James Butler 1st Earl of Wiltshire 5th Earl of Ormond [1420 – 1461]. Son of the 4th Earl of Ormond, James Butler was created Earl of Wiltshire in his fathers lifetime, in 1449, as a reward for his steadfast loyalty to King Henry VI. Butler held roles as Governor of Calais, Lord-Deputy then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, Treasurer of England and had responsibilities for the Keeping of the Seas. He played an important role for the Lancastrian cause in the early stages of the Wars of the Roses, for which he was beheaded upon his capture after the Battle of Towton.
Early Life of James Butler
James Butler was from an important Irish family. The Earls of Ormond held significant administrative roles in Ireland which were of importance to the English Crown. As a result, James Butler was knighted in 1426, aged 5 or 6, by the even younger King Henry VI. His future importance was further noted through his installation into the household of John Duke of Bedford, whose household he was recorded as being a part of, in France, prior to James’ coming of age.
The death of his grandmother, Joan, in 1435 led to James Butler gaining estates in England, with a series of manors coming under his control. His marriage to Avice Stafford led to further estates – inherited in the 1440’s.
Entry into the Political World
James and Avice settled in estates that he had gained from his grandmother. By the end of the 1430’s he was established within the gentry of the Cambridgeshire region and became involved in disputes between Lords Bardolf and Tiptoft. He was accused of unduly influencing elections in 1439, resulting in censure from Westminster. In the early 1440’s James served the Duke of York in France. This saw men from his own lands and from his fathers earldom in Ireland form his retinue: and at that time, the Earldom of Ormond worked closely with the Duke of York.
James Butler became known in Court circles and was established enough to be included in the Duke of Suffolk‘s retinue which escorted Margaret of Anjou to England for her marriage to King Henry VI. He developed strong relationships with the Beauchamp family and was granted the Stewardship of the Southern Forests. These aided his position as his wife came into her inheritance, which was largely in the south-west.
Earl of Wiltshire and regional conflicts
When James Butler was created Earl of Wiltshire, he had few estates in the county or region. As such, he struggled to assert his authority in the area. He saw his Stewardship of the forests taken away from him by Richard Duke of York in 1446. Then he became involved in the Courtenay – Bonnville Feud which saw the Earl of Devon march on the Earl of Wiltshire’s manor at Lackham.
Changing Allegiances?
Until 1452 James Butler Earl of Wiltshire had been bound to the Duke of York. This followed a historic pattern of the Earls of Ormond and their kin being bonded and retained by the Duke of York which James had continued as he rose in prominence in England. The Earl of Wiltshire remained a retainer of the House of York until 1453. However, he had in 1452 chosen to stand against him as a Lord in the King’s army at the Standoff at Dartford. As the rivalry between the Dukes of York and Somerset developed, the Earl of Wiltshire moved closer to those close to the Crown.
The Earl of Wiltshire’s choosing of sides was apparent enough to have his Lieutenancy of Ireland revoked. This was done by the Duke of York whilst he was protector. In that period he was not part of the Council and remained absent from Court. This changed upon the return to personal rule of King Henry VI, with the Earl being appointed to roles relating to the Keeping of the Seas.
The Earl of Wiltshire ‘fought manly with the helys’
By the First Battle of St. Albans, James Butler held the rank of Lord Treasurer. He was a senior player within the Lancastrian Court and Government. When the rival factions met at St. Albans in May 1455, the Earl of Wiltshire was the Royal Standard Bearer. The Earl of Wiltshire was to gain a reputation at this battle. It was not one which would be wished for by a senior courtier in an age of chivalry. Instead, he gained a reputation as a coward. In ‘Historical Collections of a Citizen of London’ [Gregory, c1467] the Earl was described as having ‘fought manly with the helys‘. Or in other words, he ran away.
1455 – 1459: Increasingly bound to the Lancastrian Cause
Following the First Battle of St. Albans the Earl of Wiltshire asked for, and was given, permission to go on pilgrimage. In his absence his estates in Herefordshire were attacked by Yorkists. He was overlooked for the Lieutenancy of Ireland in 1457.
As the Lancastrians regained the political iniative in Government, James Butler was given a number of key roles: Treasurer [1458], Chief Steward of the Duchy of Lancaster [1459], the Lieutenancy of Ireland [theoretical, he replaced the Duke of York who was in situ].
The Earl of Wiltshire at War: his reputation maintained… and enhanced…
As the Yorkist Lords in Calais resisted Lancastrian attempts to oust them, the Earl of Wiltshire took to the seas. He had command of a flotilla of ships from Genoa. When the Earl of Warwick’s fleet sailed to Sandwich in June 1460, the Earl of Wiltshire did not engage them. Instead, he took to Sanctuary in Utrecht.
Following a period in the safety of Sanctuary, the Earl of Wiltshire made his way to Wales. He joined with Jasper Tudor Earl of Pembroke at the head of a retinue thought to include foreign mercenaries and men from his estates in Ireland. As the Lancastrian force was faced with a Yorkist army under Edward Earl of March at Mortimer’s Cross, the Earl of Wiltshire took flight once again. In this case, he is believed to have fled before the battle even started.
From the Welsh Marches, he was able to make his way to York. It is not entirely clear whether he was with the army at Towton, or King in York, as the Lancastrian army was defeated on Palm Sunday 1461. What is known is that the Earl of Wiltshire fled. James Butler took himself north, presumably hoping to join with the Royal party as they established an enclave in the north east. He was not able to join them. Yorkist forces discovered the Earl of Wiltshire. He was taken as a prisoner to Newcastle, where he was executed by beheading on 1 May 1461.
Posthumous
The Earl of Wiltshire’s head was sent to London where it was displayed on London Bridge. He was then posthumously attainted in the 1461 Parliament [England] and by the 1462 Parliament [Ireland].
External Links
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography – James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and 5th Earl of Ormond.
Dictionary of Irisih Biography. James Butler, 5th Earl of Ormond and Earl of Wiltshire.
Luminarium. James Butler, 1st Earl of Wilstshire and 5th Earl of Ormond.
Celtic Realms. English estates of the Earl of Ormond in 1463. Niall C.E.J. O’Brien
Featured Image
Coat of Arms of James Butler 1st Earl of Wiltshire, 5th Earl of Ormond. By Rs-nourse via Wikimedia CC BY-SA 3.0
