Theobald Walter, 1st Baron Butler

Theobald Walter
Arms of Walter, adopted at the start of the age of heraldry: Or, a chief indented azure. These arms are borne in the first quarter of the arms of the Butler family, Marquess of Ormonde (the arms of Butler are born in the 2nd) reflecting that family's descent in the male line from Theobald Walter
Born	1165 Norfolk, England
Died	1206 Wicklow, Ireland
Occupation	Sheriff of Lancaster Chief Butler of England and Ireland
Spouse(s)	Maud le Vavasour
Children	Theobald le Botiller Maud le Botiller Beatrice le Botiller
Parent(s)	Hervey Walter Maud de Valoignes

Theobald Walter (sometimes Theobald FitzWalter,Theobald Butler, or Theobald Walter le Boteler) was the first Chief Butler of Ireland. He also held the office of Chief Butler of England and was the High Sheriff of Lancashire for 1194. Theobald was the first to use the surname Butler of the Butler family of Ireland. He was involved in the Irish campaigns of King Henry II of England and John of England. His eldest brother Hubert Walter became the Archbishop of Canterbury and justiciar and Lord Chancellor of England.

Theobald was the son of Hervey Walter and his wife Matilda de Valoignes, who was one of the daughters of Theobald de Valoignes. Their children were Theobald, Hubert—future Chief Justiciar and Archbishop of Canterbury—Bartholomew, Roger, and Hamon. Theobald Walter and his brother Hubert were brought up by their uncle Ranulf de Glanvill, the great justiciar of Henry II of England who had married his mother's sister Bertha.

On 25 April 1185, Prince John, in his new capacity as "Lord of Ireland" landed at Waterford and around this time granted the hereditary office of butler of Ireland to Theobald, whereby he and his successors were to attend the Kings of England at their coronation, and on that day present them with the first cup of wine. Theobald's father had been the hereditary holder of the office of butler of England. Some time after, King Henry II of England granted him the prisage of wines, to enable him, and his heirs, the better to support the dignity of that office. By this grant, he had two tuns (barrels) of wine out of every ship, which broke bulk in any trading port of Ireland, and was loaded with 20 tons of that commodity, and one ton from 9 to 20. Theobald accompanied John on his progress through Munster and Leinster. At this time he was also granted a large section of the north-eastern part of the Kingdom of Limerick. The grant of five and a half cantreds was bounded by: