royalism in ireland

the first ormond agreement 1646

• Confederates and Protestant Royalists into one movement, loyal to the Stuart monarchs.

ormond agreement consequence

• terms not accepted by a powerful catholic faction led by papal nuncio in ireland

• rejected by the irish assembly

the second ormond agreement

• 'Full assurance' that Catholics in Ireland would enjoy equality with Irish Protestants

• Freedom to worship for Catholics, as well as Protestants.

• lifting of the ban for Catholics to hold military and political office.

• Dissolution of the Confederate government, to be replaced by 12 Commissioners operating under Ormond, governing Confederates, Old English and State-loyalists.

ireland security concern the rump

• powerful bond created between Confederate and Royalist loyalists

• Ormond presses against the remaining Parliamentarian garrisons in Ireland

• Ireland was a much wanted jumping-off point for a foreign invasion

• Ormond had close ties with Prince Charles and the French court

security concern consequence

• cromwell launches his irish campaign

ormond tells charles to recognise that

• political agreements are fragile

cromwell’s army

• strict control over 12,000 strong parliamentary army

• adequately paid and properly equipped

• landing in august 1649 in 9 months defeats ormond’s forces at the cost of a devastating and enduring legacy

drogheda events

• rapid series of brutal sieges

• considerable strategic value, north of dublin

• Controlling Drogheda cut Dublin off from help from Ulster

wexford events

• port south of Dublin

• staging point for a Royalist invasion route to southern England, from France or Spain

• fell on 13 October 1649

wexford and drogheda consequence

• cromwell’s decisive action, superior soldiery, and excellent leadership

• reduced Ormond's army of 12,000 men to scattered, sporadic, supply lines from Ireland

• neutralised the threat of a continental invasion.

cromwell ireland significance

• memories of the 1641 Irish rebellion and particularly the brutal treatment meted out to Protestants by the Catholics had already created an environment of savage brutality in Ireland

• threw Ormond’s fragile coalition into turmoil

ormond’s failure

• soldiers, food and equipment were running out

• reputation of the New Model Army caused a steady drop in desertions

• rumours of the imminent arrival of Prince Charles - caused significant anxiety because he knew that reinforcements from Catholic Spain or France would be very likely to alienate his Protestant supporters

• when pushed to choose between royalism and catholicism, many Irishmen were deserting the latter

• skirmishes and some pitched battles continued, Ormond knew that he was losing the war because he could not maintain Royalist momentum

• Communications from Prince Charles were so infrequent

ormond’s reputation

• Ormond himself became the focus of Irish discontent

• his leadership was dealt a mortal blow in the summer of 1650 - Prince Charles secured an agreement with Scotland that required him to reject the Second Ormond Agreement.

• no choice but to resign from the leadership position in the confedorate

• lack of effective response + eventual resignation = scapegoat as the central factor in causing ireland’s suffering - prolonged and deep