Maurice Fitzgerald, 4th Earl of Kildare

Maurice FitzThomas FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare (1318 - 25 August 1390) was a prominent Irish nobleman in the Peerage of Ireland who held the office of Lord Justice of Ireland.

The second son of Thomas FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Kildare by his spouse Joan (d.1359), daughter of Richard de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster, he succeeded his brother Richard, 3rd Earl, who died aged 12 in 1329.

Maurice, Earl of Kildare, suppressed the insurrection in 1339 of the O'Dempsies in Leinster; and in November 1346, with Lord Justice Bermingham, forced the O'Mores to submit and give hostages for their future good behaviour. On 26 January 1347 he was summoned by Writ signed at Eltham Palace to serve King Edward III at the siege of Calais where he proceeded in May with thirty men-at-arms and was subsequently made leader of the army, and knighted.

With various irregulars and foot-soldiers assigned to defend County Kildare against rebel Irish, the earl was appointed, on 14 September 1358, supervisor of the four commissioners for raising and collecting their pay from that county.

On 30 March 1360 he was constituted Lord Justice of Ireland with an annual salary of £500 sterling. He was made Custos of the realm again on 22 March 1371, and a third time on 16 February 1375, until the return of Sir William Windsor.

In 1364 he headed a delegation of Irish nobles and officials to complain directly to King Edward III about the misgovernment of Ireland, and the corruption of certain officials, notably Thomas de Burley, the Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

In 1378 he petitioned King Richard II that he had, at his request, accompanied the Lord Justice, James Butler, 2nd Earl of Ormond "in a certain amount of great hosting" of the O'Morchoes of Slewmargy (Sliabh Mairge), with numerous horsemen in his retinue, whereof six of his men were lost as well as four coats of mail and other armour. He asked for recompense, of which the King granted £10 sterling from the Exchequer of Ireland on 21 May 1378.

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