TO SHAKE THE THRONE
The Great Spanish Armada finally sets sail for England and the Crown orders that on pain of death no subject give quarter to any Spaniards who may come ashore.
King Philip of Spain is incensed by Queen Elizabeth’s refusal to return Drake’s plunder. Philip advances preparations for an invasion of England, Ireland or Scotland. In anticipation of ascending Elizabeth’s throne, Mary, Queen of Scots now urges her supporters to prepare to rise up.
Seeing the danger, Elizabeth’s councilors led by Secretary, Sir Francis Walsingham and Lord Treasurer, William Cecil, look for sufficient proof to convince her to put the Queen of Scots to death before the Armada sails.
Midst the invasion alarum, the Queen and her advisors seek to secure Hugh O’Neill’s devotion to the Crown by giving him the title of Earl of Tyrone but without the land associated with the Earldom. Then, as the Queen’s Marshal of the Army of Ireland, Sir Nicholas Bagenal cites rumours that Hugh is communicating with the Pope and Spain, the Crown takes further action. Elizabeth gives Hugh O’Neill control over a portion of the lands of his Earldom by means of a lease. Hugh is ordered to compensate his uncle Tirlough Luineach O’Neill who had until then held sway over them.
But then, Hugh’s mother-in-law and ally, Ineen Dubh O’Donnell forcefully ejects an English Sherriff and four hundred settlers plundering her inhabitants. In retaliation, the Crown kidnaps her son “Red” Hugh O’Donnell and imprisons him in Dublin Castle.
The Great Spanish Armada finally sets sail for England and the Crown orders that on pain of death no subject give quarter to any Spaniards who may come ashore.
The Queen’s Marshall, Sir Nicholas Bagenal then claims that Hugh O’Neill has given sanctuary to shipwrecked Armada survivors in Ireland. Alarmed, Hugh goes to London to defend himself accompanied by his mistress Fiona. There, Queen Elizabeth and her advisors seem to ignore the charges. They offer him a choice: either provide written undertakings to replace Gaelic laws and customs in the Earldom of Tyrone with the laws of the Crown or face incarceration in the Tower of London.
Hugh privately wonders how he can fulfill such an undertaking to Elizabeth knowing that his Gaelic inhabitants will refuse to obey him if he attempts it.
A Desolate Peace is the first broad account of the epic clash between the Elizabethan and Gaelic Worlds. Have a look at a complete list of volumes for this epic 10 volume set. The list also includes release dates for all volumes and links to their summaries.