John's first expedition to Ireland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John's First Expedition to Ireland
Part of Norman invasion of Ireland
17th century painting of John as King of England.
Date 25 April 1185 – December 1185 Location Ireland Result John returns to England. Hugh de Lacy falls out of royal favour.
Belligerents
Kingdom of England English Ireland	Lordship of Meath Kingdom of Thomond
Commanders and leaders
John Plantagenet Theobald Walter William de Burgh	Hugh de Lacy Donal O'Brien

Prince John's First Trip to Ireland was a visit to Ireland by Prince John Plantagenet. He was the son of Henry II of England, who was the King of England. John's father wanted to make sure the English Crown had strong power in Ireland. He also hoped to create a Kingdom of Ireland as part of his large empire, called the Angevin Empire.

In 1177, John's father had named him the Lord of Ireland. Even though John wanted to go on a crusade to Jerusalem, his father sent him to Ireland instead. John, who was sometimes called John Lackland, arrived in Waterford in April 1185.

The young prince was not very experienced. He quickly upset the local Irish Gaels (Irish people) who came to meet him. John also promised land in Ireland to the knights who came with him. This made the Irish even more annoyed. He also really disliked Hugh de Lacy, a powerful English lord in Ireland. De Lacy had taken over the Kingdom of Meath and become very strong. The English kings often worried about their lords in Ireland becoming too powerful.

John went back to England in December 1185. He complained to his father about Hugh de Lacy's power. Luckily for the king, de Lacy was killed by an Irishman the next year. There were plans for John to return to Ireland, but these were cancelled. This was because John's brother, Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, died. John would return to Ireland later in 1210, this time as King of England. That trip was much more successful.

Getting Ready for the Journey

The idea of John going to Ireland first came up when his father, King Henry II, was ruling. This was decided at a meeting called the Council of Oxford in 1177. At this meeting, William FitzAldelm was removed from his job as Deputy of Ireland. It was agreed that John would be made the King of Ireland.

King Henry II wanted to divide his lands among his four sons. He asked Pope Alexander III for permission to crown John as King of Ireland. However, there were disagreements with Pope Alexander III and then with the next Pope, Pope Lucius III. So, John went to Ireland only as the Lord of Ireland, not as king.

In 1184, preparations were made for John's trip. John Cumin and Philip of Worcester were sent ahead to get things ready. John arrived in Ireland in April 1185. He brought about 300 knights, who were skilled warriors, and many foot soldiers and archers.

What Happened in Ireland

A plaque in Waterford showing where Prince John stayed.

When John and his group arrived in Ireland, several Irish leaders came to greet them. It is said that John and his men laughed at these Irish kings. They even pulled their long beards! Gerald of Wales, a writer from that time, said the Irish leaders complained. They told their powerful lords, like Domhnall Mór Ó Briain, that John was "an ill-mannered child." They felt no good could come from him.

Besides upsetting the Irish rulers, John also gave out many land grants. He gave land to loyal royal officials like Theobald Walter, William de Burgh, Gilbert Pipard, and Bertram de Verdun. These families, like Walter's Butler dynasty, would become very important in Ireland for a long time.

During his time in Ireland, John mostly followed the same path his father, Henry II, had taken years before. He landed in Waterford and traveled to Dublin. John's trip led to the building of several castles. These were mainly in western Waterford and southern Tipperary. He also started to set up new ways of governing and laws. He would build on these ideas during his second trip in 1210.

Why John Left Ireland

John made many important people in Ireland angry. This included both Irish leaders and English lords living there. He also lost most of his army, either in battles or because soldiers left. He returned to England less than a year after he arrived.

Historians believe his departure was mostly because of Hugh de Lacy. De Lacy was very powerful, and John saw him as a threat. It's also likely that John simply ran out of money to pay his soldiers. Some think John's trip was part of a bigger plan. This plan was to set up a strong government in Ireland. This would help control the unruly English lords there. When de Lacy threatened his position, John went back to England for safety.

After John left, his father, King Henry, gave the job of justiciar (a chief governor) to John de Courcy. De Courcy had a lot of power in Ulster. In 1186, Hugh de Lacy was killed by an Irishman. Plans were then made to send John back to Ireland. However, these plans were cancelled when John's brother, Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany, died in France. John did not return to Ireland until his second trip in 1210.

Images for kids

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  A plaque in Waterford showing where Prince John stayed.