James Fitzwilliam

James Fitzwilliam (died 1420) was an Irish landowner and judge who held the office of Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. He was the ancestor of the prominent Dublin landowning family which acquired the titles Viscount FitzWilliam and Earl of Tyrconnell.^[1]

He was the son of Hugh Fitzwilliam; his family are recorded in Dublin from about 1210 and by the time of James' birth were already considerable landowners in Dublin, holding lands at Dundrum and Swords.^[2]

Few details of his legal career survive, but it is known that he was Chief Baron by 1413 and was superseded in 1417.^[3]

He married, after 1390, a daughter of Sir John Cruise. Cruise was a distinguished diplomat and soldier and a major landowner, holding the manors of Mount Merrion, Stillorgan and Thorncastle (the last is roughly modern Booterstown). Merrion Castle, Sir John's principal dwelling, subsequently became the main Fitzwilliam residence.^[4]

James died in 1420, and his lands passed to his son, Phillip, who was still a minor; the family estates are said to have suffered serious depredation during his minority. He was a ward of his father's successor as Chief Baron, James Cornwalsh; ironically Cornwalsh was to die 20 years later in a private war with the Fitzwilliams, although Philip himself was not, as far as is known, directly involved.^[5]

References

1. Ball, F. Elrington The Judges in Ireland 1221-1921 John Murray London 1926 Vol. 1 p. 173
2. Ball, F. Elrington History of the Parishes of Dublin Alexander Thom and Co. Dublin 1903 Vol. 2 pp. 1–7
3. Ball 1926 p. 173
4. Ball 1903 pp. 1–7
5. Ball 1926 p. 100