Maurice de Prendergast

• Preferred Name: Maurice de Prendergast^[1]
  
• Gender: M
  
• FSID: LHKJ-8NB
  
• Nickname:
  
• Birth: ABT 1145 in Prendergast, Rhos, Pembrokeshire, Wales at LATI: N1.8191 LONG: E4.9648 with note: http://www.monchique.com/Ochanoff/ohanov/ochanoff/9646.htm
  
• Occupation: Lord Pendergast
  
• Death: ABT 1205 in Kilimainham, Dublin, Ireland at LATI: N3.3443 LONG: E6.2665
  
• Religion: gave Prendergast Castle in Wales to Knights of St. John of Jerusalem and joined that order1177
  
• Religion: Prior of Kilmainham
  
• Notes:

  === Life Sketch ===
  Maurice de Prendergast was from Prendergast, Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
  
  He took part in the Norman invasion of Ireland, crossing with seven companions, and their men at arms; landing with the Norman force in three ships in Bannow Bay in 1169. Others in the expedition force were Miler Fitz Henry, Milo Fitz David and Hervé de Marisco . He took part in the seige of Wexford.
  
  They captured Wexford, and camped at Ferns, waiting for Richard de Clare, better known as "Strongbow" to arrive with reinforcements.
  
  By 1170, Diarmaid Mac Murchadha (Dermot MacMurrough) with the aid of his Norman mercenaries, had regained his territory in Leinster, de Prendergast wanted to return to Wales but was prevented from doing so by Mac Murchadha. Frustrated, de Prendergast swapped sides, transferring his allegiance to Domnall Mac Gilla Patráic King of Osriage (Ossary).
  
  At one time, Maurice de Prendergast was deputed as an envoy to Domnall Mac Gilla Patráic, seeking his presence in the Norman camp for negotiations, and assuring him of safe conduct back to his own camp. Finding that treachery was planned against Mac Gilla Patráic, de Prendergast swore that no harm should come to Mac Gilla Patráic, saw him safely out of the camp, and earned a reputation among the Irish as "The Faithful Norman."
  
  In 1177, Maurice made over the Castle de Prendergast in Wales, Pembrokeshire, to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, joined the order, and died in 1205 at Kilmainham (near Dublin), the chief seat of the brotherhood in Ireland, being then Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
  
  IN WALES
  
  The Prendergast name is said to have been brought to England during the Norman Conquest by one Prenliregast, (also given as Preudirlegast in The Battle Abbey Roll) a follower of William the Conqueror. The son of Prenliregast, Phillip, was given land in the district of Ros in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.
  
  Maurice de Prendergast was one of his descendants and in 1160, lord of the manor (castle) of Prendergast. He was probably a nephew of Nesta, the daughter of Rufus, Prince of Demetia (which was the Norman name for Pembrokeshire) where Maurice’s family had lived since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Nesta was distinguished for her beauty and infamous for her affairs (ref. "The Norman Invasion of Ireland" by Richard Roche), it has been said that the "first conquerors of Ireland were nearly all descendants of Nesta", either by her two husbands or through the son she had to Henry 1 of England.
  
  The name of Prendergast was given to a parish (village) forming part of the Borough of Haverfordshire near Pembroke, in Wales, which continued in their possession until Maurice De Prendergast sailed as part of Earl Strongbow’s force to Ireland in the spring of 1170.
  
  Current references in and around Haverfordshire are:-
  -Prendergast Place which was the seat of the Prendergast family.
  -Prendergast is a suburb in North Haverford and at one stage had its own mayor.
  -There is a Prendergast Hill.
  -There is a St. David’s Church in Parish of Prendergast.
  
  http://maurie.customer.netspace.net.au/de%20prend.html
  
  The Anglo - Norman Invasion Of Ireland.
  After a falling out between some of the Irish "kings", Dermot Mc Murrough, the King of Leinster, in return for certain favors, enlisted the aid of the King Henry 11 of England and most of France, who gave Dermot permission to recruit the Norman Barons in Wales to help him regain his lands, the chief of these Barons being Richard, Count of Eu (sometimes referred to as the Earl of Pembroke), nicknamed "Strongbow". Strongbow was the son of the 1st Earl of Pembroke, Gilbert Strongbow fitz Godebert de Clare and Isabel (Elizabeth) de Beaumont.
  As things were too slow in moving for Dermot he set sail for Leinster in 1167 with a tiny Norman force and awaited the arrival of more substantial help.
  On 1 May 1169 , two years later, Robert FitzStephen, a kinsman of Strongbow, landed at Bannow Bay in County Wexford in three ships with 30 men-at-arms (knights), 60 in half-armour, 300 archers and footmen (Normans, Flemings and Welsh), he was followed later on the 11 May 1169 by Maurice de Prendergast who after embarking at the port of Milford arrived in two boats and landed at Bannow Bay with 10 knights and 200 archers (given as 600 men in other places) and foot soldiers as part of the vanguard of Strongbow’s force (who didn’t arrive until 23 August 1170), though small in number they were experienced fighting men and met with early success. There are variations in the accounts regarding landing dates, site and numbers of men. Dermot taking no chances decided to wait for more reinforcements.
  
  In the fighting that ensued De Prendergast and 200 men were under siege and asked Dermot for transport back to Wales, on being refused this they promptly changed sides and Dermot had to swear allegiance to the local king, who was unaware of the imminent arrival of Strongbow and the main force.
  Another version says that Maurice was so disgusted with the barbarity of Dermot that he renounced his service and joined the Ossary standard. After this hasty decision Maurice was in a dilemma as the Chieftain of Leinster now wanted to attack Dermot, Maurice now decided to return to Wales and was opposed by the Prince of Ossary, he solved this by arranging a treaty between Dermot and Ossary which was confirmed by Fitzstephen, he then returned to Wales to later return with Strongbow.
  Another version of this episode is that Maurice and his men wished to return to Wales to visit their wives and were refused passage, upon this they changed sides and Dermot paid dearly for his treachery. Eventually they returned to Wales and later returned to Ireland with Strongbow’s force, this seems a more likely account.
  
  It is apparent that there are various accounts of this incident but it is agreed that after a short time in Ireland Maurice de Prendergast returned to Wales and later returned with Strongbow and the main force. Strongbow landed near Waterford with 200 knights and a 1000 soldiers.
  On 17 October 1171 King Henry 11 landed at Waterford with 500 knights and 4,000 men at arms and archers, in the face of these forces by 1250 (80 years later) three quarters of Ireland was under Norman rule.
  
  It may be of interest to note that the Normans were a mixture of Celtic blood, Frankish blood and that of the Viking invaders who settled in France in 911 AD when Charles the Simple, King of France, ceded part of his kingdom to the Vikings. That area became known as the land of the Northmen and the name of the people who lived there became shortened to "Normans". Hence Maurice had quite a large part of Celtic and Viking blood before he settled in Wales before going to Ireland.
  
  The Settlement Period In Ireland.
  In Ireland the Prendergast family flourished and extended itself. Maurice de Prendergast having played a prominent part in the invasion of Ireland was granted land in Waterford, Wexford, Tipperary, Mayo and Wicklow, he became the Governor of the County and City of Cork. Amongst other grants he was granted five Knight’s Fees in the present Barony of Shelmalier East (Territory Fernegenal), south of Wexford town and by the River Slaney.
  Sir Bernard Burke (ref. Burkes Colonial Gentry) informs us that soon after the invasion they seated themselves at Newcastle Prendergast on the River Suir, which washed the walls of their manor house on its way to Cahir Castle and Clonmel. Their territory stretched from Cahir to Cappoquin and from Fethard to Cloghean.
  Maurice was one of the English lords chosen to witness the signature of Henry 11 to the deed whereby he gave the city and lands of Cork to Robert Fitzgerald and Milo de Cogan in 1170.
  In 1177, Maurice made over the Castle de Prendergast in Wales, Pembrokeshire, to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, joined the order, and died in 1205 at Kilmainham (near Dublin), the chief seat of the brotherhood in Ireland, being then Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem.
  Sir Maurice’s descendants were listed among the leading gentry of the counties of Waterford, Wexford and Tipperary in 1598 and were also to be found in many other counties notably Mayo and Galway. Some of those who settled in Mayo assumed the surname Fitzmaurice in his honour.
  The family married into many of the most Ancient Nobility & Gentry, and appear in their pedigrees, such families include the Le Poer (later Power), Butler, Ormond, Cahew, Dunboyne, Fitzgibbon, Courcey, Condon, Cloncarthy, Desmond & Fitzgerald’s.
  The arms of Jasper Prendergast were confirmed in Wexford in 1618 whilst in 1639 Edmund Prendergast was confirmed in the Manor (castle) of Newcastle Prendergast in Tipperary. One of Edmund’s descendants became Baronet of Gort.
  A learned member of the family was John Patrick Prendergast (1808-1893), the historian known for his "Cromwellian Settlement of Ireland" .
  Maurice is remembered in history (honorably known as the "Faithful Norman") for his integrity and honesty and was respected by friend and foe. It is probable that many, if not all, present day Irish Prendergast’s are descended from Maurice and his wife who was a Fitzgerald
  
  Sir Maurice De Prendergast Maurice had two sons, Phillip and Gerald Mc Maurice.
  
  === Maurice, feudal Lord of Prendergast, Pem ===
  Maurice, feudal Lord of Prendergast, Pembs, one of the Cambro-Norman knights who went to Ireland with Strongbow [Richard de Clare], Earl of Pembroke in 1169 and acquiring much land there; gave Prendergast Castle to the Knights of St John of Jersalem in 1177 and eventually joined that order; Prior Kilmainham. [Burke's Peerage]
  
  === SORLEY'S PEDIGREES (GS NUMBER Q929.242 S ===
  SORLEY'S PEDIGREES (GS NUMBER Q929.242 SO.68) P.34; THE PLANTAGENETANCESTRY (GS NUMBER Q940 D2T) P.143;

1. Philip de Prendergast, b. 1187 in Fernegal, Leinster, Ireland     d. 1229 in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland

1. Title: Legacy NFS Source: Maurice de Prendergast -
   Author: Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, 106th Edition, Charles Mosley {1999}, Page number: 1181
   Note: Source Media Type: Book
   Page: Migrated from user-supplied source citation: urn:familysearch:source:2736742367