Raymond Fitzgerald

Raymond "Le Gros" FitzGerald
Raymond le Gros in a 13th-century manuscript, MS 700 of the National Library of Ireland, illustrating the text of the Expugnatio Hibernica, written by Gerald of Wales, a cousin of Raymond.
Born	Wales
Died	Between 1185-1198 Waterford, Ireland
Resting place	Molana Abbey, Waterford 51°59′50″N 7°53′00″W / 51.99722°N 7.88333°W / 51.99722; -7.88333Coordinates: 51°59′50″N 7°53′00″W / 51.99722°N 7.88333°W / 51.99722; -7.88333
Other names	Redmond
Spouse(s)	Basilia de Clare

Raymond (or Redmond) FitzGerald (died 1185/1198), nicknamed Le Gros ("the Fat"), was a Cambro-Norman commander during the Norman invasion of Ireland. Raymond was among the first of a small band of Norman knights who landed on the South coast of Ireland before being reinforced by a larger force led by Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke. He was active consolidating Norman rule over Ireland before he retired to his estates in Waterford where he died in the late 12th century.

Raymond grew up in Wales, and was a grandson of Princess Nest ferch Rhys, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last independent Prince of South Wales. His father was William FitzGerald, Lord of Carew.

He was sent by Strongbow to Ireland in 1170, and landed at Baginbun Head at the Hook Peninsula, near Waterford, where he was besieged in his entrenchments by the combined Irish and Ostmen, whom he repulsed. Although vastly outnumbered in this battle, (his cousin Gerald of Wales gives the numbers at 3000 Irish against Le Gros's forces of about 100 including 10 Knights) he won a resounding victory which he achieved by rounding up a nearby herd of cattle which his men had foraged and driving them headlong into the oncoming enemy ranks. The result was that about 1000 of the combined Galic and Hiberno-Norse force were either killed or captured.

He was Strongbow's second in command and had the chief share both in the capture of Waterford and in the successful assault on Dublin. He was sent to Aquitaine to hand over Strongbow's conquests to Henry II of England, but was back in Dublin in July 1171, when he led one of the sallies from the town. Strongbow offended him later by refusing him the marriage of his sister Basilia, widow of Robert de Quincy. Raymond then retired to Wales and Hervey de Mountmaurice became constable in his place.