Poynings' Law facts for kids

Poynings' Law (official title 10 Henry 7.c22) was a law passed by the Irish Parliament in 1495 during the reign of Henry VII of England, King of England and Lord of Ireland sponsored by his Lord Deputy Sir Edward Poynings at a session in Drogheda. It limited the power of the Irish Parliament and gave the English Parliament and monarch veto power over its legislation. The overall points of the law were:

1. no Parliament in Ireland would convene until the King of England and the English Parliament had been informed of its reasons for meeting and its legislation and its laws would have to then be approved by both King and the English Parliament to become.
2. All previous English Parliament laws would also become law in Ireland, although new English Parliament laws would not
3. the Statute of Kilkenny was restored, except for the ban on using the Irish language
4. it was a felony to allow anti-government rebels on march lands
5. coyne and livery were outlawed
6. Irish war cries were now outlawed.

The primary reason for its passage was because the Wars of the Roses had weakened England's stance in Ireland and Sir Edward wanted to restore order and English control to Ireland. It was repealed in 1782.