Editing Confederate Ireland (section)

{{Short description|Period of Irish Catholic self-government (1642–49)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{More footnotes|date=April 2009}}
{{Infobox former country
|native_name            = {{lang|ga|Comhdháil Chaitliceach na hÉireann}}
|conventional_long_name = Irish Catholic Confederation
|common_name            = Ireland
|iso3166code = omit
|era                    = [[Irish Confederate Wars]]
|government_type        = [[Confederation|Confederal]] [[constitutional monarchy]]
|event_start            = <!-- Default: "Established" -->
|year_start             = 1642
|event_end              = [[Cromwellian conquest of Ireland|Cromwellian conquest]]
|year_end               = 1652
|event_pre              = [[Irish Rebellion of 1641]]<!-- Optional: A crucial event that took place before "event_start" -->
|date_pre               = 1641
|event_post             = <!-- Optional: A crucial event that took place after "event_end" -->
|date_post              = 
|p1          = Kingdom of Ireland
|flag_p1     = Royal Standard of Ireland (1542–1801).svg
|s1          = Commonwealth of England
|flag_s1     = Flag of The Commonwealth.svg
|image_flag             = Green harp flag of Ireland.svg
|image_coat             = Colorized Confederate Ireland Seal.png
|coa_size               = 150px
|symbol_type            = Great Seal
|image_map              = 
|image_map_caption      = 
|capital                = [[Kilkenny]]
|national_motto         = {{native name|la|Hiberni unanimes pro Deo Rege et Patria}}<br/>{{native name|ga|Éireannaigh aontaithe le Dia, rí agus tír}}<br/><small>"Irishmen united for God, king and country"</small>
|common_languages       = [[Irish language|Irish]], [[English language|English]]
|religion               = [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]]
|title_leader = [[List of Irish monarchs|King]]
|leader1      = [[Charles I of England|Charles I]]
|year_leader1 = 1641–1649
|leader2      = [[Charles II of England|Charles II]]
|year_leader2 = 1649–1653
|legislature            = [[General Assembly]]
}}
[[File:Confederate Ireland flag, Kilkenny.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|right|Replica of a Confederation flag found in [[Rothe House]], Kilkenny; it depicts the [[Coronation of the Virgin|Coronation of Mary]] as [[Queen of Heaven]] by the [[Holy Trinity]]; an explicitly Catholic symbol.]]

'''Confederate Ireland''', also referred to as the '''Irish Catholic Confederation''', was a period of Irish [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] self-government between 1642 and 1652, during the [[Irish Confederate Wars|Eleven Years' War]]. Formed by Catholic aristocrats, [[landed gentry]], clergy and military leaders after the [[Irish Rebellion of 1641]], the Confederates controlled up to two-thirds of Ireland from their base in [[Kilkenny]]; hence it is sometimes called the '''Confederation of Kilkenny'''.

The Confederates included Catholics of [[Gaels|Gaelic]] and [[Normans in Ireland|Anglo-Norman descent]]. They wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination within the [[Kingdom of Ireland]] and greater Irish self-governance; many also wanted to roll back the [[plantations of Ireland]]. Most Confederates professed loyalty to [[Charles I of England]] in the belief they could reach a lasting settlement in return for helping defeat his opponents in the [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]].<ref name="bcw">[http://bcw-project.org/church-and-state/confederate-ireland/the-confederate-assembly The Confederate Assembly of Kilkenny] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201028204331/https://bcw-project.org/church-and-state/confederate-ireland/the-confederate-assembly |date=28 October 2020 }}. British Civil Wars Project.</ref> Its institutions included a legislative body known as the General Assembly, an executive or Supreme Council, and a military. It minted coins, levied taxes and set up a printing press.<ref name="bcw"/> Confederate ambassadors were appointed and recognised in [[Kingdom of France|France]], [[Habsburg Spain|Spain]] and the [[Papal States]],<ref name="bcw"/> who supplied them with money and weapons.

At various times, Confederate armies fought [[Cavalier|Royalists]], [[Roundhead|Parliamentarians]], [[Laggan Army|Ulster Protestant militia]] and Scots [[Covenanter]]s; these controlled [[the Pale]], parts of eastern and northern [[Ulster]], and the region around [[Cork (city)|Cork]]. Charles authorised secret negotiations which in September 1643 resulted in a Confederate–Royalist ceasefire and led to further talks, most of which proved unsuccessful. In 1644, a [[Irish expedition to Scotland|Confederate military expedition]] landed in Scotland to help Royalists there. The Confederates continued to fight the Parliamentarians in Ireland, and decisively defeated the Covenanter army in the [[Battle of Benburb]]. 

In 1647, the Confederates suffered a string of defeats at [[Battle of Dungan's Hill|Dungan's Hill]], [[Sack of Cashel|Cashel]] and [[Battle of Knocknanuss|Knocknanuss]]. This prompted them to make an agreement with the Royalists, leading to internal divisions which hampered their ability to resist a Parliamentarian invasion. In August 1649, a large [[New Model Army|English Parliamentarian army]], led by [[Oliver Cromwell]], [[Cromwellian conquest of Ireland|invaded Ireland]]. By May 1652 it had defeated the Confederate–Royalist alliance, although Confederate soldiers continued a [[guerrilla warfare]] campaign for a further year.
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in the 1650s]]