Jenico d'Artois

Sir Jenico d'Artois, Dartas, Dartass or Dartasso (c.1350 – November 1426) was a Gascony-born soldier and statesman, much of whose career was spent in Ireland.

This province in France, which had been part of the dowry of Eleanor of Aquitaine on her marriage in 1152 to Henry II of England, was in the fourteenth century still an English possession.

In January 1379, he was involved in the capture and ransom of Olivier de Geusclin, a brother of Bertrand du Guesclin, the Constable of France.

His exploits there brought him to the attention of John Waltham (the Lord High Treasurer under Richard II), who recruited him as a household esquire.

[4] He accompanied the King on his military expedition to Ireland in that year and distinguished himself as a soldier, fighting against the Gaelic clans in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny.

He received a substantial grant of land in south County Dublin "for his good service against the Irish of Leinster and for his constant loyalty".

[5] D'Artois was not especially grateful for this reward, and made the celebrated complaint that: "it would be worth more than a thousand marks a year if it were near London, but I have such trouble keeping it that I would not wish to live here for long, for a quarter of the whole land of Ireland".

[6] He also complained of his difficulty in gaining possession of the lands granted to him; this applied in particular to Carrickmines, to which the Walsh family also had a claim, which was ultimately successful.

[9] It is unlikely that Jenico's military skills were needed during the campaign, as the Scots army prudently refused to give battle, and Henry, who was anxious to maintain the image of a benevolent overlord, gave strict orders that there should be no looting or pillaging.

[9] Jenico was made Constable of Dublin Castle in about 1401, and he subsequently became High Sheriff of Meath and one of the Keepers of the Peace for the County, Seneschal of Ulster, and Admiral of Ireland.

He did not as might have been expected (as he was by then probably the senior military commander in Ireland) play any role in the Battle of Bloody Bank in July 1402, in which the people of Dublin scored a decisive victory over the O'Byrne clan of County Wicklow.

[10] He was appointed a member of the council which advised the King's son, Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, who was Chief Governor of Ireland from 1401 to 1413.

Jenico the younger held the office, presumably a sinecure, of Chirographer (engrosser of fines) to the Court of Common Pleas (Ireland).

[18] Young Jenico and Jane had an only daughter and heiress Margaret, who married firstly Sir John Dowdall of Newtown, and secondly Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester.

He was a military adventurer who undoubtedly "feathered his own nest" during his years in Ireland, and yet he gave good and loyal service to three English monarchs and earned the trust of all of them.