Prelude to Restoration in Ireland
The End of the Commonwealth, 1659–1660

A detailed reconstruction of political developments in Ireland before the restoration of Charles II.

Aidan Clarke (Author)

9780521650618, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 23 September 1999

390 pages
23.6 x 16 x 3 cm, 0.74 kg

'Clarke's book fills a substantial hiatus in the historiography. The book is superbly written with crisp, sharp prose and is meticulously referenced, with a bibliography that is indispensable for the study of this period.' English Historical Review

This study fills a major gap in the mainstream narrative of Irish history by reconstructing political developments in the year before the restoration of Charles II. It is the first treatment of the complex Irish dimension of the king's return. The issue of the monarchy did not stand alone in Ireland. Entangled with it was the question of how the restoration of the old regime would affect a Protestant colonial community which had changed in character and fortune as a result of the Cromwellian conquest, the immigration that had accompanied it and the massive transfer of land that followed. As the return of Charles became increasingly probable, Cromwellian and pre-Cromwellian settlers were united in their determination to ensure that the restoration of Charles did not deprive them of their gains. This account discloses how the leaders of the Protestant establishment protected its interests by managing the transition back to monarchy.

Acknowledgments
Conventions and abbreviations
1. A kind of colony
2. Commissioners and submissioners
3. The rule of the rump
4. The threefold cord
5. Setting up for themselves
6. The election returns
7. The General Convention of Ireland
8. Without expectation of resurrection
Appendix
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700 [HBLH], British & Irish history [HBJD1]