Treaty of Limerick

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The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. It concluded the Siege of Limerick. The treaty really consisted of two treaties which were signed on October 3, 1691. Reputedly they were signed on the Treaty Stone, an irregular block of limestone which once served as a mounting block for horses. This stone is now displayed on a pedestal in Limerick city. Because of the treaty, Limerick is sometimes known as the Treaty City.

The Treaty Stone on which the treaty of Limerick was signed

Of the treaty, or treaties, one related to military matters, the other with civil affairs.

1 The Military Articles
2 The Civil Articles
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] The Military Articles

These articles dealt with the treatment of the disbanded Jacobite army. Under the treaty, Jacobite soldiers had the option to leave for France to continue serving under James II in the Irish Brigade. The majority of them chose this option and were marched south to Cork where they embarked on ships for France, many of them accompanied by their wives and children. This journey became known as the Flight of the Wild Geese.

The Jacobite soldiers also had the option of joining the Williamite army, which a number of them chose to do.

This Treaty had twenty nine articles, which were agreed upon between Lieutenant-General Ginkle, Commander-in-Chief of the English army, and the Lieutenant-Generals D'usson and de Tesse, Commanders-in-Chief of the Irish army. The articles were signed by D'Usson, Le Chevalier de Tesse, Latour Montfort, Patrick Sarsfield Earl of Lucan, Colonel Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe, Mark Talbot, Jo Wauchop, Galmoy.

[edit] The Civil Articles

These articles protected the rights of the defeated Jacobites who chose to remain in Ireland. Their property was not to be confiscated as long as they swore allegiance to William III, and Catholic noblemen were to be allowed to bear arms.

This Treaty contained thirteen articles which were agreed upon between the Right Honourable Sir Charles Porter, and Thomas Coningsby, Esq., Lords Justices of Ireland, and his Excellency the Baron de Ginkle, Lieutenant General and Commander-in-Chief of the English army, and the Right Honourable Patrick Sarsfield, Earl of Lucan, Percy Viscount Galmoy, Colonel Nicholas Purcell of Loughmoe, Colonel Nicholas Cusack, Sir Toby Butler, Colonel Dillon, and Colonel John Brown. The treaty was signed by Charles Porter, Thomas Coningsby, and Baron de Ginkle, and witnessed by Scavenmoer, H. Mackay, and T. Talmash.

The civil articles were not honoured by the victorious Williamite government for long because of the English Parliament opposition. Starting in 1695, a series of harsh penal laws were imposed on the Catholic population of Ireland.