Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone

Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone (Hugh the Great O'Neill; c. 1550 – 20 July 1616) was an Irish Gaelic lord, Earl of Tyrone (known as the Great Earl) and led a famous rebellion against English rule from 1595 to 1603, known as the Nine Years’ War, or Tyrone’s Rebellion. O'Neill's career was played out against the background of the Tudor conquest of Ireland, and he is best known for leading a coalition of Irish clans during the Nine Years' War, the strongest threat to the House of Tudor in Ireland since the uprising of Silken Thomas against King Henry VIII.[1]

Early life and rise

Hugh was born around 1550. As a young boy, he was raised by an English settler, which helped him learn English ways. Later, he inherited the title of Earl of Tyrone and used both Gaelic and English connections to expand his influence.[2]

Rebellion begins

From 1595, Hugh led a rebellion against English control in Ulster, Ireland’s north. He worked with other Irish leaders and used clever tactics to fight English forces. At one point, he won a major battle at Yellow Ford by defeating a large English army.[3][4][5]

End of the war

Despite his successes, the rebellion failed. In 1603, Hugh surrendered and made peace with the English crown. After this, new laws and settlements gradually ended the traditional Gaelic rule in Ireland.

Flight of the Earls

In 1607, Hugh left Ireland with other Irish nobles and went to continental Europe—a move known as the Flight of the Earls. He died in Rome in 1616.[6]

  1. ↑ "Hugh O'Neill, 2nd earl of Tyrone | Irish Rebel, Leader of the Nine Years' War". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2025-08-15.
  2. ↑ Morgan, Hiram (1993). Tyrone's Rebellion: The outbreak of the Nine Years' War in Tudor Ireland. London: The Boydell Press. ISBN 0-85115-683-5.
  3. ↑ O'Neill, James (2017). The Nine Years War, 1593-1603: O'Neill, Mountjoy and the Military Revolution. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978-1-84682-754-9.
  4. ↑ Morgan, Hiram (February 2002), 'By God I Will Beat Tyrone in the Field': Essex and Ireland (PDF), pp. 1–27,
  5. ↑ Walsh, Micheline Kerney (1996). An exile of Ireland, Hugh O'Neill, Prince of Ulster. Dublin: Four Courts Press. ISBN 978-1-85182-234-8.
  6. ↑ Hegarty, Roddy (2010). Imeacht Na nIarlí: The Flight of the Earls: 1607 - 2007
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