Ireland: history 1154 to 1485

For the history of Ireland before 1154, see Ireland: history to 1154.

During the Middle Ages (12th–15th century), the English crown made itself the overlord of Ireland and tried but failed to extend its control over Ireland. Following the Anglo-Norman conquest, completed by Henry II in 1172, English colonization began, particularly in the east in the region around Dublin, an area that became known as the English Pale. However, control over the Irish chiefs was limited, despite campaigns by John (I) Lackland in 1210 and Richard II 1394–95, and the period saw a number of rebellions and the gradual decline of English colonial presence. The Anglo-Norman barons (later known as the Anglo-Irish) gradually became more Irish than the Gaelic Irish.

The Anglo-Norman conquest
When Henry II succeeded to the English throne in 1154 he had already planned the conquest of Ireland. Pope Adrian IV had given his sanction to the idea, and had desired the conquest as a means of bringing the Irish Church into closer contact with Rome. In 1166 the king of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough, was exiled from Ireland because of his tyranny and because he had carried off the wife of the chieftain of Breffni. Dermot travelled to Henry II's court in Aquitaine, asked for help, and was given permission to raise forces from among Henry's nobles. Dermot applied to Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke (usually called Strongbow), and, by promising him the hand of his daughter and the ultimate possession of his kingdom, induced him to help him. Strongbow did not cross over until 1170, but two other Anglo-Norman adventurers, Fitz-Stephen and Fitz-Maurice, crossed with a small company of men a year or two before him, and began the Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland. The Norman adventurers restored Dermot and paved the way for the overlordship of the English king, which Henry II established when he visited Ireland in 1172. The kings of Ireland were forced to acknowledge Henry as their overlord, the country was placed under the administration of a Norman governor, the barons who had fought in Ireland were granted Irish lands, and the Irish Church was brought by the Synod of Cashel into complete union with the Church of Rome. The Irish were, however, allowed to retain their ancient Brehon laws, and the Anglo-Normans were left to maintain themselves in their dominions as best they could.

The Anglo-Normans in Ireland
The subsequent history of Ireland is, for some time after this date, the record of continuous strife between the Norman barons attempting to extend their power and the Irish attempting to retain their customs, laws, and civilization. The conquered territory, known as ‘the Pale’ (or ‘the English Pale’), was restricted to the area round Dublin, but the whole of Ireland was ruled nominally by a Norman governor. The future King John was made lord of Ireland in 1185, but soon made himself hated. The real rulers of the land were the Norman de Lacys, who had been granted huge territories by Henry II. The de Lacys turned themselves into great feudal overlords by granting parts of their land to other Norman families from England. The reign of Edward I (1272–1307) saw the power of the colonists still on the increase; but although in Connacht and in Ulster the power of the English was still increasing, the Celtic tribes were not yet utterly beaten. During the reign of Edward II (1307–27), Edward Bruce tried to conquer the island and to drive the English out, but after several minor victories he was finally overcome and killed at the Battle of Dundalk. The reign of Edward III (1327–77) saw the passing of the Statute of Kilkenny (1367), which forbade intermarriage between Anglo-Normans and Irish; it also saw the creation of the earldoms of Desmond and Ormond, added to that of Kildare. Richard II (reigned 1377–99) led two futile expeditions to Ireland; one of the main results of the second expedition was that it allowed time for the House of Lancaster to usurp Richard's throne.

For subsequent events in Irish history, see Ireland: history 1485 to 1603, Ireland: history 1603 to 1782, and Ireland: history 1782 to 1921. For events after 1921, see Ireland, Republic of and Northern Ireland.