Earldom of Ulster

Arms of Richard of York
(Image: European Heraldry)

Shortly after the death of Strongbow in 1176, HENRY II granted "Ulidia," the present counties of Down and Antrim, and afterwards called among the Anglo-Irish "Ulster," to

De Courcy arms

SIR JOHN DE COURCY (1150-1219),

Who having distinguished himself during the reign of HENRY II, in that monarch's wars in England and Gascony, was sent into Ireland, in 1177, as an assistant to William FitzAldelm, in the government of that kingdom. 

Sir John having prevailed upon some of the veteran soldiery to accompany him, invaded the province of Ulster with twenty-two knights, fifty esquires, and about three hundred foot soldiers; and after many hard-fought battles, succeeded in attaching that quarter of the kingdom to the crown. 

For which important service Sir John was created, in 1181 (being the first Englishman dignified with an Irish title of honour), EARL OF ULSTER.

His lordship remained in high favour during the remainder of the reign of his royal master, and performed prodigies of valour in Ireland; but upon the accession of KING JOHN, his splendour and rank having excited the envy of Hugh de Lacy, appointed Governor of Ireland by that monarch, Lord Ulster was treacherously seized while performing penance, unarmed and barefooted, in the churchyard of Downpatrick, on Good Friday, 1203, and sent over to England, where the King condemned him to perpetual imprisonment in the Tower, and granted to de Lacy all of Lord Ulster’s possessions in Ireland.

After the Earl of Ulster had been in confinement for about a year, a dispute happening to arise between KING JOHN and PHILIP II of FRANCE concerning the Duchy of Normandy, the decision of which being referred to single combat, KING JOHN, more hasty than advised, appointed the day, against which the King of France provided his champion; but the King of England, less fortunate, could find no one of his subjects willing to take up the gauntlet, until his captive in the Tower, the gallant Earl of Ulster, was prevailed upon to accept the challenge.

But when everything was prepared for the contest, and the champions had entered the lists, in presence of the monarchs of England, France, and Spain, the opponent of Lord Ulster, seized with a sudden panic, put spurs to his horse, and fled the arena; whereupon the victory was adjudged with acclamation to the champion of England.

The French king being informed, however, of Lord Ulster’s powerful strength, and wishing to witness some exhibition of it, Lord Ulster, at the desire of KING JOHN, cleft a massive helmet in two at a single blow.

The King was so well satisfied at this signal performance, that he not only restored Lord Ulster to his estates and effects, but desired him to ask anything within his gift and it should be granted.

To which Ulster replied, that having estates and titles enough, he desired that his successors might have the privilege to remain covered in the presence of His Majesty, and all future Kings of England; which request was immediately conceded.

He married Affreca, daughter of Godred Olafsson, King of Man and the Isles, and by Scandinavian and Irish help managed to maintain his possessions of Ulidia against all the power of the viceroy Hugh de Lacy, whom he defeated in a battle at Down in 1204; however, in May, 1205, KING JOHN bestowed the Earldom on

HUGH DE LACY (c1176-1242), who, according to Matthew Paris, a most famous soldier, obtained the earldom of Ulster from KING JOHN, by betraying and delivering into that monarch's power the celebrated John de Courcy, Earl of Ulster.

De Lacy arms

He subsequently, however, incurred the displeasure of the King, and was himself driven out of Ireland.

His wife was Emmeline, daughter and heir of Walter de Riddlesford, by whom he left at his decease an only daughter and heir, MAUD DE LACY, who wedded

WALTER DE BURGH (c1230-71), Lord of Connaught, and, became in consequence EARL OF ULSTER (second creation), in her right at her father's decease in 1242, and in his own right in 1264.

The issue of this marriage consisted of four sons, namely,

RICHARD, his successor;

Theobald, died at Carrickfergus;

William;

Thomas.

The eldest son,

RICHARD DE BURGH, 2nd Earl (1259-1326),

Usually called the Red Earl, the most powerful subject in Ireland, and general of all the Irish forces in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Gascony, was a great soldier and statesman. He founded the Carmelite monastery at Loughrea, built the castles of Ballymote, Corran, and Sligo, and eventually retired to the monastery of Athassel, where he died in 1326.

This nobleman married Margaret, daughter of John de Burgh.

De Burgh arms

The second son of the marriage,

JOHN DE BURGH, wedded Elizabeth, third daughter of Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester, and died in 1313, having had one son,

WILLIAM DE BURGH, 3rd Earl (1312-33), who succeeded his grandfather in 1326, was knighted at London, 1328, and sat in the parliament in Dublin the following year. 

He was murdered on the 6th June, 1333, by Robert FitzRichard de Mandeville and his servants, near Shankill church, outside Belfast, in going to Carrickfergus. His wife and only daughter retired to England; and so barbarous an affair causing a prodigious outcry, the Lord Justice called a parliament, by whose advice he sailed to Carrickfergus; but, before his arrival, the country people had destroyed the murderers, with their abettors, killing, in one day, three hundred.

The wife of this nobleman was Maud, third daughter of Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, grandson of HENRY III; and the only issue of this illustrious alliance,

THE LADY ELIZABETH DE BURGH (1332-63), de jure COUNTESS OF ULSTER, espoused, in 1352,

LIONEL, of Antwerp, KG, third son of EDWARD III, who became, in consequence, 4th Earl of Ulster, Lord of Connaught; and created, in 1362, DUKE OF CLARENCE.

This prince went over to Ireland, and was appointed Lord Lieutenant thereof in 1361.

By the great heiress of De Burgh he left, at his decease, one daughter,

PHILIPPA (1355-82), who was given in marriage, at the age of thirteen, by her grandfather, EDWARD III, to

EDMUND MORTIMER, 3rd Earl of March, and, in consequence of his marriage, 5th EARL OF ULSTER.

The issue of this marriage,

ROGER;

Edmund;

Elizabeth; Philippa.

The 5th Earl's elder son,

ROGER DE MORTIMER, 6th Earl of Ulster (1374-98), wedded Allianore, eldest daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, and had issue,

EDMUND, his successor;

Roger;

Anne; Eleanor.

The elder son,

EDMUND, 7th Earl (1391-1425), and 5th Earl of March, died without issue, and the heir to his estates was the son of his sister, the Lady Anne and the Earl of Cambridge,

RICHARD, 3RD DUKE OF YORK (1411-60), as 8th Earl of Ulster, who wedded Cecily Neville.

The eldest surviving son of this marriage,

EDWARD (1442-83), 4TH DUKE OF YORK, 9th Earl of Ulster, ascended the throne as EDWARD IV, when the Earldom of Ulster merged with the crown.