Hugh de Lacy

Home > People > History > British and Irish History: Biographies

Lacy, Hugh de (d. 1242), 1st earl of Ulster. Hugh was in Ireland from 1195 and involved himself in the politics of Connacht. King John used him to destroy his former ally John de Courcy and in 1205 made him earl of Ulster. John became suspicious of Hugh and his brother Walter and in 1210 chased them from Ireland into Scotland. They travelled to France where Hugh participated in the Albigensian crusade until 1219. In 1220 he joined Llywelyn ap Iorwerth of Gwynedd in attacking William Marshal II in Wales. He invaded Ireland late in 1223 and plundered his enemies in Meath. The following summer the justiciar, William Marshal II, captured Trim Castle from adherents of Hugh and forced him to abandon the siege of Carrickfergus. After destroying the castle of Coleraine and harrying lands around Dundalk, Hugh surrendered to Marshal in October 1224. In April 1227 Ulster was restored to him as earl. In 1228 he was summoned by the king to fight in France and in 1234 he participated in the murder of Richard Marshal on the Curragh. In 1235 he was involved in the conquest of Connacht by Richard de Burgh. His reward was the revival of the grant made to him almost 40 years earlier by Richard's father, William. He received lands in Sligo, but apart from founding the manor of Meelick did not involve himself in Connacht, preferring to grant most of his interests to other English lords.

In 1230 Hugh's ally and client Aodh Méith O'Neill (Áed Méith Ó Néill), king of Cenél nEógain, died and was eventually succeeded by an opponent of Hugh's, Brian O'Neill (Ó Néill). Hugh died before February 1243. He had no surviving sons and his lands reverted to the crown. He married first Lesceline, daughter of Bertram de Verdon, and second Emeline, daughter of Walter de Ridelisford.

Brendan Smith

Lacy, Hugh de (d. 1186). De Lacy accompanied Henry II on his expedition to Ireland in 1171 and was granted the kingdom of Mide(Meath), along with custody of the city of Dublin, which Henry retained as royal demesne. In 1172 Tigernán Ua Ruairc, king of Bréifne, who had been expanding into the pre‐Norman kingdom of Mide, was killed while parleying with de Lacy on the Hill of Ward, Co. Meath. Hugh then set about encastellating Mide, choosing Trim as his principal castle, and planting Meath with tenants drawn from his English and Welsh estates. About 1180 he married a daughter of Rory O'Connor (Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair), thereby incurring the suspicions of Henry II that he aspired to the kingship of all Ireland. He was recalled to England to answer charges in 1181, but was sent back with a royal clerk, Robert of Shrewsbury, to oversee him. In 1185 king Henry sent his son John to assert control over Hugh, but his expedition failed in this aim. When news reached the English court that de Lacy had been murdered by an Irish member of his household, who had struck him with an axe while he was inspecting the building of a castle at Durrow, Henry is reported to have been overjoyed. Hugh's burial in Bective abbey was disputed by St Thomas's abbey, Dublin, which in 1195 secured his head; in 1205 his body was also recovered and laid to rest alongside his first wife, Rose of Monmouth. He was succeeded by his son Walter, who had to invoke the aid of King Richard in 1194 against his brother John, who sought to deny Walter the lordship of Meath.

Marie Therese Flanagan