Williamite Wars

Williamite–Jacobite War in Ireland

The Battle of the Boyne depicted by Jan Wyck.

Date	12 March 1689 – 3 October 1691 (2 years, 6 months and 3 weeks)
Location	Ireland
Result	Williamite victory, leading to the Treaty of Limerick

Belligerents

Williamites:

England

Scotland

Dutch Republic
Irish Protestants
and mercenaries from various countries

British and Irish Jacobites

France

Commanders and leaders

William III/II

Frederick Schomberg

Godert de Ginkell

King James II
Richard Talbot
Patrick Sarsfield

Duc de Lauzun

Strength

~44,000

~39,000

The Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691)—Irish: Cogadh an Dá Rí, meaning "war of the two kings"—was a conflict between Jacobites (supporters of the Catholic King James II of England and Ireland, VII of Scotland) and Williamites (supporters of the Dutch Protestant Prince William of Orange) over who would be monarch of the Kingdom of England, the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of Ireland. It is also called the Jacobite War in Ireland or the Williamite–Jacobite War in Ireland.

The cause of the war was the deposition of James as King of the Three Kingdoms in the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688. James was supported by the mostly Catholic "Jacobites" in Ireland and hoped to use the country as a base to regain his Three Kingdoms. He was given military support by France to this end. For this reason, the war became part of a wider European conflict known as the Nine Years' War (or War of the Grand Alliance). Some Protestants of the established Church in Ireland also fought on the side of King James.

James was opposed in Ireland by the mostly Protestant "Williamites", who were concentrated in the north of the country. William landed a multi-national force in Ireland, composed of English, Scottish, Dutch, Danish and other troops, to put down Jacobite resistance. James left Ireland after a reverse at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 and the Irish Jacobites were finally defeated after the Battle of Aughrim in 1691.

William defeated Jacobitism in Ireland and subsequent Jacobite risings were confined to Scotland and England. However, the War was to have a lasting effect on Ireland, confirming British and Protestant rule over the country for over two centuries. The iconic Williamite victories of the Siege of Derry and the Battle of the Boyne are still celebrated by (mostly Ulster Protestant) unionists in Ireland today.

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