Background
He was the son of Hugh Fitzwilliam. His family are recorded in Dublin from about 1210 and by the time of James" birth were already considerable landowners in Dublin, holding lands at Dundrum and Swords.
He was the son of Hugh Fitzwilliam. His family are recorded in Dublin from about 1210 and by the time of James" birth were already considerable landowners in Dublin, holding lands at Dundrum and Swords.
He was the ancestor of the prominent Dublin landowning family which acquired the titles Viscount FitzWilliam and Earl of Tyrconnell. Few details of his legal career survive, but it is known that he was Chief Baron by 1413 and was superseded in 1417. Cruise was a distinguished diplomat and soldier and a considerable landowner, holding the manors of Mount Merrion, Stillorgan and Thorncastle (roughly modern Booterstown).
Merrion Castle, Sir John"s principal dwelling, subsequently became the main Fitzwilliam residence.
He was a ward of his father"s successor as Chief Baron, James Cornwalsh. Ironically Cornwalsh was to die 20 years later in a private war with the Fitzwilliams, although Philip himself was not directly involved.