My wife's ancestors - Dartas - Contents

Dartas of Gascony, France

Many spellings, including Dartas, or Dartasse, or Dartoys, or Dartois, or D'Artois.

Sir Jenico Dartas,
or Janico,
or D'Artois.
He was of the Gascony region of SW France.
(Although note that Artois is in NE France.)
He came to Ireland with the massive army of Richard II in 1394.
He mar Jane Serjeant [dau of John Serjeant, of Castleknock, Co Dublin].
They had issue:

1. Jane Dartas.
   She mar Christopher Preston, 3rd Baron Gormanston [died 1450] and had issue.
   "Jenico" became a Preston family name.

PORTLESTER in [Complete Peerage] says that the below Jenico is "presumably son of" the original Jenico of France above:

• Jenico Dartas,
  or D'Artois.
  He mar --- Plunkett.
  They had issue:

  
  

  1. Margaret Dartas,
     or D'Artois,
     called "Margaret Jenico".
     Tomb says "Margarete Jenico".
     She mar 1stly to Thomas Barnewall.
     She mar 2ndly to John Dowdall and had issue.
     She mar 3rdly, in or before 1476, to Rowland FitzEustace, 1st Baron Portlester.

The "Cadaver Stone" in the Preston chapel at Stamullen, Co.Meath.
Dates from c.1450. May depict a Preston lady. May depict Jane Dartas.
Photo 2017. See larger and full size.

Effigies of Baron Portlester and his 3rd wife Margaret Dartas at St.Audoen's Church, Dublin.
See full size.

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Sources yet to be consulted

• "Janico Dartas, Richard the Second's 'Gascon Squire': his career in Ireland, 1394-1426", by E. Curtis, JRSAI Vol. LXIII (7th series, vol.3), Part II, December 1933, pp.182-205.