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You are here Undergraduate > Single Honors History > HIU34061-62 Empire Transformed: The Cromwellian Conquest and Settlement of Ireland 1641-1660 I and II

HIU34061-62 Empire Transformed: The Cromwellian Conquest and Settlement of Ireland 1641-1660 I and II

This module seeks to untangle a fascinating, traumatic and complex period of Irish history, which transformed the island politically, socially and economically, as well as creating a legacy of bitterness between Irish and English, Catholic and Protestant. Students will analyse the origins, course and impact of the 1641 rebellion and the subsequent fragmentation of the country into three distinct political/military groupings (Catholic Confederates, English Royalists/Parliamentarians and Scottish Covenanters).
  • Module Coordinator:
    • Professor Micheál Ó Siochrú
  • Duration:
    • All year 
  • Contact Hours:
    • 3 hours per week
  • Weighting:
    • 20 ECTS
  • Assessment:
    • Michaelmas term source analysis 40%, essay 60%; Hilary term essay 50%, exam 50%.

Thereafter, the module focusses on Oliver Cromwell’s military conquest and the subsequent transformation of the English Atlantic Empire through the massive redistribution of Irish land in the 1650s. While the first half of the module explores key political and military developments, the second half adopts a more thematic approach, including such topics as map making and colonialism, Ireland and networks of empire, and the devastating impact of cultural imperialism. Throughout, this investigation of Irish history is set in the wider contexts of the ‘Three Stuart Kingdoms’ and developments in continental Europe, as well as the Atlantic World and beyond. Primary and secondary sources are available in abundance (especially online) and include the ‘1641 Depositions’, contemporary pamphlets/newssheets and the Down Survey maps.