Siege of Dublin (1649) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Siege of Dublin |
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| Part of Irish Confederate Wars | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Parliamentarians |
 Royalists Confederates |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Michael Jones | James Butler | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 5,000+ | 5,800 | ||||||
The Siege of Dublin happened in 1649 during the Irish Confederate Wars. A "siege" is when an army tries to capture a city by surrounding it. In this case, Irish Royalist and Confederate forces tried to take Dublin.
Dublin was the capital city and was held by English Republican forces. These forces were led by a soldier named Michael Jones. The Royalists and Confederates were fighting for King Charles II. Their goal was to take control of Dublin, which was the last major city in Ireland still held by the English Parliament.
The siege failed after a big battle called the Battle of Rathmines. Soon after, Oliver Cromwell arrived with many new soldiers. This made the Royalist and Confederate forces give up their attack on Dublin.
Contents
Why the Siege Happened
Michael Jones had controlled Dublin since 1647. It was a key base for his army and their Irish Protestant friends. In early 1649, things changed quickly in England. King Charles I was executed, and England became a Republic.
Because of this, old enemies in Ireland decided to join forces. They all promised loyalty to the King's son, Charles II. This new group included the Catholic Irish Confederates and the Protestant Scottish Covenanters. It also included parts of the old Royal Irish Army.
Duke of Ormonde returned from France to lead this new alliance. He was the King's main representative in Ireland. His forces quickly took control of most of Ireland. The Republicans were pushed back to just a few strongholds. These included Derry, Dundalk, and Dublin.
An Irish Confederate army, led by Owen Roe O'Neill, did not agree with Ormonde. They helped stop Derry from falling when it was under siege. This showed how complicated the alliances were at the time.
Getting Ready for the Attack
On June 1, Ormonde gathered a large army near Carlow. On June 14, Lord Inchiquin joined him with troops from Cork. Then, Ormonde's army began marching north towards Dublin.
Ormonde was worried about Owen O'Neill's army. He sent Lord Castlehaven to capture towns held by O'Neill's forces. This made O'Neill's army move further away from Dublin.
Ormonde set up his main camp for the siege at Finglas, after coming through Naas. Lord Inchiquin suggested he take some Republican bases north of Dublin. This would stop them from helping Michael Jones.
Inchiquin was known for being brave. He marched north and captured Drogheda on July 11. His next target was the port of Dundalk. This town was held by George Monck. Inchiquin defeated a group of O'Neill's soldiers trying to help Monck. After only two days, the soldiers in Dundalk switched sides. They handed the town over to Ormonde's Royalist army. Before returning to Ormonde, Inchiquin also captured Trim, Newry, and Carlingford.
Preparing the Siege of Dublin
Ormonde tried to block Dublin Harbour. This would stop supplies and new soldiers from reaching Jones and his army. Ormonde was careful and did not try a full attack right away. He was also running low on money to pay his soldiers.
Inchiquin wanted a direct attack on Dublin. But Ormonde hoped that some of Jones's soldiers might join his side.
Ormonde heard that Oliver Cromwell was preparing a large army to sail to Ireland. He worried they might land at Cork first. So, Ormonde sent Inchiquin with more soldiers to strengthen the southern coast. While Inchiquin was away, Ormonde relied on his deputies for advice. These included Castlehaven, Thomas Preston, and Lord Taaffe.
Jones kept launching small attacks from Dublin. These raids made it hard for Ormonde to keep his blockade tight. Also, a planned naval blockade by Prince Rupert never happened. His fleet was stuck in Kinsale by the Republican navy.
On July 25, Ormonde moved his main forces to Rathmines, south of Dublin. Lord Dillon stayed north of Dublin with 2,500 men. On July 28, Ormonde's troops attacked Rathfarnham Castle. This castle was on the southern approach to Dublin. Ormonde also took control of Baggotrath Castle. This castle had been partly destroyed by Dublin's defenders. Ormonde planned to use this spot for a large artillery battery.
The Battle of Rathmines
On the morning of August 2, Michael Jones led his soldiers out of Dublin. He had both foot soldiers and cavalry (soldiers on horseback). First, he defeated the Royalist advance guard at Baggotrath. Then, he marched towards the main Royalist camp at Rathgar.
Ormonde was surprised and tried to get his soldiers ready. But the battle quickly turned into a complete defeat for Ormonde. His artillery (cannons) and supplies were captured.
What Happened Next
After his terrible defeat at Rathmines, Ormonde completely gave up the siege. He quickly retreated to Kilkenny. On August 15, Oliver Cromwell landed near Dublin. He brought a large force of New Model Army troops. This started a major campaign to defeat the Royalist forces in Ireland.
Michael Jones was praised in London for his victory. However, he died later that same year from a fever.
Dublin remained under Republican control until 1660. Then, it returned to royal control after the Irish Restoration. The events of 1649 were often talked about in later years. People tried to prove they were loyal to King Charles during the siege. They hoped this would help them get their lands back from the Court of Claims.
