Civil War person: Irishman

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Charles I was ruler of England, Scotland and Ireland. English rulers had struggled to control Ireland for many years. In the early 1600s James I got Protestant settlers to live in Ireland and help him control the Irish, who were Catholics. These settlers had good land and many other privileges. Catholics faced discrimination and laws restricting their rights. The Catholic Irish resented the new settlers and in October 1641 they rebelled. Around 2000 Protestant settlers were killed, mainly in the north of Ireland. Ireland was always a concern for English rulers and for English Protestants. The fact that the Irish were Catholics made Protestants suspect them of plotting against them. Also, Ireland was seen as a possible base for England’s Catholic enemies, particularly France and Spain. The chance of a rebellion which left Ireland under Catholic control was very worrying.  

Rumours began to spread about Catholic plots inside England to murder key officials, take over important buildings and link up with the Irish rebels. Most of these supposed plots were untrue. However, they worsened relations between Charles I and his opponents. Charles’s ministers were seen as too pro-Catholic. Charles I was even married to a Catholic. 

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