Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath


Richard Nugent, 2nd Earl of Westmeath was an Irish nobleman.

Life

He was the grandson of Richard Nugent, 1st Earl of Westmeath and Jenet Plunkett. Nugent's father, Christopher, Lord Delvin, had predeceased the first Earl, meaning that Richard Nugent succeeded to the earldom on his grandfather's death in 1641. His mother was Lady Anne MacDonnell, daughter of Randal MacDonnell, 1st Earl of Antrim and his wife Ellis O'Neill, daughter of Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone and his fourth wife Catherine Magennis.
Before 1641 he married his kinswoman, Mary Nugent, and daughter of Sir Thomas Nugent, 1st Baronet of Moyrath and his wife Alison Barnewall, daughter of Robert Barnewall of Robertstown, County Meath.
While attempting to make his way back to Ireland in December 1641 upon the outbreak of the 1641 Rebellion, Nugent was arrested on suspicion of complicity in the uprising. He subsequently served as a cavalry commander during the Irish Confederate Wars, seeing action at the Battle of Dungan's Hill in August 1647, where he was captured. He later served as General of the Forces of Leinster from 1650-52. During Oliver Cromwell's campaign in Ireland, Clonyn Castle, the main Nugent residence, was burnt: according to one account Lord Westmeath burnt it himself to prevent it falling into his enemies hands. He submitted to the Parliamentary forces in the latter year but was excluded from the Act of Settlement 1652 and transplanted to Connaught. After the Restoration of Charles II, he received a large pension as a reward for his loyalty to the Crown.

Family

Richard and Mary Nugent had the following issue:
He was succeeded by his grandson, Richard Nugent, 3rd Earl of Westmeath, son of Christopher, Lord Delvin.