Dudley Bagenal (1554–1587) was an Irish soldier and landowner of theTudor era.
Dudley was the son of theStaffordshire-born SirNicholas Bagenal who had settled in Ireland in the 1550s, creating a power base aroundNewry inUlster thanks to the support of the dominantGaelic lordConn O'Neill, 1st Earl of Tyrone. Dudley was the brother of SirHenry Bagenal,Mabel Bagenal andAnne Bagenal. He was the brother-in-law of the soldierHenry Heron.[1]
Dudley established himself as a landowner atDunleckney Manor inCounty Carlow. He served as an officer in theIrish Army force sent north to Ulster to maintain order in the 1580s, being stationed inClandeboye. He became involved in disputes with other officers, who were resentful of his father's influence. In one incident he struck a fellow officer SirWilliam Stanley during an argument.[2]
He was ambushed and killed in March 1587 in County Carlow,Leinster by a group of theKavanagh clan. This appeared to be a revenge attack for the killing of a leader of the Kavanaghs four months earlier, which both Bagenal and his brother-in-law Henry Heron had taken part in.[3] It was quite common for settlers of the era to become involved in Gaelic-style feuds. His death led to a political dispute between Sir Nicholas Bagenal and theLord DeputyJohn Perrot who refused to grant Sir Nicholas custody of his grandson, Dudley's sonGeorge Bagenal, who was made award of court.[4]
His family remained influential in Carlow, and were related to other powerful Bagenals in other parts of the country many of whom becameRoman Catholics despite thePenal laws. Amongst Dudley's descendants wereDudley Bagenal and his son,Walter Bagenal, the founder ofBagenalstown.[citation needed]
