James fitz John FitzGerald, 13th Earl of Desmond (died 1558), also counted as the 14th, ruled 22 years, the first 4 years as de facto earl until the death of James FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond, called court page, who was murdered by James fitz John's brother Totane. James Fitz John maintained himself in power by skilful diplomacy avoiding armed conflict and destruction. He was appointed Lord Treasurer of Ireland in 1547. Birth and origins James was born about 1500, the second but eldest surviving son of John fitz Thomas FitzGerald and his wife More O'Brien. At that time his father was a younger brother of the reigning earl of Desmond, Thomas fitz Thomas, the 11th Earl, called the Bald. His father's family, the FitzGeralds of Desmond, were a noble cadet branch of the Old English Geraldines, of which the FitzGeralds of Kildare were the senior branch. James's mother was a daughter of Donogh O'Brien of Carrigogunnell, County Limerick, Lord of Pobblebrien. His mother's family was a cadet branch of the O'Briens, kings of Thomond, a native Irish family. Father's claim In 1534 at the death of James's grandfather, James's father seized the earldom, claiming that James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, de jure 12th Earl of Desmond ("Court Page"), was illegitimate because of his parents' consanguinity. Indeed, Court Page's father, Maurice fitz Thomas had married his first cousin Joan, daughter of John fitz Mauric Fitzgibbon, the white knight. James's father was therefore known as the de facto 12th Earl of Desmond. James fitz John was his heir apparent. Rule as de facto earl On the death of his father in June 1536, James FitzGerald assumed the Desmond title and took possession of the Desmond lands that had been his father's as de facto earl. Both were disputed. James fitz Maurice FitzGerald, called Court Page, was earl de jure, but stayed, at least for the moment, away in London. The lands were disputed by James Butler, 9th Earl of Ormond (c. 1496 – 1546), who had married the only daughter of the James FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Desmond. In order to support his position, the pretended earl Desmond, as he now was, sought the support of Connor O'Brien, King of Thomond, the head of the discontented party in Ireland. The government, which had just suppressed the rebellion of Thomas FitzGerald, 10th Earl of Kildare, resolved to attack him, and on