James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond

James FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond, died at Askeaton on 14 October 1558 after ruling through skilful diplomacy rather than open warfare. He had avoided the destruction that consumed many Irish nobles by navigating English authority and local rivalry with patience. Askeaton preserved him as a man who understood that survival required adaptability, not merely strength.