Section A: Troublesome Ireland: Tyrone's Rebellion, 1594-1603 Flashcards
What were some of the religious reasons for the rebellion?
- Ireland remained Catholic after the 1534 Act of Supremacy, sympathies lied with the Pope
- Tyrone used religion as a uniting force of the rebellion
- Concerns of the spread of English influence
How had Ireland changed under the rule of Elizabeth?
- Tried to establish councils in Connaught & Munster based on the Council of the North
- Increase in plantations after unsuccessful rebellions
- 775 settlers in Munster by 1592
How had English influence spread to Ulster from the 1570s?
- Most Gaelic part, controlled disputedly between the O’Donnell and O’Neill clans
- Two English courtiers (including Earl of Essex) were allowed to establish a settlement in Ulster, untied Irish
- Lands taken away by the crown and re-granted
How did Tyrone attempt to neutralize the threat from the English especially after seeing what they had done?
- Execution of MacMahon showed outcomes
- Marriage alliance with Sir Henry Bagenal’s sister
- He refused, however the two still married creating personal tension
Who were offices in Ireland filled by?
- Englishmen with connections to Elizabeth, had access to court patronage and used it for personal gain
- Tyrone overlooked when he said he wanted control of Ulster and would accept English style government
What decision did Tyrone come to?
- Although title given by English in 1585, loyalty lied with his Irish roots
- Tyrone offered to restore peace after the besiege of an English castle in return for control of Ulster, but they refused and Tyrone instead rebelled
What happened at the Battle of Clontibret?
- 1595, rebels attacked English garrisons bordering Ulster and captured Monaghan Castle
- Bagenal led an army of 1,750 but were ambushed by Tyrone’s 4,000 and were forced to retreat
What happened at the Battle of Yellow Ford?
- 1598, forces threatened garrisons around Blackwater were troops were thin and the commander had died
- Bagenal marched his army of 4,200 men but were ambushed by Tyrone’s 5,000
- Bagenal was killed and only 2,000 escaped
What happened at the Battle of Curlew Pass?
- 1599, O’Connor came under siege from O’Donnell for staying loyal to the English
- Clifford, English commander, sent an army of 1,700 to help but they were ambushed and 1/3 were killed
What happened at the Battle of Kinsale?
- 1601, Spanish troops arrived in Munster, far from Tyrone in Ulster
- Mountjoy with 7,000 marched and besieged the Spanish but then became stuck between them and the 6,000 Irish led by Tyrone
- Mountjoy launched a surprise attack, Spanish fled by sea and 1,200 Irish killed the rest scattered
What happened at the Siege of Dunboy?
1602, castle on the southern peninsula, held by O’Sullivan and said to be impregnable
- Carew used gun defences on nearby beaches until the walls fell, none of the 143 defenders survived
- Around 58 executed, end of resistance in Munster
How did the Spanish contribute to the length of the war?
- Philip II sent second Armada of 100 ships to Ireland, dispersed with 32 being lost and the rest retreating
- Philip III, lacked sufficient troops until 1601, of 6,000 troops sent only 3,400 arrived due to a storm
How did the cost to the English government contribute to the length of the war?
- Elizabeth’s income was about £300,000 but £100,000 was already being spent on troops in The Netherlands
- Garrisoning in Ireland cost £5000 a month, single largest expense by 1596
How did Irish leadership contribute to the length of the war?
- Well organized, used English and Spanish captains for training and united under common cause
- Efficient financial system developed by Tyrone which gave an income of £80,000 a year
- 1595, consisted of 1,000 cavalry & 4,000 musketeers
How did English weaknesses contribute to the length of the war?
- Financial pressures, armies not large enough with lack of training and discipline, around 30,500
- Unfamiliar territory and slow communication, reluctancy amongst soldiers and almost a mutiny
