MacDermot MacCarthy, had conformed to the established religion by adhering to the Church of Ireland.[25] Charles was educated at Oxford University[26] where Catholics were not accepted,[27] but later became a staunch Catholic.[28]

Marriages[]

First marriage and children[]

Charles married Margaret O'Brien in about 1590.[29] She was a daughter of Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond, called the great earl.[30] Her family, the O'Briens, were another important Gaelic Irish dynasty that descended from Brian Boru, medieval high king of Ireland.[31]

Charles and Margaret had five children, two sons:

  1. Cormac, severely handicapped ("possibly an idiot"),[6] died young[32] predeceasing his father[33]
  2. Donough (1594–1665), second viscount of Muskerry and first Earl of Clancarty

—and five daughters: [f]

Second marriage[]

His first wife died in or before 1599 as he remarried in that year.[50] His second wife was Ellen, widow of Donnell MacCarthy Reagh of Kilbrittain and eldest daughter of David Roche, 7th Viscount Fermoy and Joan Barry.[51][52][53] No children from this marriage are recorded in the major genealogical sources. After his death she would marry Thomas Fitzmaurice, 4th son of Thomas Fitzmaurice, 18th Baron Kerry.[54]

Honours and parliaments[]

At his father's death in 1616,[55] he succeeded as the 17th Lord of Muskerry.[2][56] On 15 November 1628 Charles I, King of Ireland, England and Scotland, created him Baron Blarney and Viscount Muskerry. The titles were probably bought.[57] They had a special remainder[58] that appointed his second son Donough as successor, excluding his eldest son, who was alive at the time but probably severely handicapped.[6]

Parliament of 1634–1635[]

Parliament was opened with all pomp on 14 July 1634[59][60] by the new Lord Deputy of Ireland, Thomas Wentworth[61] (later to become Lord Strafford), who had taken up office in July 1633.[62] Charles MacCarthy, Lord Muskerry, attended the Irish Parliament of 1634–1635 in the House of Lords. He took his seat on 14 July 1634, the day of its opening.[63]

Parliament of 1640–1649[]

The Lords had not acted on grievances during the parliamentary session, but afterward some lords decided to send Lords Muskerry, , Dillon, and to London to submit their grievances to the King.[64][65] Parliament met again on 26 January 1641.[66] Lord Deputy Wandesford had died on 3 December 1640 and the Irish government had devolved to the Lords Justice, Parsons and Borlase. The House of Lords recognised the lords who had gone to London as one of its committees[67] and excused their absence.[68] On 18 February 1641 the lords' grievances were written up in 18 articles. The lords complained that Strafford had overtaxed them.[69]

Death and timeline[]

On 20 February 1641, Muskerry, aged about 70, died in London, during his parliamentary mission. According to Cokayne, the 1st Viscount Muskerry died on 20 February 1640[70] in London and was buried in Westminster Abbey.[71] The registers of Westminster Abbey state that a Viscount Musgrove from Ireland was buried there on 27 May 1640.[72] This Musgrove has been tentatively identified with Muskerry.[73] However, parliamentary records show that Sir Donough served as MP in the Irish House of Commons in March 1640.[74] His father must therefore have died in February 1641.[75][76][77] The registers of Westminster Abbey have an entry for a burial of a "Sir Charles Machart" on 27 February 1641.[78]

Muskerry was succeeded by his second son, Donough. His eldest was handicapped and died some time before this moment. On 3 March 1641 the lords decided to replace Muskery as member of the lords' delegation in London with Thomas Roper, 2nd Viscount Baltinglass.[79][80]

Notes, citations, and sources[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Chief governor of Ireland is a general term for the King's representative and head of the executive in Ireland, whose title was either Lord Deputy or Lord Lieutenant.[1]
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b The major genealogical sources do not give a year of birth. One source gives 1564,[2] but this is hard to believe as his father was born in 1552.
  3. ^ According to an alternative regnal numbering scheme, his father was numbered as the 17th Lord of Muskerry.[4]
  4. ^ There are many Cormacs in the MacCartys of Muskerry: his father (Cormac MacDermot),[5] he himself (Cormac Oge), his eldest son (the "idiot"),[6] and his grandson.[7] He carried the generational suffix "oge",[8] (cf. Irish óg, young).[9][10] With progressive anglicisation at least two of these Cormacs were also called Charles: he himself[11] and his eldest grandson.[12][13]
  5. ^ This family tree is based on a tree focused on his son Donough and his grandchildren[18] and on genealogies of the Earls of Clancarty,[19][20] the MacCarthy of Muskerry family,[21] the Earls of Thomond,[22][23] and the Earls of Ormond.[24] Also see the lists of siblings and children in the text.
  6. ^ Burke (1866)[34] and Lainé (1836)[35] each list only three sisters. Lodge (1789) indicates that Mary is the second daughter[36] and mentions a fifth, Helen, but does not give the name of the mother. Helen could be from his father's second marriage.[37]
  7. ^ Burke (1866) lists three daughters of the 1st Viscount Muskerry, calling them Mary, Eleanor, and (by error) Eleanor again. This 2nd Eleanor, he says, married John Power.[42] He mentions her as Elena being the ancestress that links William Trench, 1st Earl of Clancarty of the 2nd creation to Donough MacCarty of the 1st creation.[43][44]

Citations[]

  1. ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 263, line 6: "Viceroy of Ireland, as L. Deputy and (1640) L. Lieut., 1632/33–1641."
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b McCarthy 1913, p. 70, line 4: "Cormac, the 17th Lord of Muskerry (born 1564, died 1640),"
  3. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 123, right column, line 16: "123. Cormac Mór, lord of Muscry ... born, A.D. 1552; married to Maria Butler."
  4. ^ Lainé 1836, pp. 72–79.
  5. ^ Wills 1840, p. 171: "Among these was Cormack M'Dermond M'Carthy, lord of Muskerry ..."
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Cokayne 1893, p. 425, footnote: "Donogh was the 2nd son, but his elder br. [brother], Cormac, is said to have d. [died] young, tho' he might be living (possibly an idiot) at this time."
  7. ^ Carte 1851b, p. 305: "... had sent over a regiment under his [Donough's] eldest son Cormac MacCarty, then a youth but thirteen years old, who continued to serve abroad until the restoration."
  8. ^ Seccombe 1893, p. 436, right column, line 53: "This Donogh, a son of Cormac Oge MacCarthy, first Viscount Muskerry ..."
  9. ^ MacMathúna & Ó Corrain 1995, p. 174: "Óg adj (in names): Séamas Óg; James Junior [...] óg adj. young; junior"
  10. ^ Matheson 1901, p. 12: "... a distinction is made as 'Shawn Og—'Young John.' "
  11. ^ McCarthy 1913, p. 70, line 7: "He [the 1st Viscount] had previously [before becoming Viscount] been known as 'Sir Charles MacCarthy'."
  12. ^ Firth 1903, p. 71, line 1: "... lieutenant-colonel was Charles (or Cormac) MacCarty, eldest son of Lord Muskerry. Muskerry commanded an Irish regiment in French service which ... formed part of the garrison of Condé."
  13. ^ Chester 1876, p. 162: "1662 June 19 The Right Hon. Charles, Viscount Muskerry: in the same [North] aisle near the Earl of Marlborough."
  14. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 122: "Cormac MacCarty Mor, Prince of Desmond (see the MacCarty Mór Stem, No. 115,) had a second son, Dermod Mór, of Muscry (now Muskerry) who was the ancestor of MacCarthy, lords of Muscry and earls of Clan Carthy."
  15. ^ Lainé 1836, p. 72: "Dermod-Môr, Mac-Carthy, fils puiné de Cormac-Môr, prince de Desmond et d'Honoria Fitz-Maurice, eut en apanage la baronnie de Muskery ..."
  16. ^ Cokayne 1893, p. 425, line 26: "Sir Charles (alias Cormac Oge) MacCarty, of Blarney and Muskerry, co. Cork, s. [son] and h. [heir] of Sir Cormac MacCarty of the same, by his first wife, Mary, da. [daughter] of Theobald (Butler), 1st Baron Caher [I. [Ireland]] ..."
  17. ^ Debrett 1828, p. 640: "Theobald le Boteler on whom that office [Chief Butler of Ireland] was conferred by King Henry II., 1177 ..."
  18. ^ Butler 1925, p. 255, Note 8The following rough pedigree ...
  19. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344Genealogy of the earls of Clancarty
  20. ^ Cokayne 1913, pp. 214–217Genealogy of the earls of Clancarty
  21. ^ Lainé 1836, pp. 74–78Genealogy of the MacCarthy of Muskerry family
  22. ^ Burke 1866, p. 406Genealogy of the earls of Thomond
  23. ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 392Genealogy of the earls of Thomond
  24. ^ Burke & Burke 1909, p. 1400Genealogy of the earls of Ormond
  25. ^ McCarthy 1913, p. 66: "Cormac MacDermott, 16th Lord, born in 1552, attended Parliament in 1578 as "Baron of Blarney", and conformed to the Protestant church."
  26. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 124, left column, line 10: "This Cormac was educated at Oxford (England), ..."
  27. ^ Hunter-Blair 1913, p. 366, left column: "... imposed upon the university the royal Supremacy and the Thirty-nine Articles, subscription to which was required from every student ..."
  28. ^ Ohlmeyer 2004, p. 107, left column, line 21: "... [Donough] was the second son of the staunchly Catholic Charles MacCarthy ..."
  29. ^ Jump up to: a b Cokayne 1893, p. 425, line 29: "He [Charles MacCarty] m. [married] firstly, about 1590, Margaret, da. [daughter] of Donough (O'Brien), 4th Earl of Thomond ..."
  30. ^ Burke 1866, p. 406, left column: "Donogh O'Brien, 4th Earl of Thomond, and lord-president of Munster, called "the great earl", m. [married] 1st Ellen, dau. [daughter] of Maurice, Lord Viscount Roche of Fermoy, and had a dau., Margaret, m. to Charles McCarthy, 1st Viscount Muskerry."
  31. ^ Cokayne 1896, p. 391, note b: "They were descended from the celebrated Brien Boroihme, principal king of Ireland (1002–1004) through his grandson Turlogh ..."
  32. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344, right column, line 25: "I. Cormac, d. [died] young."
  33. ^ Ohlmeyer 2004, p. 107, left column, line 24: "With the death of his elder brother Cormac, Donough became heir ..."
  34. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344, right column, line 26aMary, Eleanor, and Eleanor (sic)
  35. ^ Lainé 1836, p. 75, line 5Mary, Ellen, and Eleanor
  36. ^ Jump up to: a b Lodge 1789b, p. 55, line 29: "He married Mary second daughter of Cormac, Lord Muskerry ... sister to his father's second wife."
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b Lodge 1789a, p. 197: "Colonel Edmond Fitz-Maurice, who married Ellena, fifth daughter of Charles, Lord Viscount Muskerry."
  38. ^ Cokayne 1900, p. 237, line 7: "He [V. Browne, 1st Bt.] m. [married] secondly Sheela, da. [daughter] of Charles (MacCarty), 1st Viscount Muskerry [I.], by Margaret, da. of Donough (O'Brien), 4th Earl of Thomond [I. [Ireland]]. She d. [died] 21 Jan. 1633."
  39. ^ Cokayne 1900, p. 237, line 14: "... he [V. Browne, 2nd Bt.] m. Mary (sister of his stepmother) da. of Charles (MacCarty), 1st Viscount Muskerry [I. [Ireland]] ..."
  40. ^ Cokayne 1892, p. 342: "Sir Valentine Browne, Bart. [I. [Ireland]] of Killarney, co. Kerry, s. [son] and h. [heir] of Sir Valentine Browne, 2nd Bart [I.], by Mary da. [daughter] of Charles (MacCarty) 1st Viscount Muskerry [I. [Ireland]] was b. [born] 1638 ..."
  41. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344, right column, line 26b: "I. Mary m. [married] 1st, Sir Valentine Browne; and 2ndly, Edward FitzGerald of Ballymellon"
  42. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344, right column, line 31: "III. Eleanor, to John Power, and was ancestress to Frances Power, who m. [married] Richard Trench, Esq. of Garbally, father of the 1st Earl of Clancarty, of the Trench family."
  43. ^ Burke & Burke 1909, p. 407: "... in consequence of his descent from Elena MacCarty, wife of John Power, dau. of Cormac Oge MacCarty, Viscount Muskerry, and sister of Donough MacCarty, earl of Clancarty ..."
  44. ^ Cokayne 1913, p. 218, note e: "He was the great-grandson of John Power, m. [married] Eleanor, the 3rd and yst sister of Donogh (MacCarty), 1st Earl of Clancarty [I.]."
  45. ^ Lainé 1836, p. 75, line 10: "4. Elinor Mac-Carthy, mariée en 1636 avec Cormac ou Charles Mac-Carthy-Reagh."
  46. ^ Lainé 1836, p. 94, note 1: "... son contrat de mariage fut passé le 23 novembre 1636. Elinor eut un dot de 2000 livres sterling. ..."
  47. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 120, right column, line 8: "124. Cormac MacCarthy Reagh, Prince of Carbery: son of Donal; m., before his father's death, Eleanor, dau. of Cormac Oge, Lord Muscry;"
  48. ^ Burke 1866, p. 344, right column, line 28: "II. Eleanor, m. [married] to Charles-Mac Carthy Reagh, whose only dau. [daughter] Ellen became wife of John DeCourcy, 21st Baron Kingsale"
  49. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 120, right column, line 28: "Ellen, who m. [married] John, Lord Kinsale."
  50. ^ Jump up to: a b Ohlmeyer 2004, p. 107, left column, line 31: "Donough's mother died in or before 1599 when his father married as his second wife Ellen (d. [died] in or after 1610), widow of Donnell MacCarthy Reagh and daughter of David Roch, seventh Viscount Fermoy."
  51. ^ Cokayne 1893, p. 425, line 31: "He [Charles MacCarty] m. secondly, Ellen widow of Donnell MacCarthy Reagh, da. of David (Roche), Viscount Fermnoy ..."
  52. ^ Cokayne 1890, p. 327: "7. David (Roche) Viscount Roche of Fermoy [I.], s. [son] and h. [heir], probably by his first wife. He proclaimed James I as King, 13 Apr 1603, at Cork, the Mayor refusing to do so."
  53. ^ Dunlop & Cunningham 2004, p. 460: "Roche, David, seventh viscount Roche of Fermoy (1573?–1635)"
  54. ^ Burke 1866, p. 455, right column, line 42: "I. Ellen m. [married] 1st to Donnel McCarthy Reagh, of Killbritain, co. Cork, Esq.; 2ndly to Charles Viscount Muskerry, and 3rdly to Thomas Fitzmaurice, 4th son of Thomas 18th Lord Kerry."
  55. ^ Jump up to: a b Cokayne 1893, p. 425: "... suc. his father 23 Feb. 1616 ..."
  56. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 124, left column, line 5: "124. Cormac Oge, 17th lord of Muscry: his son; born A.D. 1564;"
  57. ^ Gillespie 2006, p. 13, line 17: "... most drastically in the period from 1615 to 1628 when honours were freely available for sale."
  58. ^ Jump up to: a b Cokayne 1893, p. 425, line 26: "... was cr. [created] 15 Nov. 1628, Baron Blarney and Viscount Muskerry, both of co. Cork [I. [Ireland]], for life, with rem. [remainder] to his son Donough and the heirs males of his body ..."
  59. ^ Gardiner 1899, p. 274, left column: "Parliament met on 14 July 1634."
  60. ^ Kearney 1959, p. 53: "Parliament met on 14 July [1634] and the first session lasted until 2 August."
  61. ^ Wedgwood 1961, p. 150: "Parliament met on July 14th, 1634. Wentworth rode down in state ..."
  62. ^ York 1911, p. 978, right column, line 38: "... arrived in Dublin in July 1633."
  63. ^ House of Lords 1779, p. 2, right column: "Die Lunae, 14 Julii, Anno Regn. D'ni 1634 ... The Viscount Cartie of Muskry, with his Writ brought in."
  64. ^ Carte 1851a, p. 244, line 22: "... thought fit to delegate the lords Gormanston, Kilmallock, and Muskery to present their grievances to his majesty."
  65. ^ Bagwell 1909, p. 303: "... deputed Gormanston, Dillon, and Kilmallock to carry their grievances to London. When Parliament reassembled [i.e. 26 Jan 1641] this action was confirmed and Lord Muskerry was added to the number."
  66. ^ Mountmorres 1792b, p. 40: "... but the parliament was prorogued on that day, to prevent any further proceedings until the 26 of January following."
  67. ^ Carte 1851a, p. 244, line 28: "... an order passed, authorizing the three above-mentioned with lord viscount Dillon of Castellogallen, to be a committee to present grievances to his majesty ..."
  68. ^ House of Lords 1779, p. 149, left column: "... no Advantage shall be taken of the Absence of the Lord Viscount Gormanstown, The Lord Viscount Kilmallock, and the Lord Viscount Muskry, their lordships being gone into England to attend his Majesty's Pleasure, touching certain Grievances of this Kingdom."
  69. ^ Carte 1851a, p. 245: "These grievances were of Feb. 18 drawn up in eighteen articles, wherein they complained, that the nobility were overtaxed ..."
  70. ^ Cokayne 1913, p. 214, 21: "... he suc. his father in the Viscountcy, 20 Feb., 1640."
  71. ^ Cokayne 1893, p. 425, line 33: "He d. in London and was bur. 27 May 1640 in Westm. Abbey."
  72. ^ Chester 1876, p. 134, line 8: "1640 27 May, The Lord Viscount Musgrove, of Ireland: in the North side of the monuments, under a black stone by the roabes door."
  73. ^ Chester 1876, p. 134, Note 5: "This entry can only refer to Cormac Mac Carthy, who was created, 15 Nov. 1628, Baron of Blarney and Viscount of Muskerry."
  74. ^ House of Commons 1878, p. 609: "1639 / 2 Mar. / Sir Donagh McCarthy, knt. / - / Cork County"
  75. ^ Ó Siochrú, "MacCarthy, Donough", Beginning of the 2nd paragraph: "On the death of his father (20 February 1641) ..."
  76. ^ Jump up to: a b Perceval-Maxwell 1994, p. 330: "... we know that the elder Muskerry died in February 1641."
  77. ^ Lainé 1836, p. 77: "(extrait du certificat de funérailles) ... enterré dans le bas-côté près de son grand-père Charles, lord vicomte Muskery."
  78. ^ Chester 1876, p. 135: "1640/41 Feb 27 Sir Charles Machart: within the North door of the monuments."
  79. ^ Carte 1851a, p. 244, line 33: "... and lord Muskery dying soon after, the viscount Baltinglass was appointed in his stead."
  80. ^ Mountmorres 1792a, p. 349: "On the 3d of March, Lord Baltinglass was appointed a commissioner in England in the room of Lord Muskery, deceased;"
  81. ^ Cokayne 1913, p. 214, line 21: "Donough MacCarty ... was b. 1594;"
  82. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 1: "James I ... acc. 24 Mar. 1603 ..."
  83. ^ Fryde et al. 1986, p. 44, line 16: "Charles I. ... acc. 27 Mar. 1625 ..."

Sources[]

Peerage of Ireland
New creation Viscount Muskerry
1st creation
1628–1641
Succeeded by
Donough MacCarty
Retrieved from ""