page_title: Earl of Desmond
section_title: Earls of Desmond, first creation (1329)
hierarchical_section_title: Earl of Desmond / Earls of Desmond, first creation (1329)
caption_attribution_description: English: Yorkist rose, as heraldry for Edward IV, A detail from File:BL Royal Vincent of Beauvais.jpg, Miroir historial, vol. 1 Vincent of Beauvais, Speculum historiale, trans. into French by Jean de Vignay), Bruges, c. 1478-1480, Royal 14 E. i, vol. 1, f. 3
context_page_description: The title of Earl of Desmond has been held historically by lords in Ireland, first as a title outside of the peerage system and later as part of the Peerage of Ireland.
  The original Barony of Desmond in the province of Munster was held by descendants of Thomas FitzMaurice Lord OConnello. Thomas was the eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan, a key supporter of Lord Pembroke in his 1169 invasion of Ireland. Maurice was the founder of the Cambro-Norman Fitzmaurice and FitzGerald dynasty in Ireland. Being descended from the eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan, the House of Desmond was a cadet branch of the Irish Geraldines; the senior branch, the House of Kildare, ancestors of the Dukes of Leinster, was founded by Thomas's brother and 2nd eldest son of Maurice FitzGerald, Lord of Lanstephan namely Gerald FitzMaurice, 1st Lord of Offaly
  Thomas's son, John FitzThomas, became the first Baron Desmond upon receiving, for his homage and service, a grant in 1259 of the lands of Decies and Desmond from Prince Edward of England. Before passing to Edward, these lands had been held by Thomas FitzAnthony, the father of John's wife Margery FitzAnthony.
context_section_description: There are several numbering schemes for these earls, depending in part on whether one includes Nicholas as the 3rd Earl. Nicholas suffered from mental developmental disabilities, being described in contemporary records as "an idiot." Nicholas died without issue, and was largely passed over for practical purposes by his younger brother, Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond. Here, Nicholas is not numbered among the earls, leading much of this list to differ from the traditional numbering scheme.
  Also affecting the various numbering schemes is how one deals with the dispute over the succession to Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond. Here, the de facto and de jure 12th earl are counted as together comprising the twelfth and the thirteenth in the series, allowing for the traditional numbering to be retained for the 14th and 15th earls.
  Maurice FitzGerald, 1st Earl of Desmond (died 1356) (new creation)
  Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Desmond (1336–1358) (son of preceding)
  Gerald FitzGerald, 3rd Earl of Desmond (died 1398) (half-brother of preceding)
  John FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Desmond (died 1399) (son of preceding)
  Thomas FitzGerald, 5th Earl of Desmond (c. 1386–1420) (son of preceding)
  James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond (died 1463) (the "Usurper," paternal uncle of preceding)
  Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond (died 1468) (son of preceding)
  James FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Desmond (1459–1487) (son of preceding)
  Maurice FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Desmond (died 1520) (brother of preceding)
  James FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond (died 1529) (son of preceding)
  Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond (1454–1534) (paternal uncle of preceding)
  John FitzGerald, de facto 12th Earl of Desmond (died 1536) (brother of preceding, paternal granduncle of James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond)
  James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond (died 1540) (grandson of Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond, grandnephew of John FitzGerald, de facto 12th Earl of Desmond)
  James FitzGerald, 14th Earl of Desmond (died 1558) (son of John FitzGerald, de facto 12th Earl of Desmond)
  Gerald FitzGerald, 15th Earl of Desmond (c. 1533–1583) (son of preceding; forfeit 1582)
caption: White Rose of York, from a manuscript of Edward IV of England. In 1462, Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Desmond, won a Yorkist victory in the Battle of Piltown, the only battle of the Wars of the Roses fought in Ireland.
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