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| Lord Kiely | |
| Medium: | Novels, Television |
| Nationality: | Spanish/Irish |
| Rank: | Earl of Kiely, Colonel |
| Appearances: | Sharpe's Battle, Sharpe's Battle |
| Actor: | Jason Durr |
Colonel Lord Kiely was the commander of the Real Compania Irlandesa, His Most Catholic Majesty, Ferdinand, the King of Spain's royal guard.
Novel[]
He was from an Irish expatriate family residing in Spain. His overbearing mother had spent much of their fortune on the church and in backing Irish rebellion. Two Madrid heiresses had refused his proposals, preferring Spanish nobility to an exiled Irishman. He lost the remainder of the family fortune at cards.
According to Hogan, the Real Compania Irlandesa comprised 163 men, 13 officers, a chaplain, 89 wives, 74 children, 16 servants, 22 horses, and one mistress - Doña Juanita de Elia - for whom Kiely insisted accommodation.
He first appeared when Sharpe had paraded his men for inspection while he was at lunch, he arrived at a gallop on a fine black stallion, somewhat the worse for drink, "wearing the gorgeous uniform of the Real Compania Irlandesa and whose coat, saddle cloth, hat, and trappings fairly dripped with gold tassels, fringes, and loops." He was described as a young man, perhaps still in his twenties, but with a thin, sour, and ravaged face, sporting a mustache greased into fine points.
When told Sharpe was to be the drillmaster for his men, he dismissed Sharpe's comment that he could give them lessons in killing. He claimed they need only lessons in dying, that they need only be taught drill, obedience, and to stand still when being shot at. They need only stand longer than the French.
During Loup's attack on the San Isidro Fort, he remained behind barred doors in the gatehouse where none of the French tried to enter. Sharpe accused complicity and cowardice, that one of his "bloody friends" in the gate house had allowed the French through the gates, and that he'd "beat the offal out of your yellow hide."
Hogan arrived in the aftermath of the battle to remove Kiely and have him report to Wellington. When he finally called on Wellington, he had again been drinking, claimed his men had been ill used and requested a position on the battle line in the coming conflict. Wellington's reply was to the point; no. He scathingly pointed out that they had arrived unfunded, unwanted, and ill prepared and expected him to cover their deficiencies. He assigned them as guards on the ammunition park, and after the battle, they would go.
Kiely retreated, still seething, and entered a church where he drank a flask of brandy and decided he was being crucified, too. He screamed insults at the representation of the Virgin Mary, and then placed the muzzle of his pistol under his chin and pulled the trigger.
He was buried in a grave outside the cemetery walls the following day.
Television[]
Unlike his counterpart in the novel, Lord Kiely is married. After the death of their first child, however, he kept his wife at arm's length, blaming her somehow for that death. In a campaign of humiliation, he took up with Doña Juanita, and flouted his affair even as his wife took up residence in San Isidro Fort with his command.
Once he discovers his wife's pregnancy, he promises to end things with Juanita, and sent Lady Kiely away. His mistress, however, arranged for the wife's capture by Loup. She informed Kiely that if he did not abandon Sharpe and his men on the battlefield, his wife would die.
Kiely did hold his men back from the attack, and when confronted by Sharpe, the two men fought until Juanita tried to kill Sharpe. Kiely then turned on her with his sabre and killed her. He and Sharpe, led his men to relieve the Rifles. When he discovered his wife's prison, he faced and was killed by Loup.
To protect Lady Kiely, Sharpe later omitted reporting her husband's mutinous action, stating that he died bravely in battle.