James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond

Irish nobleman (died 1546)

James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory (c. 1496 – 1546), known as the Lame (Irish: Bacach), was in 1541 confirmed as Earl of Ormond thereby ending the dispute over the Ormond earldom between his father, Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond, and Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire. Butler died from poison in London.

James was born about 1496 in Ireland, the eldest son of Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormond and his wife Margaret FitzGerald. At the time of his birth, his father was a contender in line for the succession of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond, being a descendant of James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormond. His father's family, the Butlers, were an Old English dynasty that descended from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed chief butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177. Thomas's mother was a daughter of Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare and his first wife, Alison FitzEustace. Her family, the Geraldines, also were an Old English family. His parents had married in 1485. He was one of nine siblings, who are listed in his father's article.

As a young man Butler went with Henry VIII to France and was wounded in a leg at the siege of Thérouanne in 1513, hence his sobriquet the Lame or Bocach. On 3 August 1515, the 7th Earl of Ormond died in London. His father was heir male and succeeded. About 1520 James joined the household of Cardinal Wolsey, who praised him as a young gentleman "both wise and discreet". In early 1522, it was proposed by King Henry VIII that he marry his cousin Anne Boleyn, who was the great granddaughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond. The purpose was to resolve a dispute between her father, Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and his father over the Ormond inheritance and title; Wolsey himself supported the proposal. The marriage negotiation came to a halt for unknown reasons. On 18 February 1528, the King forced his father to resign the earldom of Ormond, which was given to Thomas Boleyn.

One of the heirs general to the Ormond inheritance was Thomas Boleyn, whose mother was a Butler. Boleyn was the father of Anne, whose star was rising at the court of King Henry VIII of England. As the king wanted the titles of Ormond and Wiltshire for Thomas Boleyn, he induced Piers Butler's father and his coheirs to resign their claims on 18 February 1528. Aided by the king's Chancellor, Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Butler was granted the earldom of Ossory instead. Butler was created, in 1535, Viscount Thurles. In 1537, Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Ormond died without a son, whereupon the King on 22 February 1538, restored the earldom of Ormond to Butler's father. Viscount Thurles's father died on 26 August 1539 and was buried in St Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny. Thurles succeeded as the 9th Earl of Ormond and was confirmed by Act of Parliament, 6 November 1541, in the Earldom of Ormond, with the pre eminence of the original earls. Cokayne, in his Complete Peerage numbers him the 10th Earl of Ormond because he counts Thomas Boleyn as the 9th. In the early 1540s, Lord Ormond, as he now was, gradually restored the Butler dynasty to their former position of influence, leading to antagonism from the quarrelsome Lord Deputy of Ireland, Sir Anthony St Leger. St Leger gave Ormond command of the Irish forces in the Anglo Scottish War of 1544. On the face of it, this was an honour, but allies of Ormond accused St Leger of deliberately sending Ormond into danger. Ormond himself demanded an inquiry into claims that St Leger had planned his murder, and the matter was thought to merit a Privy Council investigation; the Council found in favour of St Leger and he and Ormond were ordered to work together amicably in future. Key allies of Ormond like John Alan and Walter Cowley were removed from office, and Ormond was struggling to maintain his standing when he was poisoned.

On 17 October 1546, James was in London with many of his household. They were invited to dine at Ely Palace in Holborn. He was poisoned along with his steward, James Whyte, and 16 of his household. He died eleven days later, on 28 October, leaving Joan a widow in her thirties. It is surprising, in view of Ormond's high social standing, that no proper investigation into his death was carried out. Whoever was behind the poisoning remains a mystery. His host at the dinner, John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, though he could be notably ruthless towards his enemies, had no motive for the crime, as he had no quarrel with Ormond. A recent historian remarks that it would be an extraordinary coincidence if St Leger had no part in the sudden and convenient removal of his main Irish opponent. TimelineAs his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages. Italics for historical background. AgeDateEvent0About 1496Born22 Apr 1509Accession of Henry VIII, succeeding Henry VII of England1513Wounded at the siege of Thérouanne.3 Aug 1515His father's distant cousin, the 7th Earl of Ormond died in London.1530Married Joan Fitzgerald, daughter of 10th Earl of Desmond. About Feb 1531Eldest son, Thomas, born26 Aug 1539Succeeded his father as 9th Earl of Ormond.28 Oct 1546Died poisoned in London