Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Mountrath
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Charles Coote, 1st Earl of Mountrath (c. 1610 – 17 december 1661), was an Irish peer, the younger was the son of Charles Coote and Dorothea Cuffe, the former being a veteran of the battle of Kinsale (1601) who subsequently settled in Ireland.
. The elder Charles Coote was active in the suppression of the Irish insurgents in 1642, until he was killed in action defending Trim
in May 1642. After the death of his father, Charles Coote also led forces against the Irish, but was captured defending a stronghold in the Curragh in Kildare
by an Irish army led by Castlehaven
. He was released during the 1643 cessation of arms. At this time Coote travelled to England with a number of Protestants to agitate for harsh anti-catholic measures and an end to the cessation. In Dublin Archbishop Ussher
condemned the extremism of Coote and his fellows, but Coote was unbending. The King however ignored these demands and so Coote joined the Parliamentarians. Coote was appointed commander of Connaught
by the Parliamentarians in 1645. Operating from west Ulster he temporarily overran the North-West of the province over the next two years.
in 1649 Brought local Protestant and Scottish forces in Ulster to join the duke of Ormond’s royalist coalition, thus isolating Coote. He defended Derry
against a protracted siege (March–August 1649) with the unlikely assistance of the Ulster army under Owen Roe O'Neill
. After the New Model Army
under Cromwell
captured Drogheda
, a force of several thousand Parliamentarians under Robert Venables
headed North into Ulster, where Coote joined Venables to destroy the Scottish Ulster Royalists at the Battle of Lisnagarvey
. By early 1650 however the Irish Ulster army (now under Heber MacMahon
, as O'Neill had died a few months earlier) became active once more, and Coote was again forced on the defensive. After being reinforced, he advanced on the Irish army at Scarrifholis
and routed them, killing over 2,000 soldiers and taking no prisoners. After this, Coote's army attempted to take
the formidable fortress of Charlemont
, which was defended by the remnants of the Ulster army, but his soldiers suffered heavy casualties before the stronghold surrendered. Having largely cleared Ulster, in June of 1651 he advanced on Athlone from the North-West, evading a blocking force. Through this movement the town was gained; the town contained a stone bridge over the Shannon and this action thus opened up Connaught to the Parliamentarian army for the first time. He besieged Galway
in the winter of 1651 and it surrendered in April 1652.
Coote inherited the substantial plantation lands of his father in the midlands of Ireland.
. Following the Restoration
Charles II
ennobled him Earl of Mountrath
in 1660 as a reward for his support however he died the following year.
Irish Rebellion and Civil War
The younger Coote became an MP for the Irish Parliament a year before the outbreak of the Irish rebellion of 1641Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 began as an attempted coup d'état by Irish Catholic gentry, who tried to seize control of the English administration in Ireland to force concessions for the Catholics living under English rule...
. The elder Charles Coote was active in the suppression of the Irish insurgents in 1642, until he was killed in action defending Trim
Trim Castle
Trim Castle , Trim, County Meath, Ireland, on the shores of the Boyne has an area of 30,000 m². It is the remains of Ireland's largest Anglo-Norman castle...
in May 1642. After the death of his father, Charles Coote also led forces against the Irish, but was captured defending a stronghold in the Curragh in Kildare
Kildare
-External links:*******...
by an Irish army led by Castlehaven
James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven
James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven was the son of Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven and his first wife, Elizabeth Barnham...
. He was released during the 1643 cessation of arms. At this time Coote travelled to England with a number of Protestants to agitate for harsh anti-catholic measures and an end to the cessation. In Dublin Archbishop Ussher
James Ussher
James Ussher was Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625–56...
condemned the extremism of Coote and his fellows, but Coote was unbending. The King however ignored these demands and so Coote joined the Parliamentarians. Coote was appointed commander of Connaught
Connacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
by the Parliamentarians in 1645. Operating from west Ulster he temporarily overran the North-West of the province over the next two years.
The Cromwellian Conquest
The execution of Charles ICharles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
in 1649 Brought local Protestant and Scottish forces in Ulster to join the duke of Ormond’s royalist coalition, thus isolating Coote. He defended Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
against a protracted siege (March–August 1649) with the unlikely assistance of the Ulster army under Owen Roe O'Neill
Owen Roe O'Neill
Eoghan Ruadh Ó Néill , anglicised as Owen Roe O'Neill , was a seventeenth century soldier and one of the most famous of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster.- In Spanish service :...
. After the New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
under Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
captured Drogheda
Siege of Drogheda
The siege of Drogheda at the outset of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. The town of Drogheda in eastern Ireland was held by a combined English Royalist and Irish Catholic garrison when it was besieged and stormed by English Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell...
, a force of several thousand Parliamentarians under Robert Venables
Robert Venables
Robert Venables , was a soldier during the English Civil War and noted angler.Venables was lieutenant-colonel in the parliamentary army. He was wounded at Chester in 1645. He was appointed governor of Liverpool in 1648. He served with success in Ireland from 1649 until 1654...
headed North into Ulster, where Coote joined Venables to destroy the Scottish Ulster Royalists at the Battle of Lisnagarvey
Battle of Lisnagarvey
The Battle of Lisnagarvey took place near Lisburn, 20 miles south of Carrickfergus, in south county Antrim, Ireland in December 1649. It was fought between the Royalists army and the Parliamentarians during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.-Background:When the army of Oliver Cromwell landed in...
. By early 1650 however the Irish Ulster army (now under Heber MacMahon
Heber MacMahon
Heber MacMahon was bishop of Clogher and general in Ulster. He was educated at the Irish college, Douay, and at Louvain, and ordained a Roman Catholic priest 1625. He became bishop of Clogher in 1643 and a leader among the confederate Catholics. As a general of the Ulster army he fought Oliver...
, as O'Neill had died a few months earlier) became active once more, and Coote was again forced on the defensive. After being reinforced, he advanced on the Irish army at Scarrifholis
Battle of Scarrifholis
The Battle of Scarrifholis was fought in Donegal North-West Ireland, on the 21st of June 1650, during the Irish Confederate Wars – part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms Cogadh ná Trí Ríocht...
and routed them, killing over 2,000 soldiers and taking no prisoners. After this, Coote's army attempted to take
Siege of Charlemont
The Siege of Charlemont took place in July - August 1650 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland when the fortress of Charlemont in County Armagh, Ireland was besieged by Charles Coote's Parliamentarian army, which was largely composed of soldiers of the New Model Army...
the formidable fortress of Charlemont
Charlemont Fort
Charlemont Fort was a garrison built in Charlemont, County Armagh in 1602 by Lord Mountjoy. It was destroyed in 1920 by fire and the only building remaining today is the gatehouse. The name Charlemont came from Charles Blount's Christian name...
, which was defended by the remnants of the Ulster army, but his soldiers suffered heavy casualties before the stronghold surrendered. Having largely cleared Ulster, in June of 1651 he advanced on Athlone from the North-West, evading a blocking force. Through this movement the town was gained; the town contained a stone bridge over the Shannon and this action thus opened up Connaught to the Parliamentarian army for the first time. He besieged Galway
Siege of Galway
The Siege of Galway took place from August 1651 to May 1652 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland. Galway was the last city held by Irish Catholic forces in Ireland and its fall signalled the end to most organised resistance to the Parliamentarian conquest of the country.The English...
in the winter of 1651 and it surrendered in April 1652.
Coote inherited the substantial plantation lands of his father in the midlands of Ireland.
Restoration
In December 1659 Coote took part in a coup against the government, seizing Dublin Castle. In February 1660 Coote sent a representative to Charles II and invited him to make an attempt on Ireland. Coote was a central figure in the Convention ParliamentIrish Convention (1660)
The Irish Convention sat 7 February, 2 March and 27 May 1660, and again January 1661. It sought to restore the monarchy, episcopacy and the also the right for the King's Irish Parliament to tax and legislate for itself, rejecting claims of legislative supremacy by the King's English Parliament.Sir...
. Following the Restoration
Restoration (Ireland)
The Restoration of the monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
ennobled him Earl of Mountrath
Earl of Mountrath
Earl of Mountrath was a title in the Peerage of Ireland created on 6 September 1660, along with the titles Viscount Coote and Baron Coote, for Sir Charles Coote, 2nd Baronet...
in 1660 as a reward for his support however he died the following year.