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拍品专文
James FitzGerald, Earl of Kildare, Baron of Offaly (1722-1773), son of Robert, Earl of Kildare and his wife Mary, eldest daughter of William O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Inchiquin, was born on 29 May 1722, and styled Lord Offaly until 1744, when he succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Kildare. He served as Member of Parliament for Athy in 1741-44 while underage. On 21 February 1746 he was created Viscount Leinster of Taplow, co. Buckingham and was made a member of the Irish Privy Council. Two weeks previously he had married, at her father's house in Whitehall Place, St Margaret's Westminster, Emilia Mary (1731-1832), god-daughter of King George II and second surviving daughter of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond, and his wife Sarah, daughter and co-heiress of William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan. James and Emilia had no less than nine sons and eight daughters.
He played an active part in Irish politics and with his enormous wealth and influential family connections soon formed a powerful party becoming one of the most popular noblemen in Ireland. He accepted a post in the Government as Lord Deputy in 1756, and that of Master General of the Ordnance in 1758, and in 1761 was created Marquis of Offaly in the peerage of Ireland. Five years later he was created Duke of Leinster in the peerage of Ireland at a time when there were no other Irish Dukes. His principal seat was at Carton, where together with his wife, he was responsible for creating one of the most idyllic landscape gardens in Ireland as a setting for the large Palladian house which his father had built.
He played an active part in Irish politics and with his enormous wealth and influential family connections soon formed a powerful party becoming one of the most popular noblemen in Ireland. He accepted a post in the Government as Lord Deputy in 1756, and that of Master General of the Ordnance in 1758, and in 1761 was created Marquis of Offaly in the peerage of Ireland. Five years later he was created Duke of Leinster in the peerage of Ireland at a time when there were no other Irish Dukes. His principal seat was at Carton, where together with his wife, he was responsible for creating one of the most idyllic landscape gardens in Ireland as a setting for the large Palladian house which his father had built.