James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond

James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond (died 1540), also counted 13th, was called Court Page as he grew up as a hostage for his grandfather Thomas FitzGerald, 11th Earl of Desmond, the Bald, at the court of Henry VIII.

In 1539 the lord deputy of Ireland, Leonard Grey seized some Desmond land in southern County Cork and handed it to Court Page, who came to Ireland to claim his rights but was killed by Maurice fitz John FitzGerald, called Totane.

James was born the only son of Maurice fitz Thomas FitzGerald and his wife Joan FitzGibbon.

[4] FitzGerald married Mary, eldest daughter of Cormac Laidir Oge MacCarthy, 10th Lord of Muskerry.

Court Page is reported to have died at a place called Leacan Sgail in County Kerry that does not seem to have been identified.

Ireland in 1450, showing the Earldom of Desmond
Henry VIII playing his harp beside his jester, Will Somers , in an illustration from Henry's psalter . James FitzGerald, the "Court Page," grew up a hostage at Henry's court.