Baron Kingsale is a title of the premier baron in the Peerage of Ireland. The feudal barony dates to at least the thirteenth century. The first peerage creation was by writ.

Barony Kingsale
Arg., three eagles displayed gu.
Creation date1223
Created byHenry III of England
PeeragePeerage of Ireland
MottoVincit omnia veritas

Name and precedence

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In the early times the name was "Kinsale" or "Kinsale and Ringrone", but the spelling Kingsale has imposed itself with time and Ringrone was dropped. Regarding its precedence among the Irish baronies, the title Baron Athenry was considered the eldest and Kingsale held the second rank. However, in 1799 Athenry became dormant (and probably extinct) and Kingsale was elevated to premier Baron in Ireland.[citation needed]

Family tree
Barons of Kinsale, Ringrone, or Kingsale.[a]
Nicholas
de Courcy
12th Baron
d. 1476
Mary
O'Mahon
James
de Courcy
13th Baron
d. 1499
Hellena
Roche
David
de Courcy
15th Baron
d. 1520
Jane
Roche
Edmond
de Courcy
14th Baron
d. 1505
John
de Courcy
16th Baron
d. 1535
Edmund
de Courcy
Gerald
de Courcy
17th Baron
d. 1599
Edmund
Oge
de Courcy
Juliana
O'Hurley
John
de Courcy
18th Baron
d. 1628
Mary
O'Crowly
Gerald
de Courcy
19th Baron
d. c. 1642
Patrick
de Courcy
20st Baron
d. 1663
Mary
FitzGerald
David
de Courcy
John
de Courcy
21st Baron

d. 1667
Ellen
MacCarthy
Reagh
Miles
de Courcy
Elizabeth
Sadleir
Anthony
de Courcy

d. 1727
Patrick
de Courcy
22nd Baron
Kingsale

1660–1669
Almeric
de Courcy
23rd Baron
Kingsale

1664–1720
Anne
Dring

d. 1724
Gerald
de Courcy
24th Baron
1700–1759
Miles
de Courcy
John
de Courcy
25th Baron
1717–1776
Martha
Heron
John
de Courcy
26th Baron
d. 1822
Susan
Blenner-
hassett

d. 1819
Michael
de Courcy

d. 1824
Vice-Admiral
Anne
Blenner-
hassett

d. 1828
Thomas
de Courcy
27th Baron
d. 1832
Michael
de Courcy

d. 1813
Gerald
de Courcy

d. 1848
Rev.
Michael
de Courcy

d. 1860
John
Stapleton
de Courcy
28th Baron
d. 1847
John
Fitzroy
de Courcy
31st Baron
d. 1890
Michael
William
de Courcy
32nd Baron
d. 1895
John
Constantine
de Courcy
29th Baron
d. 1865
Michael
Conrad
de Courcy
30th Baron
d. 1874
Michael
Constantine
de Courcy
33th Baron
d. 1931
Michael
William Robert
de Courcy
34th Baron
d. 1969
Michael
John Rancé
de Courcy

d. 1940
d.v.p.*
Michael
Charles C.
de Courcy

d. 1969
d.v.p.*
John
de Courcy
35th Baron
d. 2005
Legend
XXXBarons
Kingsale
*d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)

Numbering

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The literature usually numbers the successive barons to avoid confusion arising from the repetitions of the same names, such as Miles or John de Courcy in the long line of the barons of Kingsale. Two such schemes are in common use, often both are cited together, e.g. Almeric de Courcy 18th (or 23rd) Baron. The older scheme numbers all the barons starting with Miles de Courcy, who was granted the baronies of Kingsale and Ringrone by Henry III in 1223.[5] This scheme dates from Lodge in 1754.[6] An alternative numbering was introduced by Cokayne in 1929 with the second version of The Complete Peerage.[3] It excludes the early barons, that it considers feudal, and starts with Miles, who died in 1344,[7] accepted as the first peer. This article follows the older numbering, considered more common.[citation needed]

Hat trick

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The barons traditionally claimed the privilege of remaining covered (that is, wearing a hat) in the presence of the monarch.[8] It was supposed to have been obtained from King John by John de Courcy and handed down to his heirs.[9] As far as is known, the right has been exercised for the first time by Almeric de Courcy, 23rd Baron Kingsale before William III in 1692.[10][11] His successor Gerald de Courcy, 24th Baron Kingsale repeated the hat trick before George I in 1720[12] and George II on 22 June 1727.[13] The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, however, states that the privilege "is a legend without historic foundation".[14]

Castles

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Decline

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Despite the antiquity of the title, the family no longer retains its property or wealth, having supported the losing side in past conflicts. The 30th (or 35th) Baron, despite education at Stowe and the Universities of Paris and Salzburg, supported by his father's marriage to the daughter of a Yorkshire lanolin oil business owner, was, due to the later failure of that business amongst other things, an odd-job man and plumber, and died a resident of sheltered housing.[16]

The person currently entitled to hold the title is Nevinson Mark de Courcy, who was born in 1958 and lives in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand. He is or would be the 31st (or 36th) Baron, however, his name does not appear in the current Roll of the Peerage. Under the terms of the Royal Warrant of 2004, any person who succeeds to a Peerage must prove his or her succession and be placed on the Roll, otherwise, that person may not be recognised as a peer legally or in official documents in the United Kingdom.[17]

Lists

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Feudal Barons (before 1222) - incomplete

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  • Miles de courcy (summoned 1223)
  • Patrick de Courcy (died before 1261)
  • Miles de Courcy (died c. 1290)
  • John de Courcy (died 1291)

Barons Kingsale (c. 1340)

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  • Miles de Courcy, 6th Baron Kingsale (died 1344)
  • Miles de Courcy, 7th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1372)
  • John de Courcy, 8th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1390)
  • William de Courcy, 9th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1400)
  • Nicholas de Courcy, 10th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1410)
  • Patrick de Courcy, 11th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1449)
  • Nicholas de Courcy, 12th Baron Kingsale (died 1475)
  • James de Courcy, 13th Baron Kingsale (died 1499)
  • Edmund de Courcy, 14th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1505)
  • David de Courcy, 15th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1520)
  • John de Courcy, 16th Baron Kingsale (died 1535)
  • Gerald de Courcy, 17th Baron Kingsale (died 1599)
  • John de Courcy, 18th Baron Kingsale (died 1628)
  • Gerald de Courcy, 19th Baron Kingsale (died c. 1642)
  • Patrick de Courcy, 20th Baron Kingsale (died 1663?)
  • John de Courcy, 21st Baron Kingsale (died 1667)
  • Patrick de Courcy, 22nd Baron Kingsale (1659/60–1669)
  • Almeric de Courcy, 23rd Baron Kingsale (1665–1720)
  • Gerald de Courcy, 24th Baron Kingsale (1700–1759)
  • John de Courcy, 25th Baron Kingsale (c. 1717–1776)
  • John de Courcy, 26th Baron Kingsale (died 1822)
  • Thomas de Courcy, 27th Baron Kingsale (1774–1832)
  • John Stapleton de Courcy, 28th Baron Kingsale (1805–1847)
  • John Constantine de Courcy, 29th Baron Kingsale (1827–1865)
  • Michael Conrad de Courcy, 30th Baron Kingsale (1828–1874)
  • John Fitzroy de Courcy, 31st Baron Kingsale (1821–1890)
  • Michael William de Courcy, 32nd Baron Kingsale (1822–1895)[18]
  • Michael Constantine de Courcy, 33rd Baron Kingsale (1855–1931)
  • Michael William Robert de Courcy, 34th Baron Kingsale (1882–1969)
  • John de Courcy, 35th Baron Kingsale (1941–2005)
  • Nevinson Mark de Courcy, 36th Baron Kingsale (born 1958, living in New Zealand)

The heir presumptive is Joseph Kenneth Charles de Courcy (1955), eldest son of Kenneth de Courcy[19]

Notes and references

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Notes

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  1. ^ This family tree is based on a tree of the later barons Kingsale[1] and on genealogies of the de Courcy family[2][3][4]

Citations

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  1. ^ Cokayne 1892, p. 398.
  2. ^ Lodge 1789, pp. 132–159.
  3. ^ a b Cokayne 1929, pp. 279–293.
  4. ^ O'Hart 1892, p. 537.
  5. ^ Cokayne 1892, p. 392–393: "[Miles de Courcy] ... received from King Henry III., 29 May 1223, the grant of the territorial baronies of Kingsale and Ringrone "
  6. ^ Lodge 1754, p. 20.
  7. ^ Cokayne 1892, p. 393: "[Miles de Courcy] ..."
  8. ^ Wills 1841, p. 52, line 9: "... the privilege to which his family lay claim, of remaining with the head covered in the presence of royalty."
  9. ^ Wills 1840, p. 319.
  10. ^ Lodge 1789, p. 156: "[Almeric de Courcy] ... asserted the privilege of being covered before his Majesty, by walking to and fro' with his hat on his head."
  11. ^ Burke & Burke 1909, p. 1039, right column, line 40: "In that year [1692] he claimed and was allowed the privilege of remaining covered in the Royal presence by William III."
  12. ^ Lodge 1789, p. 157, line 36: "On 19 June 1720 he was presented to King George I ... to assert the privileg ..."
  13. ^ Lodge 1789, p. 157, line 39: "... 22 June 1727, being introduced by the Lord Carteret, then L.L. ... to K. George II ... received the same favour, and was covered in his royal presence ..."
  14. ^ Chisholm 1911, p. 319.
  15. ^ McCarthy 1922, p. 105, Note 1: "From the De Courceys it passed into the hands of Donal Gott."
  16. ^ The Independent, "How to live like a lord".
  17. ^ The Cork, "Kinsale History: Ireland's premier Baron 'Lord Kingsale' lives in New Zealand.".
  18. ^ Burtchaell & Sadleir 1935, p. 220.
  19. ^ Morris, Susan (2020). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage 2019. ISBN 9781999767051.

Sources

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Books

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News

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