Lordship of Meath
The Lordship of Meath was an extensive seigneurial liberty in medieval Ireland that was awarded to Hugh de Lacy by King Henry II of England by the service of fifty knights and with almost royal authority.
The Lordship or fiefdom was imbued with privileges enjoyed in no other Irish liberty, including the four royal pleas of arson, forestalling, rape, and treasure trove.
As a secondary objective, Henry aimed to break the power of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (commonly called "Strongbow") and to divide the Geraldines.
He recognised that he was unable to curb their ambitions but wished to avoid any one baron having such a base of power as might one day threaten his own realm.
In March 1172, the King granted the Lordship of Meath to Hugh de Lacy by service of fifty knights.
Following a confrontation at the Hill of Ward in early 1172, Ó Ruairc was slain and de Lacy assumed control.
King Henry preferred Hugh de Lacy over Strongbow in the positions of Justiciar and of Constable of Dublin Castle.
[4] De Lacy chose the barons Robert Fitz-Stephen, Maurice FitzGerald, Meiler Fitzhenry and Miles FitzDavid to garrison the city.
[5] This left Hugh in possession of most of the over-kingdom of Leinster, in addition to the Kingdom of Meath, with exception of the city of Dublin and the southern principalities of Ossory and Hy-Kinsellagh (Irish: Uí Ceinnselaig) (centred on the modern county of Wexford).
By letters patent from John, King of England,[8] the prescriptive barony was granted to Walter de Lacy and his heirs in perpetuity in 1208.
The grant describes the scope of administrative responsibility, and the limits of powers delegated: "Grant and confirmation to Walter de Lascy, on his petition, of his land of Meath; to hold of the King in fee by the service of 50 knights; and of his fees of Fingal, in the vale of Dublin; to hold in fee by the service of 7 knights; saving to the King pleas of the Crown, appeals of the peace, & c., and crociae, and the dignities thereto belonging; the King’s writs to run throughout Walter’s land.
Henry II granted Hugh de Lacy "the land of Meath in as full a measure as Murchadh...or anyone before or after him held it.".
The western part passed to Margery's husband, John de Verdun (circa 1226 – 21 Oct 1274) on their marriage sometime before 1244.
He was the son of Theobald le Botiller, 2nd Chief Butler of Ireland by his second wife, Rohese de Verdun (circa 1204 – 10 February 1247).
King Henry III of England granted Geoffrey and Maud, and their heirs rights in the land of Meath held by her grandfather, by charter dated 8 August 1252.
For six of the following twelve years (1308–09, 1310–13, 1315, 1317–18, 1319–20), Roger resided in Ireland, establishing his lordship against his wife's relatives, the de Lacys of Rathwire.
However, the King was forced to abdicate on 24 January 1327 leaving the government in the hands of Queen Isabella and Mortimer who acted as regents for the Edward who was aged 14 years at the time.
In September 1328 he was created Earl of March and launched a spree of acquisition in Ireland, gaining custody of the western half of Meath during the minority of the de Verdun heiresses, with liberty status.
Mortimer was accused of assuming royal power and of various other high misdemeanours, condemned without trial and ignominiously hanged at Tyburn on 29 November 1330.
