Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory

Thomas Butler
6th Earl of Ossory

Born (1634-07-08)8 July 1634
Died 30 July 1680(1680-07-30) (aged 46)
Allegiance England
The Earl of Ossory.

Vice-Admiral Thomas Butler, 6th Earl of Ossory, KG, PC, PC(I) (8 July 1634 – 30 July 1680) was an Irish politician. He was born at Kilkenny Castle, the eldest son of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and Lady Elizabeth Preston.

Life and career

His early years were spent in Ireland and France. He was an accomplished athlete and a good scholar. Having come to London in 1652 he was rightly suspected of sympathizing with the exiled royalists, and in 1655 was put into prison by Oliver Cromwell. After his release about a year later he went to the Netherlands and married Emilia von Nassau. He accompanied Charles II to England in 1660.

In 1661 Butler became a member of both the English and the Irish Houses of Commons, representing Bristol in the former and Dublin University in the latter House. In 1662 he was called to the Irish House of Lords under a writ of acceleration as Earl of Ossory. His father held the title "5th Earl of Ossory" as one of his subsidiary titles, which made Thomas Butler the 6th Earl of Ossory by courtesy. He held several military appointments;

In 1665 a fortunate accident had allowed Ossory to take part in the Battle of Lowestoft against the Dutch, and in May 1672, being now in command of a ship, he fought against the same enemies in the Battle of Solebay, serving with great distinction on both occasions. The earl was partly responsible for this latter struggle, as in March 1672, before war was declared, he had attacked the Dutch Smyrna fleet, an action which he is said to have greatly regretted later in life. Whilst visiting France in 1672 he rejected the liberal offers made by Louis XIV to induce him to enter the service of France, and returning to England he added to his high reputation by his conduct during the Battle of Texel in August 1673. From 1677 until 1679, he served alongside his father as a Lord of the Admiralty.

The earl was intimate with William, prince of Orange, and in 1677 he joined the allied army in the Netherlands, commanding the British section and winning great fame at the siege of Mons in 1678. He acted as deputy for his father, who was lord-lieutenant of Ireland, and in parliament he defended Ormonde's Irish administration with great vigour. In 1680 he was appointed governor of English Tangier, but his death prevented him from taking up his new duties.

One of his most intimate friends was John Evelyn, who eulogizes him in his Diary.

Marriage and issue

Ossory had eleven children, some prominent including:

See also

Butler dynasty

References

Attribution

Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Parliament of England
Preceded by
John Stephens
Sir John Knight
Member of Parliament for Bristol
with Sir John Knight

16611666
Succeeded by
Sir John Knight
Sir Humphrey Hooke
Political offices
Preceded by
The Duke of Ormonde
(Lord Lieutenant)
Lord Deputy of Ireland
16681669
Succeeded by
The Lord Robartes
(Lord Lieutenant)
Peerage of England
New creation Baron Butler
16661680
Succeeded by
James Butler
Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by
James Butler
Earl of Ossory
(writ in acceleration)
16621680
Succeeded by
James Butler
Military offices
Preceded by
Palmes Fairborne
Governor of Tangier
1680–1680
Succeeded by
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
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