White Knight

The White Knight is one of three Anglo-Norman hereditary knighthoods within Ireland dating from the medieval period. The title was first conferred upon Maurice Fitzgibbon in the early 14th century. The other two knighthoods, both in the Fitzgerald family, are the Knight of Glin (also called the Black Knight), which has become dormant after 700 years (since the death of the 29th Knight, September 2011), and the Knight of Kerry (also called the Green Knight), which is held by Adrian FitzGerald, 6th Baronet, 24th Knight of Kerry. History The first White Knight was Maurice FitzGibbon. He was knighted in the field by Edward III in 1333, immediately after the defeat of Scottish forces at the Battle of Halidon Hill. Maurice FitzGibbon, 1st White Knight was the son of Gilbert Fitz John, eldest illegitimate son of John FitzGerald, 1st Baron Desmond and Honora, daughter of Hugh O'Connor Don aka Ó Conchubhair Donn of Kerry, King of Connacht aka Felim Ua Conchobair. John FitzGerald was also the ancestor of the Earls of Desmond. The family of the White Knight was esteemed as the second branch of the House of FitzGerald, of which the Earl of Desmond was the head. The following passage discusses a traditional, folk origin of the House of FitzGerald: "The Fitz Geralds of Ireland, men of approued [sic] valour, were without question / descended from the auncient Trojans, when, that famous citty of Pergamus / beeing vtterly layd waste after ten yeares seidge, all her Princes slayne / in battailes, Prince Aeneas only surviueing; who beeing the close concealement / of Poliscena, Priam’s most beautiful daughter, was banished by the / Greekes, and followed by a gallant and warlike crewe of martiall youths, / who surviued theyre natiue countryes destruction. The Auncestors of Fitz Geralds / were of them who followed him in his exile." From a fragment of Irish poetry attributed to the Irish poet Donogh McCraith, translated into English: "Three renowned knights of Gerald’s powerfull [sic] race / In Ireland (well ’twas known), being stoutest had the place; / To distinguish each of these Gallants progenye, / By right of birth and worth, the White Knight bore the sway".