Thomas Butler, earl of Ossory, 1634-80

A Privileged Witness

Daniel D. Jordan

Thomas Butler, earl of Ossory, was a widely recognised hero of his time and his life story directly reflects the turbulent nature of seventeenth-century British and Irish politics. Heir to the first duke of Ormond, Ireland’s premier nobleman, Ossory aggressively defended his father’s interests at Whitehall and Westminster and twice deputized for him as governor of Ireland.

Ossory’s European-wide reputation was based on his military exploits at sea during the Anglo-Dutch wars and fighting against the armies of Louis XIV on the continent. He was a popular figure who counted contemporaries such as Prince William of Orange, Lord Arlington and the diarist John Evelyn amongst his closest friends.

This book charts the untold story of an adventurous life lived at the heart of some of the most exciting but perilous moments in Irish, British and European history.

Daniel D. Jordan is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Having studied in Dublin, Vienna and Oxford, he received his PhD from University College, Dublin in 2011. He was appointed as the inaugural Scholar of the Butler Society in 2020. He continues to live in Oxford where he teaches and lectures on various aspects of British and European History.