James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond

James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond (1305 – 6 January 1338). James is buried in St. Mary's Collegiate Church Gowran, Gowran, Co. Kilkenny, was a noble in the Peerage of Ireland.

He was the son of Edmund Butler, Earl of Carrick, Justiciar of Ireland, (1268- 13 September 1321) and Joan FitzGerald, Countess of Carrick. His paternal grandparents were Theobald le Botiller (1242–1285), (son of Theobald le Botiller and Margery de Burgh), and Joan FitzJohn (FitzGeffrey) (died 4 April 1303), daughter of John FitzGeoffrey, Lord of Shere, Justiciar of Ireland, and Isabel Bigod. His maternal grandfather was John FitzThomas FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Kildare.

Upon his father's death in 1321, the only hereditary title that James held was that of Chief Butler Of Ireland. As the 7th Chief Butler, he inherited the title from his ancestor Theobald Fitzwalter whose successors adopted the surname Butler. A gap of 7 years was to follow before James was rewarded for his loyalty to the Crown with an earldom in his own right. His benefactor, King Edward III created him the first Earl of Ormond by patent, bearing date 2 November 1328 at Salisbury, the King then holding a Parliament there, with the creation fee of £10 a year. Seven days afterwards, by patent dated at Wallingford, in consideration of his services, and the better to enable him to support the honour, the King gave to him the regalities, liberties, knights fees, and other royal privileges of the county of Tipperary, and the rights of a palatine in that county for life.

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