Reasons for the Wars Duration and England's Eventual Success Flashcards
When was the Battle of Curlew Pass?
1599
When did Essex arrive in England ?
May 1599
When Essex arrived in Ireland what was his problem?
There had been an Irish attack by O’Donnell on Sir Donough O’connor at Collooney Castle, Canaught. O’connor was one of the few Irish chieftains who still supported the English so Essex could not afford for one of the only supporters to be captures.
What did Essex order to go help O’connor
He ordered Sir Conyers Clifford, the president of connaught and an experienced military commander to go rescue O’Conner
How many footmen and cavalry did Clifford have when he marched to O’Connor
1490 footmen and 205 cavalary
What did Clifford have to pass to get to O’Conner?
The Curlew Mountains
What happened on the 15th of August 1599?
The English army approached the pass and were ambushed by an Irish force
What was the situation like during the ambush that caused the English to flee?
They were trapped in unfamiliar geography. There were mountains on either side and they could not escape from the road because it was surrounded by woods and bogs
Who was killed at the Battle of Curlew Pass?
Clifford and around 1 third of his men
What happened as a result of the Battle at Curlew pass?
The surving army had to turn back to safety. This meant that O’Conner was forced to surrender to the rebels losing a valuable English ally.
What did Essex decide after Curlew Pass and why?
He decided it was no longer possible to attack Tyrone as the English army was suffering from sickness and many of the soldiers deserting
How did Elizabeth respond to Essexs descion?
She was furious and ordered Essex too march North to Ulster.
What happened when Essex reached Louth on his journey upto Ulster?
He encountered Tyrone who had a much larger army. They agreed on a truce during which the rebels would be allowed to continue to occupy all the lands and fortresses they possessed or had captured.
Who was Sir Henry Bagenal?
He was a member of the English gentry whose family also had estates in Ulster (Newry.)
Why had Bagenals family come into conflict with Tyrone?
They had been keen to expand their estates and interests in Ulster
Whats an example of a thing Bagenal and Tyrone argued over?
They both claimed they had the right to be overlords of the O’Halon clan and their estates in Southern Ulster.
What did Bagenal represent to the Irish?
The English new incommers who unfairly used their connections with the court in London to acquire more land and power in Ireland
Why was Bagenal summoned to English court in 1586?
He had even managed to get into disagreements with other settlers. He was there to explain his disagreements with the Dublin authorities.
How did Bagenal try to justify his actions to the English?
He produced a series of documents for William Cecil to prove why Ireland needed to change. One of these showed the English settlers concerns about the growing power of Tyrone and the weakness of the English Crown in Ulster
What was one of Bagneals recommendations to change in Ulster?
A division of O’Neils lands and for Ulster to have its own council and president.
What does Bagenals actions show?
Why Tyrone was increasingly alienated from the English authorities in the early 1590s. An English captain who new Tyrone well even wrote to Elizabeth saying this was the reason why
What is evidence for Bagenals poor military skills?
He did not seem to have been a good military tactation ot learnfrom his mistakes. He led his men into two humiliating defeats which he lost for the same reason. At Yellow Ford he lost control of his troops entirely as they turned and fledm
What was the MacCarthy Reagh and MacCarthy Mor?
The MaCarthys had several branches. The senior branch the MacCarthy Mor had the right to command the alligence and obedience of all other parts of the family
Why had Florence MacCarthy come under suspicion during the expansion of English influence into Munster?
He was a Ac Catholic who had learnt Spanish and was suspected of being incontact with the Spanish who were present on the South Coast of ireland
What happened to MaCarthy in 1589?
He was arrested
Why was MacCarthy arrested?
The English president of Munster felt that he was a threat to English interests in the region especially due to his marriage
What marriage alliance had Florence MacCarthy made?
One which would allow him the title of MacCarthy Mor. This would give him even more power in the region.
How long did MacCarthy spend in prison?
Two years in the tower of London and did not arrive home till 1593
When Florence returned what was a problem he faced?
There was a rival for his claim to MacCarthy More who the English were more prepared to support to stop Florence becoming more powerful
Why did Tyrone try to get Florence to join the rebellion?
He recognised him as MacCarthy More and he wanted to recruit supporters who had grievances against the english
Why was MaCarthy not easy to convince to join the rebellion?
Tyrone had backed his rival in the past
What did MacCarthy do that showed that he was not easy to convince?
He tried to negotiate with both the English and Tyrone. Florence even promised the English he and the MacCarthys would support them if they would support his claim for MacCarthy More.
What military role did MacCarthy have in the rebellion?
He allowed some of Tyrones mercenaries onto his lands in Kinsale where the Spanish landed in 1601 which was in MacCarthy territory.
What was MaCarthy doing at the same time as supporting Tyrone in 1601?
Writing to Elizabeth the 1st claiming he was loyal to her.
In the period of 1598-1601 what was happening?
The fighting in Munster
Between 1598-1601 who did MaCarthy commit troops roo?
Noone apart from one exception
What was the exception?
His men ambushed English troops who were destroying his estates.
How did the English president of Munster respond to MacCarthys ambush?
He granted him a pardon but was suspicious of his motives
By August 1601 what had happened?
The Munster rebellion was nearly suppressed and the English president arrested MacCarthy
Why was MacCarthys arrest crucial for the English?
His arrest was just before the campaign which ended the rebellion, he was a threat to the English and was prepared to work with the Spanish as a Catholic
What was the Earl of Essexs background?
He was one of Elizabeth’s courts favourites and was the stepson of the Earl of Leicister.
What shows the Englishes poor organisation skills?
The fact he did not gave enough equipment to follow through with his planned attack on Ulster. He did not have necessary ships or gun carriages
Whose fault was the poor organisation skills?
The English Privy Council, not Essex
What shows that Essexs strategic skills were poor?
While waiting for the equipment he needed he sent half of his large army to bolster English garrisons across England. He arrived with the largest Elizabethen army but wasted it by splitting it up
Why was Essexs descion to campaign in Munster unwise?
It wore out his troops and created unnecessary expense without acheving any serious military gains. They continued to suggest losses such as Curlew Pass. Although they were not his fault it reflected on him badly
What did Elizabeth write to Essex saying in July 1599?
She held him directly responsible for the disasters and lack of progress and she wrote expressing her anger as she wanted to see him as value for the money she had spent.
What happened in August 1599?
Essex decided to obey Elizabeth and meet Tyrone but he only had 4000 men out of the 17,200 he had arrived with leaving him out numbered.