The Lordship of Meath was an extensive seigneurial liberty in medieval Ireland that was awarded to Hugh de Lacy by King Henry II of England by the service of fifty knights and with almost royal authority. The Lordship was roughly co-extensive with the medieval kingdom of Meath. At its greatest extent, it included all of the modern counties of Fingal, Meath (which takes its name from the kingdom), Westmeath as well as parts of counties Cavan, Kildare, Longford, Louth and Offaly. The Lordship or fiefdom was imbued with privileges enjoyed in no other Irish liberty, including the four royal pleas of arson, forestalling, rape, and treasure trove.
Background
Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, King Henry II visited Ireland in 1171 to establish his authority over both Norman adventurers and the native Irish. He failed, however, to bring the country under a single, centralised control. Henry only claimed the title "Lord of Ireland", which he passed to his son, John "Lackland". John and his successors remained as Lords of Ireland until the 16th century. Instead of a central government, the royal policy was to promote individual lordships. As a secondary objective, Henry aimed to break the power of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (commonly called "Strongbow") and to divide the Geraldines. He recognised that he was unable to curb their ambitions but wished to avoid any one baron having such a base of power as might one day threaten his own realm. He therefore awarded offices and the lands of the newly created lordships to new men – his own loyalists. Consistent with this plan, he kept the major ports of Waterford, Cork and Dublin in his own hands, as well as a strip of the Wicklow coast. He replaced Maurice FitzGerald as "Keeper of Dublin" with Hervey de Clare, Lord of Montmorency who was FitzGerald's brother-in-law and Strongbow's uncle. Montmorency also took over command of Strongbow's forces from Raymond le gros who was recalled to Wales by the King. He also took another prime mover in the invasion – Miles de Cogan – to Wales. In March 1172, the King granted the Lordship of Meath to Hugh de Lacy by service of fifty knights. On John de Courcy he bestowed Ulster "if he could conquer it." These lords were reliant on their own aggression for laying claim to their lands and for securing them. Castles, by virtue of their defensive and offensive capabilities as well as their symbolic status, were indispensable for dominating the area of the lordship.
Grant to de Lacy
The grant of Meath was not accepted by Tighearnán Ó Ruairc, King of Bréifne, who ruled it at that time. Following a confrontation at the Hill of Ward in early 1172, Ó Ruairc was slain and de Lacy assumed control.
King Henry preferred Hugh de Lacy over Strongbow in the positions of Justiciar and of Constable of Dublin Castle. The grant was on the basis of grand serjeanty for his services as bailiff to the King. De Lacy chose the barons Robert Fitz-Stephen, Maurice FitzGerald, Meiler Fitzhenry and Miles FitzDavid to garrison the city. This kept them apart from Strongbow. On 17 April 1172, Henry sailed from Ireland never to return. Hugh also returned to England in late 1172 and spend much of the following year fighting for Henry in France. He was sent over to Ireland as procurator-general in 1177, Richard de Clare having died shortly before. The grant of Meath was now confirmed, with the addition of Offelana, Offaly, Kildare, and Wicklow. This left Hugh in possession of most of the over-kingdom of Leinster, in addition to the Kingdom of Meath, with exception of the city of Dublin and the southern principalities of Ossory and Hy-Kinsellagh () (centred on the modern county of Wexford).
In 1181, he was recalled from his government for having married Rose Ní Conchobair, the daughter of Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair, King of Connaught without leave of Henry. The following year he was restored to his offices.
After Hugh's death in 1186, the lordship passed, after a period of wardship, to his son, Walter. A charter from 1191, shows Walter exercising lordship in Meath. As Lord of Ireland, John deprived de Lacy of Meath in 1192. This action was overturned by King Richard the Lionheart upon the latter's return from the Third Crusade in 1194.