|
|
 |
17 October 1171
Henry II lands in Ireland
Previous event | Timeline
| Next event 
Henry II is the first English king
to try to colonise Ireland. He sees his chance after the deposed king
of Leinster, Dermot McMurrough, asks for English help to win back his
lost lands. A group of nobles sail over the Irish Sea and take control
of key cities in the south. Henry follows with an army in 1171 to restore
order after Dermot dies, leaving Irish rulers reluctant to accept English
successors. Irish kings and the Church submit to Henry as their feudal
overlord. But when he leaves the following spring, bloody squabbles break
out. By the early 1400s, English rule is confined to the 'Pale', an area
of about 25 square miles around Dublin.
Top
|
|
|
