James FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond

James was born about 1490^[a] in Munster, Ireland, second but only surviving son of Maurice FitzGerald and his first wife Ellen Roche.^[2] His father was Earl of Desmond, counted the 9th or the 10th, and called "the Lame", "Vehiculus", and "Bellicosus". His father's family were the FitzGeralds of Desmond, a noble cadet branch of the FitzGeralds or Geraldines, which were Old English descending from Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Llanstephan, who had come to Ireland with Strongbow in 1169. The FitzGeralds of Kildare were the senior branch of that family.

His mother was a daughter of Maurice Roche, 2nd Lord of Fermoy^[3] and his first wife Joan FitzGerald.^[4] His mother's family, the Roches also were Old English and descended from Adam de Rupe who had come to Ireland from Wales with Robert FitzStephen.^[5]

James had an elder brother Thomas, who was heir apparent but predeceased his father.^[6] He also had sisters.^[7] All his sisters are listed in his father's article.

James married Amy, daughter of Turlough O'Brien,^[11][12] a pre-reformation bishop of Killaloe (died 1525 or 1526),^[13][14] who had not stayed celibate.^[15][c] Her mother's family were the O'Briens of Ara (County Tipperary), a cadet branch of the O'Briens, kings of Thomond.^[17]

James and Amy had an only daughter:

1. Joan (Amy) (1509 or 1514 – 1565),^[18][19] married 1st James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond; 2ndly Francis Bryan, and 3rdly Gerald FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond^[20]

James also had two illegitimate half-sisters from his father:

1. Honora (d. 1577), illegitimate
2. Ellice, illegitimate

FitzGerald's father seems to have already relied on him in the governing of the earldom in his later years. In 1520 his father died and was buried in the Dominican friary of Tralee, which had been founded in 1243 by his ancestor John fitz Thomas FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond.^[21] FitzGerald succeeded his father as Earl of Desmond, counted as the 10th^[2] or the 11th earl.^[22]

In the 1520s Desmond, as he now was, fought his neighbours, the lords of Muskerry in County Cork and the earls of Ormond in eastern Munster. He also quarrelled with his uncle Thomas fitz Thomas FitzGerald, called "the Bald", who sided with his enemies. In September 1521 Desmond was defeated at the Battle of Mourne Abbey, south of Mallow, County Cork, by the allied forces of Cormac Laidir MacCarthy, 9th Lord of Muskerry, and Thomas the Bald.^[23][24]

In December, Muskerry, Thomas the Bald, and Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, besieged him in Dungarvan.^[25]

During the Italian War of 1521–1526 that opposed England as an ally of the Habsburgs against France, Desmond conspired in 1522 with King Francis I of France against his liege, King Henry VIII,^[26] recognizing Richard de la Pole as king of England^[27] and discussing a possible French invasion of Ireland.^[28] An attainder against Desmond was drafted in 1522 but never passed parliament.^[29][30]

In 1525 the King sent Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, Lord Deputy of Ireland, with an army to arrest Desmond for treason, but Desmond evaded capture.^[31]