John Drake

John Drake (died c. 1433) was one of the most celebrated medieval Mayors of Dublin. He was acclaimed by his fellow Dubliners as a hero for his decisive victory over the O'Byrne clan of County Wicklow at the Battle of Bloody Bank in July 1402. Background He was a member of the prominent Drake family of Drakerath, County Meath, who were a junior branch of the wealthy English landowning Drake family of Ash, Devon. Sir Francis Drake is sometimes said to have belonged to another branch of the same family, although this has been disputed. John was a close relative, possibly a son, of Richard Drake of Drakerath, who was High Sheriff of Meath in 1385, and he may have been the John Drake who held the same office in 1422 (although some sources say that he had retired into private life by then). Matilda (or Maud) Drake, who married the eminent judge Sir Christopher Bernevall, was also a close relative, possibly a sister, of John. He married Isabella, widow of John Buckland. He became a merchant in Dublin, and traded with Gascony in corn and wine. He was one of the two bailiffs of Dublin in 1482–83. Despite his prominent position, he had something of a reputation for lawlessness and violent behaviour: in particular, in 1392 he was accused of taking part in a violent assault on the Abbey of Saint Thomas the Martyr (located at present-day North Earl Street in Dublin city centre). Ironically this reputation seems to have increased his public standing, as it was clearly felt that whatever his faults he was the man best suited to lead the people of Dublin (who could be quite aggressive in their dealings with their neighbours) in a crisis. Battle of Bloody Bank