Rose MacSweeny and the MacManus Nobility Claim

Rose, also called Rosa MacSweeny and de Helizes in the supplied pedigree, appears in Philip McManus’s heraldry essay in connection with a claim for nobility dated 22 February 1774. The essay describes her mother as a daughter of Charles MacManus. This page follows the spelling and relationships in that account; “Rose McManus” is not used here as an established name for her.

The 1774 claim

The archive identifies Rose as a daughter of Colonel John MacSweeny and describes her as an attendant to Queen Elizabeth Farnese. It names her husband as Sebastian de Helizes and also mentions Emmanuella, another daughter of Colonel John MacSweeny, married to Francisco Rubalcava.

According to Philip’s account, the material came from draft grants in Ulster’s Office. He found no corresponding completed grant and questioned the pedigree’s attempt to connect different McManus branches. His suggestion that an application might have been withdrawn or rejected is an interpretation, not a recorded decision reproduced on this page. Read “Coat of Arms Two” in the archive.

Genealogy of MacManus

Claimed pedigree — not a verified family tree. The following reproduces the sixteen numbered entries supplied for this page and transcribed in the archive. The numbers are the source’s sequence, not independently verified generations. Names, place spellings and uncertain descriptions are retained; wording needing clarification is discussed below.

No.	Person named	Spouse, family and description in the supplied pedigree
1	Daniel MacMagnus, alias MacManus	Son of Manus O’Connor. His wife Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh Duff MacMahon of Monaghan, armiger.
2	Donnchadh MacManus	Of Toneroe, County Roscommon, armiger. His wife Joan, daughter of Sean O’Cahan of County Derry, armiger.
3	Maelsechlainn MacManus	Armiger. His wife Bridget, daughter of Manus MacDonnell of County Donegal, armiger.
4	Hugh MacManus	Armiger. His wife Sara, daughter of John Hamilton of County Cavan, armiger.
5	Manus MacManus	Armiger. His wife Honor, daughter of Brian O’Hea of County Antrim, armiger.
6	Dermot MacManus	Armiger. His wife Margaret, daughter of John Fleming of County Meath, Lord Baron of Slane.
7	Rory MacManus	Armiger. His wife Mary, daughter of Fergus O’Ferrall of County Longford, armiger.
8	Eoghan McManus	Of Eirew, County Leitrim, armiger. His wife Anna, daughter of Eamonn O’Costello of County Mayo, armiger.
9	Rory MacManus	Armiger. His wife Honor, daughter of John Dillon of CastleDillson, County Mayo, armiger.
10	Bernard MacManus	Of Ennis, County Fermanagh, armiger. His wife Sara, daughter of Counos O’Neill, armiger, Lord of County Tyrone.
11	Alexander McManus	Armiger. His wife Margaret, daughter of Hugh Maguire of Croagher, County Fermanagh, armiger.
12	John MacManus	Armiger. His wife Anna, daughter of Philip O’Reilly of County Cavan, armiger.
13	Philip MacManus	Armiger. “His wife, Joan, wife of Hugh MacManus of County Monaghan, armiger.” This wording is retained as supplied.
14	Charles MacManus	Captain under King Christian Gallarium. His wife Mary, daughter of John Maguire, armiger, Lord Baron of Enniskillen.
15	Rosa	Daughter of Charles McManus, Captain under King Christian Gallarium.
16	Rosa MacSweeny	Daughter of Colonel John MacSweeny; described as an honored foot attendant to Queen Elizabeth Farnese, wife of Philippe V. Her husband Sebastian de Helizes is described as Secretary of State under King Ludovici, the Infant of Spain, and Knight of the Order of Santo Jacobi. Emmanuella, second daughter of Colonel John MacSweeny, is named as wife of Francisco Rubalcava, Knight of the Order of Santo Jacobi.

Questions still to resolve

The wording of entry 13 is ambiguous. “King Christian Gallarium,” “King Ludovici,” and “Santo Jacobi” also require comparison with the underlying record and translation. Entries 15 and 16 contain two women called Rosa; they should not be merged without evidence. The maternal connection stated in the narrative does not, by itself, resolve every relationship in the numbered extract.

A separate record: Marianne Macmanus Maguire, 1752

Printed page 211 of the Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval’s The Jacobite Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Grants of Honour records a declaration of noblesse dated 7 December 1752 for Marianne Macmanus Maguire. It identifies her as a daughter of Charles Macmanus of Lough Earne and Mary Maguire of Crohan, and as the widow of James Egan of Kilbaran.

This entry names Marianne, not Rose. It is relevant to the Charles MacManus family discussed in the archive, but page 211 alone does not establish Marianne’s relationship to Rose or validate the sixteen-entry pedigree.

Open printed page 211 in Internet Archive · Download the full book as PDF.

Sources and connected research

• Philip McManus: Heraldry A-B-C, The Arms, especially “Coat of Arms Two.” Source of the 1774 claim account and pedigree transcription.
• The Jacobite Peerage — Internet Archive book record, printed page 211. Source of the distinct 1752 Marianne entry.
• Philip E. McManus — author profile.
• James Terry’s Book of Arms and the McManus Connection.
• McManus YDNA Project archive.

More people in this source

Browse the linked pedigree profiles and other people named in the heraldry research.