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Birth:          ABT 1250 
Death:          12 Sep 1316 Laraghbryan, Ireland

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_FitzGerald,_1st_Earl_of_Kildare
John FitzThomas FitzGerald (c. 1250 – d. 10 September 1316) was an Irish nobleman 
in the Peerage of Ireland, as 4th Lord of Offaly from 1287 and subsequently as 1st 
Earl of Kildare from 1316.[1]
Life[edit]

He was the eldest son of Thomas FitzMaurice FitzGerald (died 1271) and Rohesia de 
St.Michel, he is noticed in 1291 in serious dispute with William Vescy, Lord of Kildare, 
Lord Justice of Ireland, about whom there were many complaints of oppression and 
neglect of the country's defences. As champion of the complainants John Fitzgerald, 
by then 4th Lord of Offaly (having succeeded to the title in 1287, upon the death of 
his uncle Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly), their paths crossed and instead of 
addressing the issues Vescy charged Fitzgerald with minor charges of slander and 
libel. Fitzgerald appealed to King Edward I of England, who, to examine and judge the 
matter impartially, summoned them both to London to hear the cases, where it appears 
FitzGerald had the advantage, challenging the Lord Justice to clear his name by 
combat, which was accepted. However, Vescy fled to France, whereupon the King 
pronounced Lord Offaly innocent, and settled upon him Vescy's lordships and manors 
of Kildare, Rathangan, &c., which were forfeited to the Crown.

In 1296 and 1299 he was summoned to fight for the Crown in the Scottish campaigns 
of Edward II. With John Wogan, Lord Justice, and others he went a third time to war 
in Scotland in 1301-2.[2]

In 1307, with his son-in-law Sir Edmund Butler, he dispersed rebels in Offaly[2] who 
had razed the castle of Geashill and burnt the town of Leix. In 1312 he was sent as 
General at the head of an army into Munster to suppress armed Irish rebels. On May 
25, 1315, Edward Bruce, brother to King Robert the Bruce of Scotland, entered the 
north of Ireland with 6000 men, was crowned King of Ireland at Dundalk, and wasted 
the country. Lord Offaly, among others, commenced vigorous sporadic warfare to 
resist Bruce, leaving "great slaughter" of Scots and the Irish irregulars in his service. 
Edward Bruce was eventually defeated and killed in the battle of Dundalk.

King Edward II created Fitzgerald Earl of Kildare by Letters Patent dated May 14, 
1316,[2] the year in which he founded the friary at Adare, county Limerick.[citation 
needed]

However he died that same year, on Sunday September 12, 1316, at Laraghbryan, 
near Maynooth and was interred in the Franciscan Friary of Clan.[3] Kildare.

Family[edit]

He had married Blanche de La Roche, daughter of John de La Roche, Lord Fermoy 
and Maud Waley (daughter of Henry Waley),[4] by whom he had two sons and two 
daughters:
Gerald (d.1303)
Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Kildare, his successor.
Joan FitzGerald, married in 1302 to Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick.
Elizabeth FitzGerald, married to Nicholas Netterville, ancestor of Viscount Netterville.

Parents
FITZ GERALD Thoma Fitz Maurice ()
DE ST. MICHEL Rohesia ()

Siblings
FITZ GERALD John Fitz Thomas (ABT 1250 - 12 Sep 1316)

Marriage To DE LA ROCHE Blanche ()
    m.  

Notes


Children by DE LA ROCHE Blanche 
FITZ GERALD Joan (1281 - 2 May 1320)

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