Ormond, James Butler (1665–1745)

Irish nobleman and military commander, grandson of James Butler, 12th earl and 1st Duke of Ormond. He led William III's Life Guards at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, and under Queen Anne was twice appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland (1703–05, 1710–13) and captain-general of the forces. However, because he continued to maintain ties with the Jacobites – supporters of the ‘Old Pretender’ James Francis Edward Stuart – he was removed from office by George I and impeached on charges of high treason. He fled to France, where he died in exile.

Ormond was born in Dublin, the eldest surviving son of Thomas, Earl of Ossory. He first fought in the battle of Sedgemoor in 1685 against the Duke of Monmouth. He succeeded to the dukedom in 1688, commanded the troops in Admiral George Rooke's raid on Cadiz in 1702, and was made commander-in-chief of British forces (succeeding John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough) against France and Spain in 1711, in the final phase of the War of the Spanish Succession.

Ormond acted as lord high constable at the coronation of William and Mary. He fought at the battle of Steenkerque, was taken prisoner at Landen, but was exchanged for the Duke of Berwick. In 1719, he commanded the abortive expedition of the Spanish fleet to England.