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Introduction
The case of Ireland and the famous Nine-Year War featuring Hugh ONeill and his allies between 1594 and 1603 is one such global example of a detrimental happenstance for power extension. Hugh ONeills capacity to engage the powerful English dynasty in the war for nine years makes ONeill a hero. The battle ended after nine years, with the English claiming victory. Accordingly, ONeill and his allies succeeded due to excessive personal wealth, alliances, English oppression of the locals, English generals poor combat leadership, and natural inhibitions, but failed due to civilian population targeting strategy and despair.
Excessive Personal Wealth and English Education
Hugh ONeill was the son of the slain European lord, Fear Dorcha ONeill, and used the English leaders sympathy to learn the English ways and develop diplomatic knowledge and ties. After Dorcha ONeills death, Hughs connection with the foreigners saw him acquire formal education in the Pale under the English Kings sponsorship. The London-based royal family viewed the act as an active way of converting the promising young ONeill into an English collaborator. The same mentality led the English ruler-ship to reinstate Hugh as chief of Ulster in the 1580s. The protagonist reformed Ulsters revenue collection system to include peasants and wealthy lords, making him the richest person in Ireland. The matter increased ONeills influence in the entire nation, marking the beginning of his prominence.
Alliances
ONeills exposure to the English culture taught him the art of alliance formation and collaboration during difficulties. The protagonists brilliance and material wealth allowed him to befriend even senior English individuals serving in the Kings cabinet. Similarly, Hugh developed reliable ties with the French, Scotland, and Spanish people. France provided military advice and ammunition during the nine years of war, allowing ONeill to form a robust opposition against the Kings people. Scotland gave the Ulster chief (ONeill) mercenaries, material backup, and ammunition. Phillip II of Spain provided military backing to defend Catholicism in Ulster and Ireland. Collaboration with other local chiefs, such as ODonnell and Red Hugh, made ONeill a real Irish force that not even the witty and wealthy Queen Elizabeth I could easily beat.
English Oppression of the Locals
The English soldiers experienced success in several places in Ireland long before targeting the stubborn northern Ulster region under ONeill. Almost all the leaders of such beaten groups signed allegiance to the Queen and would help the English troops fight Ulster. However, the London-based leaderships subsequent oppression of the locals forced the natives to distrust the incomers. For example, the Queens decree that the conquered Irish clans fed the English fighters in their land made life very difficult for the locals. The foreign soldiers increased demand for care due to illnesses and injuries made many locals desperate. The rise in commodity demand drove prices to very high margins, so many residents could not afford critical essentials. The towns of Dublin registered some of the highest inflation rates that made living difficult. The situation made most Irish collaborators cease their allegiance, with many reviving their opposition, thus promoting the war and ONeills resistance spirit.
Poor Combat Leadership by Some English Generals
Sending inexperienced combat generals to Ireland presented a weak attack from the English side, giving ONeill and his allies a better chance to resist and continue the war. The Earl of Ormond is an example of an incompetent war commander sent to Ireland by Queen Elizabeth I in 1598. The general replaced another incompetent leader who, in 1597, failed to safeguard English war material, leading to the powder stores explosion. Enemies of the English collaborators took advantage of the 1597s accident to attack and kill collaborating clan leaders, rendering the incomers powerless. Similarly, English generals departure from battlegrounds after ONeills attacks to the south made many locals feel exposed, pushing many to turn into fighters for the opposers. The Earl of Essexs mistake of seeking a peaceful end to the war despite having many troops proves the English sides poor combat leadership, which extended ONeills victory during the fighting period.
ONeills Proclamation
ONeills proclamation and its ability to turn the essence of the war from the desire to preserve self-rule to that of defending the right to religion promoted his success significantly. Ireland never existed as a solid nation but as a collection of independent clans. The English troops were required to conquer one line after another to take over the Irish Republic. However, ONeills brilliance and desire to unite all the locals to oppose English colonialism led him to make the 1594s proclamation. In his statement, the leader refers to the English authority entering Ireland as pagan beasts and tells the other clan heads to prepare their army to do the will of God. Â The unity made ONeill an indomitable force for the many years of war.
Natural Inhibitions
Ulsters natural location and minimal access routes made the English troops journey to ONeills kingdom difficult for seven years of the war. Fighters aiming for Ulster could only use Armagh or Sligo passages due to the regions rugged terrain. ONeills understanding of the area allowed him to stage a fierce opposition at the two points. None of the attempts by London fighters to enter Ulster before 1601 succeeded due to this fact. For instance, the English soldiers trial to access Ulster in 1598 led to the death of over 2,000 fighters, including their leader, Henry Bagnell. The matter granted ONeill tangible success and the ability to offer support to some of the earlier conquered southern clans to reacquire independence while he (ONeill) became more influential.
New Fierce Generals and War Tactics
Hug ONeills time to surrender came in 1603 despite appearing a genuine master from 1694 through 1601. Changes in the battlefield came in 1601 after the appointment of new competent British generals led by the fierce Mountjoy. The English army leader appointed other vicious war frontrunners (Chichester Arthur and Carew George) who mainly targeted ONeill and his untouchable north. The team of new officers utilized new tactics to access Ulster for the first time. For example, Chichesters veteran skills allowed English troops to undertake an ocean-borne landing in ONeills kingdom, causing noteworthy panic among allies and fighters. Efforts to counter the English soldiers already inside Ulster bore no significant results. The situation forced ONeill to seek negotiations with the Queen, where he wanted to be made a king of Ireland under English rule. However, the Queen declined the request forcing the Irish troops to continue fighting amidst huge concessions among ONeills battalions.
Civilian Population Targeting
Nothing ruined the Irish troops and their determination to push English forces from their land more than General Mountjoys new tactic of targeting civilian populations in Ulster. A significant source of ONeills resilience during the war was the ready availability of young men prepared to join his battalion. Mountjoys realization of this fact led to the new tactic of killing civilians and burning crops since 1601. Consequently, unlike before, Ulsters troops lacked new fighters, thus weakening ONeills ability. Hunger and famine forced children to feed on dead human flesh in Ulster. The tactics outcome was the reduction of ONeills army to numbers that could not counter the English troops by mid-1602.
Despair and Fear
Despair and fear terminated ONeills possibility of succeeding in the nine years of war. Hugh ONeill still could win the battle had he persevered a little longer. After witnessing massive deaths in Ulster and famine, the protagonist and the remaining fighters resulted in guerilla warfare by rushing to the nearby forest. ONeill spent about a year in the woods only to surrender in 1603, a week after Queen Elizabeth I was no more. Learning this fact later made ONeill bitter since no war would continue without her majesty. Moreover, England was bankrupt after the unending Ireland and Spanish Netherlands battle (Dorney n.p). ONeill could win the war if he stayed in the forest longer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that excessive personal wealth, English oppression of the locals, alliances, the English generals poor combat headship, and natural inhibitions gave ONeill success. However, the hero failed ultimately due to the civilian population targeting strategy. Moreover, fear and despair after watching many deaths due to famine led to guerilla warfare. This made the fighters lose the battle even though they had remained successful for years.
Bibliography
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