Source question - Impact of Tyrone's rebellion

Question 1

What tactics did the Tudor government use to suppress the rebels of Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 1

• The English government offered pardons and rival clan chiefs were encouraged to switch to assisting the crown through offers of rewards
• The crown secured a sufficiently large royalist army
• Under the Treaty of Mellifont, Tyrone was given a pardon and was allowed to keep his lands in Ulster

Question 2

What circumstances made it especially difficult for the crown to suppress Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 2

• troop shortages due to war with Spain
• high inflation (cus of war with Spain)
• rising unemployment
• recurrent plague

These arguably allowed Tyrone’s rebellion to grow unchecked

Question 3

How large was Tyrone’s rebel army in 1596?

Answer 3

6000

Question 4

How many of the four Irish provinces had Tyrone’s rebellion spread across by 1596?

Answer 4

All four! :0

Question 5

How were military casualties an impact for the English of Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 5

Battle of Yellow Ford 1598 was exceptional so far as the English commander, Sir Henry Bagenal, commanded 4000 troops and still suffered a heavy defeat

Question 6

How was the impact of Spanish aid reduced by the crown?

Answer 6

Spanish troops were beaten at Kinsale in 1601

Question 7

Describe the English treatment of Ireland directly after the rebellion/due to the rebellion

Answer 7

• Marital law was invoked whenever rebellion broke out in Ireland - this allowed English to shoot to kill and execute anyone without trial anyone they suspected was involved
• After each rebellion, lands were siezed, fines were imposed and property was destroyed by vengeful troops - Irish rebels were treated far harsher than their English counterparts

Question 8

Did any religious revolts achieve their prime objective during Elizabeth’s reign?

Answer 8

No

Question 9

How much did Tyrone’s rebellion cost Elizabeth to suppress?

Answer 9

£2 million

Question 10

What title was Tyrone forced to renounce after surrendering to Elizabeth?

Answer 10

“The O’Neill”

Question 11

Was Tyrone punished further in the aftermath of Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 11

Not really, aside from giving up the title of “The O’Neill” he was granted a pardon and was able to recover all that he held at the start of the rebellion

Question 12

How did Spain aid Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 12

Spain recognised the strategic opportunities that Ireland presented whenever rebellion broke out and in 1601 sent money and troops and priests to assist the Irish rebels

Question 13

What was the population of Ireland like?

Answer 13

A mixture of Gaelic and Anglo-Norman while the Gaelic and old English families were stanchly Catholic - the new settlers were mostly protestant and therefore this created a religious divide

Question 14

How was Catholocism doing in Ireland during Tyrone’s rebellion?

Answer 14

It was not just surviving but was growing due to missionaries which increased the dislike of Protestantism which was associated with English rule
Catholicism was further reinforced by intervention from both the pope and Spain

Question 15

List 4 pieces of evidence that Tyrone’s rebellion was not a massive threat to Elizabeth:

Answer 15

• The rebellion was far away from London and was therefore not a direct threat
• Once Elizabeth sent Lord Mountjoy, the rebellion was put down with relative ease - his expedition was well planned
• Mountjoy was also skillful and better at pacifying the Irish and winning back support
• Many in Ireland had become fed up with the power of Tyrone

Question 16

List 8 pieces of Evidence that Tyrone’s rebellion was a threat to Elizabeth

Answer 16

• It was the first rebellion in Ireland that was able to rouse nearly the whole population in support
• Tyrone was able to take back much of Ireland and was close to being able to force the English back into the Pale
• Tyrone controlled the resource-rich county of Ulster
• The arrival of Spanish troops made the rebellion a greater threat which could endanger English political authority
• Tyrone was able to defeat the English forces at Yellow Ford
• Elizabeth made the major mistake of sending Essex as a commander - he wasted time and resources and was unwilling to risk confrontation
• The context of the Spanish armada made the rebellion a greater threat as resources were stretched and Philip II could use Ireland as a launchpad to attack England
• The rebellion was only finally defeated after Elizabeth’s death

Question 17

What has been suggested to explain why the Treaty of Mellifont gave Tyrone such favourable terms?

Answer 17

Elizabeth was old and tired

Question 18

List 5 examples of terms in the Treaty of Mellifont

Answer 18

• Tyrone would have to give up his title of “The O’Neill”
• Tyrone could have a seat in the Irish house of Lords
• English law had to be followed in Ulster instead of Irish law
• English would also be the official language
• Catholic collages could not be built on Tyrone’s property

Question 19

What were the terms of the Treaty of Mellifont similar to in policy?

Answer 19

Similar to many previous “surrender and regrant” agreements conducted after 1537 between the crown and other autonomous Irish chieftains

Question 20

What was unusual about the Treaty of Mellifont though?

Answer 20

Tyrone was not obliged to convert to the Anglican faith “Church of Ireland”

Question 21

What was declared in 1604 by the Act of Oblivion?

Answer 21

All “offences against the crown” committed before James I’s accession were to be “pardoned, remitted and utterly extinguished”