Walter Butler | |
|---|---|
| Earl of Ormond | |
| Tenure | 1614–1633 |
| Predecessor | Thomas, 10th Earl of Ormond |
| Successor | James, 1st Duke of Ormond |
| Born | 1559 |
| Died | 24 February 1633 Carrick-on-Suir |
| Buried | St. Canice's Cathedral, Kilkenny |
| Spouse(s) | Helen Butler |
| Issue Detail | Thomas & others |
| Father | John Butler of Kilcash |
| Mother | Katherine MacCarthy Reagh |
Sir Walter Butler, 11th Earl of Ormond and 4th Earl of Ossory (1559–1633), succeeded his uncle Black Tom, the 10th earl, in 1614. He was called "Walter of the Beads" because he was a devout Catholic, whereas his uncle had been a Protestant. King James I intervened and awarded most of the inheritance to his uncle's Protestant daughter Elizabeth. Ormond contested the King's decision and was for that insolence detained in the Fleet Prison from 1619 until 1625 when he submitted to the King's ruling. He then found a means to reunite the Ormond estate, by marrying his grandson James, who had been raised a Protestant, to Elizabeth's only daughter.