An English Army in Ireland 1600

[OB]

Following the execution of Essex Elisabeth appointed a new commander for her armies in Ireland.  His firstjob was to put the officers and men into fighting condition.  He adopted a radical and ruthless approach to the task.  His name was Charles Blount Lord Mountjoy and he was also appointed Lord Deputy.  I've written a piece about him and his reforms that I hope you find interesting.

https://youdonotknowthenorth.blogspot.com

[Romark]

Another great write up on the blog,thanks for posting 

[jambo1]

A very interesting read.

[OB]

Thanks lads.

[Eoin OCnaimhsi]

Good man OB.

Really good stuff as always. Well worth the read. Important and often overlooked events for both Irish and British people. Appreciate the research gone into the blog series.

The English foot were a belegeured force until Mountjoys reforms. Interesting perspective for an Irishman. Rarely do we hear about the Englishman during the period. Also the Scots in prior episodes and their intertwined relationship with Gaelic Ireland. Great to see the complexities of the relationships between the nations of the Islands here.

[OB]

Thanks Eoin.  One of the reasons I wanted to write the series is that the Nine Years War is a crucial event for both islands which deserves to be better understood.  Also in terms of our hobby it has great gaming potential.

The Scots connection is interesting.  The King of Scots had two geo political options.  For most of the war he allowed Scots merchants to supply munitions to the Irish Lords and of course many Scots fought for them.  This diverted English ambitions from Scotland which had been under pressure since the Scots defeat at Flodden.  Later on when he was offered he English throne his perspective changed and he saw the opportunity to clip the wings of the Highland clans and to pretty much destroy the Anglo-Scots Border Clans.  The Scots in Ireland saw which way the wind was blowing and promptly declared they were lawful subjects of the King of Scots.  It was an astute move that saved them for a generation.

[Eoin OCnaimhsi]

Indeed, well said.

The story of these isles is a varied one which does not easily fit modern narratives, hence my appreciation of your telling of it.

The most recent episode of WI has a fantastic telling of Piracy among the Western Isles and its wargaming potential. The mix of cultures here is fantastic and makes for rich culture, storytelling and wargaming.