Kilkenny Castle (Irish: Caisleán Chill Chainnigh) was built by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke n 1195 to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways. James Butler, 3rd Earl of Ormonde, bought the castle in 1391 and established himself as ruler of the area. The Butler dynasty ruled the surrounding for over five hundred years. Among the many notable, Lady Margaret Butler (c. 1454 or 1465–1539) an Irish noblewoman, the daughter of Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond. Lady Margaret Butler was born in Kilkenny Castle. She married Sir William Boleyn and was the paternal grandmother of Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England.
The Castle became the seat to the very powerful family, the Butlers of Ormonde or Butler family, who lived there until 1935.
Please do not use this image in any media without my permission. © All rights reserved.
Loading contexts...
