Tyrone's Rebellion, 1595

Question 1

Why was Tyrone’s army a challenge to England?

Answer 1

Large, well organised, Tyrone had used English and Spanish captains to train his men and imported weapons and ammunition, modern weapons, had deserters from GB

Question 2

How big was Tyrone’s army in 1595?

Answer 2

1000 cavalry, 4000 musketmen, 1000 pikemen

Question 3

Which other chieftains did Tyrone have support from?

Answer 3

Hugh Roe O’Donnell, Hugh Maguire - traditional feuds forgotten also from James Fitzthomas and Florence MacCarthy

Question 4

Where had the rebellion spread to in 1595?

Answer 4

Connaught

Question 5

Which counties joined in 1598?

Answer 5

Leinster and Munster joined

Question 6

How did the English army compare to the Irish army in 1596?

Answer 6

6000 footmen, 1200 cavalry (rebels)

                  vs

5732 footmen, 617 cavalry (English)

Question 7

What did Elizabeth do in 1599 when she realised she was outnumbered?

Answer 7

Sent the largest army of her reign led by the Earl of Essex

Question 8

What war was England fighting in?

Answer 8

Fought Spanish control over Netherlands since 1585, English sent help to Dutch protestants

Question 9

Why did the Spanish support the Irish?

Answer 9

Thought they could destabilise English war effort, sent two Spanish armadas, first failed in 1588, sent a second in 1596 - fleet dispersed by strong winds, 32 ships lost

Question 10

What did Phillip III do when Phillip II died?

Answer 10

Succeeded Phillip II, continued Spanish policy of intervention in Ireland as they thought it would lead to English withdrawing from Netherlands

Question 11

What did Phillip III see Ireland as?

Answer 11

Potential base to launch invasion to England but never enough troops before 1601

Question 12

What happened in 1601 when Phillip III finally had enough troops to invade England?

Answer 12

Ships became separated in a storm, included weapons and ammo, only 3400/6000 men made it to Ireland

Question 13

Why was the Spanish involvement more of a threat than a reality?

Answer 13

Because they were too involved with the Dutch

Question 14

What problems did Sir William Russell face?

Answer 14

Outnumbered, 1100 men to use for defence, not prioritising the rebellion enough - focused on the Netherlands, weak commander, poor strategy, Irish more united

Question 15

How did the English army react to events at the Battle of Clontibret?

Answer 15

Withdrew troops from Brittany where they had been fighting Spanish forces, 2000 men were promised but only 1616 arrived in poor condition

Question 16

What happened to Baganel’s army at the Battle of Clontibret?

Answer 16

1595 Irish captured Eniskillen castle and began to besiege Monaghan castle, Sir Henry Bagenel attempted to help the besieged garrison but provoked Tyrone to rebel

Question 17

Who was Sir Henry Baganel?

Answer 17

Marshal of English army, aimed to deliver men and supplies to Monaghan castle, marched with 1750 men

Question 18

What happened when Baganel attempted to approach Monaghan castle in the Battle of Clontibret?

Answer 18

Ambushed by Tyrone’s men, forced to fight and used up supplies of gunpowder, eventually reached safety of the castle but supplies were low

Question 19

What did the English have to do after having low supplies at Monaghan castle and what happened?

Answer 19

Had to return to Newry, ambushed again by 4000 Irish and forced to slow down, stopped outside Newry with little ammunition, 31 deaths, 109 wounded

Question 20

What did the Baganel do after being ambushed in Newry?

Answer 20

Rescued by sea, Tyrone was low on supplies too

Question 21

What did the Battle of Clontibret show about the rising?

Answer 21

That the English faced a well organised Irish force who outnumbered them and took advantage of their knowledge of the geography

Question 22

Why was the situation a stalemate by 1595?

Answer 22

Rebels found that their tactic of taking and capturing garrisoning fortresses made them vulnerable, too expensive to do this, no active conflict

Question 23

What was Elizabeth forced to do after the stalemate in 1595?

Answer 23

Keen to negotiate - cheaper than warfare, preoccupied with war with Spain

Question 24

What settlement was agreed in 1596?

Answer 24

Tyrone agreed to submit, to pay damages, to stop demanding freedom of worship for Catholics and to accept English sovereignty, English agreed to remove garrisons and give Tyrone Ulster

Question 25

Why did the settlement of 1596 break down?

Answer 25

Because Phillip II of Spain had been negotiating with rebels, they offered the crown of Ireland to governor of the Netherlands, Phillip offered to discuss invasion

Question 26

What did Irish negotiations with the Spanish lead to in 1596?

Answer 26

An unsuccessful Spanish armada in October

Question 27

Why did Tyrone become more aggressive after 1596?

Answer 27

Little to lose - called a traitor in 1595, claimed he had the right to grant lordships and positions over regions in Ireland, wanted Ireland to unite against England

Question 28

What did the English decide to do in 1597?

Answer 28

Decided to replace the Lord Deputy Sir William Russell and the commander of the English army Sir Henry Norris with Thomas Lord Burgh - experienced soldier

Question 29

What was Burgh’s initial plan?

Answer 29

To march on Tyrone’s estates in Ulster, found himself outnumbered

Question 30

What happened when Bugh was outnumbered?

Answer 30

Built a series of forts along Blackwater River in Ulster, new fort gave protection for English, provided a base for further attacks against Tyrone

Question 31

What happened when Burgh died suddenly in 1597?

Answer 31

English lacked a leader, made a mistake of using forts, English distracted by potential of Spanish Armada, sent Thomas Norris to Munster to deal with potential rebels

Question 32

What did Tyrone agree to do in 1597 and what happened to the Earl of Oremand who headed the English army?

Answer 32

A truce, was secretly planning to attack, came to an end in 1598 and Tyrone besieged Blackwater Fort, Oremond’s army deserted so had to accept help from Bagenel

Question 33

How did Bagenel help Oremond?

Answer 33

Offered to bring 4200 men and marched to Blackwater

Question 34

Why were the English defeated at Yellow Ford?

Answer 34

English under fire from both sides due to Irish ambush. Heavy English artillery stuck in boggy ground, Bagenal killed, 830 of his men killed, 300 joined Irish

Question 35

What did this shock Elizabeth into doing?

Answer 35

Feared Dublin would be attacked, Tyrone too cautious to do this, Irishmen encouraged by Tyrone’s successes to rebel, uprising in Munster, sent 8200 men to Dublin

Question 36

Who was appointed Lord Lieutenant in 1599?

Answer 36

Robert Devereux - 2nd Earl of Essex

Question 37

Why did the English lose at Curlew Pass?

Answer 37

Dire military situation, O’Connor one of the last Irish chieftains supporting the English was attacked, unfamiliar geography

Question 38

What happened to O’Connor at the battle of Curlew Pass?

Answer 38

Essex ordered Clifford to rescue O’Connor, marched to his rescue but ambushed, Clifford killed, 1/3 army killed, O’Connor forced to surrender, ally lost

Question 39

What did Essex decide at this point after Curlew pass and how did Elizabeth react?

Answer 39

Decided he couldn’t attack Tyrone, English army sick and deserted, Elizabeth demanded Essex to march on, Essex outnumbered and negotiated privately with Tyrone

Question 40

What did Tyrone agree to with Essex?

Answer 40

A truce, Essex accused of treason by Cecil, 1601 Essex did his own rebellion