Latest / The History of Ireland: Rebellion, Empire, and Independence — Fexingo History / The Battle of the Boyne 1690: Jacobites, Williamites, and the Shaping of Ireland
Transcript
- Lucas: So last time we talked about the Siege of Limerick in 1691, and the Treaty that followed. But to really understand why that siege happened, we need to go back a year earlier — to the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. It's one of those events that's been so mythologised, especially in Northern Ireland's Orange Order parades, that the actual history can get buried. Luna: I think most people just know it as 'King Billy beating King James'. But there's so much more to it, right? Lucas: Exactly. It wasn't just a simple Catholic versus Protestant showdown. James II was Catholic, yes, but he was backed by Louis XIV of France, who was Catholic — but also by some Irish Catholics who saw him as the legitimate king. William III was Protestant, but he led a coalition that included Pope Innocent XI, because the Pope was worried about French dominance. So the religious lines were actually pretty blurred. Luna: Wait, the Pope supported William? That's not what you hear in the songs. Lucas: No, it's not. Innocent XI was no fan of Louis XIV, and he saw William as a counterweight. So the papal tiara was practically on William's side, at least diplomatically. Anyway, the battle itself took place on 1 July 1690, old style calendar, which is 11 July in our modern calendar — but the Twelfth parades celebrate the 12th, because of the calendar shift. The armies faced each other across the River Boyne, about forty kilometres north of Dublin. Lucas: The Jacobite army under James was about 25,000 strong, but many were raw recruits. The Williamite army under William was about 36,000, including professional soldiers from England, Scotland, the Dutch Republic, and even Danish mercenaries. William had the edge in training and equipment. Luna: And James — had he actually fought a battle before? I know he was a naval guy. Lucas: He had some military experience, but not as a field commander. And he was deeply cautious. He didn't want to risk everything in a set-piece battle. His French general, the Comte de Lauzun, advised him to withdraw and fight a guerrilla war. But James's Irish commanders, like Patrick Sarsfield, wanted to stand and fight. In the end, James chose to defend the river line. Lucas: William's strategy was to force a crossing. He sent a large detachment upstream at Slane, under the Duke of Schomberg, to cross and turn the Jacobite flank. That drew many of James's troops away. Then the main Williamite army forced a crossing at Oldbridge, a fordable section of the river. Luna: I've read about Oldbridge — that's where the really fierce fighting happened. Lucas: Yes. The Williamite infantry waded across under heavy fire. The Jacobite cavalry charged them in the water. It was brutal hand-to-hand combat. Schomberg himself was killed — an old man of 75, leading a cavalry charge. But the Williamites kept coming, and eventually they secured the south bank. James, watching from a hill, decided the battle was lost and fled to Dublin, then to France. Luna: So the battle itself was decisive? Or just the start of the war? Lucas: It wasn't as decisive as William wanted. The Jacobite army retreated in good order, and the war continued for another year, culminating at Limerick. But politically, the Boyne was a huge blow. James abandoned his Irish supporters, which damaged his credibility. And William's victory allowed him to consolidate control over Dublin and eastern Ireland. Lucas: After the battle, James was so dejected that he reportedly said to Lady Tyrconnel, 'Your countrymen, madam, can run well.' She replied, 'Not so well as your majesty, for I see you have won the race.' That's probably apocryphal, but it captures the mood. Luna: That's a great line. And it shows how the Irish felt betrayed. Lucas: Absolutely. And that bitterness fed into the later memory of the battle. For Protestants, the Boyne became a symbol of deliverance — the preservation of Protestant liberty against Catholic tyranny. For Catholics, it was the beginning of the Penal Laws and the full Protestant Ascendancy. So the battle wasn't just a military event; it became a founding myth. Lucas: One interesting detail: there's a hill near the battlefield called the 'King Billy Stone' — a boulder where William supposedly held a council of war. It's now a tourist site, but it was also a spot where Orange Order marches would stop. So the landscape itself became part of the ritual. Luna: And of course the Twelfth parades are still with us. It's amazing how a battle from 1690 still resonates. Lucas: It really does. And that's why it's worth understanding what actually happened, beyond the banners and the drumming. Let me just say — if today's episode made you think, or if you've been enjoying these deep dives into Irish history, there's a way to support the show. It's buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — honestly, the price of a coffee helps keep us ad-free and independent. And if that feels right for you, we'd appreciate it. Luna: Yeah, it's a small way to keep these conversations going. And on that note — back to the Boyne. One thing I've always wondered: how did the battle affect ordinary people, not just the soldiers? Lucas: That's a great question. The Boyne region was a prosperous farming area. After the battle, Williamite troops looted and burned villages, and many civilians fled. There are accounts of women and children hiding in bogs. The war brought famine and disease. So it wasn't just a battle — it was a catastrophe for the local population. Lucas: And in the longer term, the Boyne cemented Protestant dominance. The Penal Laws that followed were a direct consequence of the Williamite victory. So the battle's legacy is really a story of how a single day on a riverbank shaped the next two centuries of Irish history. Luna: It makes you think about how much weight we put on battles. One day, a few hours, and everything changes. Lucas: Exactly. And the real history is always more complicated than the myth. But that's what makes it worth digging into.