7/28/2019 How Far Do the Sources Suggest That the Irish Rebellion Was Motivated by Religion

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How far do the sources suggest that the Irish Rebellion was motivated by religion?

Source 10 strongly agrees with the view that religion was the main motivation for the IrishRebellion, while in Source 11 and Source 12 there is limited evidence to support this view.

Source 10 suggests that the Irish people doubted the Protestant religious system, which theEnglish had imposed upon them, and were returning to Catholic beliefs and traditions, as itwrites, “I had thousand or more [...] now I have not five,” and “follow their popish priests”.

Source 10 also suggests that the returning to Catholicism were widespread because eventhe lowest of t he social classes were not going to church, “but not so much as the lowest

peasants,”. Source 10 is not a strong source because the Bishop only overlooks a part of

Ireland, however, as the addressee has a high position in Elizabeth’s household, it makes th esource more reliable and makes the issue raised by the Bishop more serious. Although

Source 11 at first perusal seems to support source 10 to a large extent, this is not the case.Source 11 supports the view that the rebellion was motivated by religion to a limited extentas the main argument for Phillip II’s support is the restoration of Catholicism in Ireland, “the

Catholic faith may be re- established”. Source 11 is not a very convincing source because,

although O’Neill’s ideas were attracting people t o the rebellion (for example, as Source 10also suggests, the restoration of Catholicism), the letter had to be persuasive in terms of pointing out the benefits for Phillip in supporting the rebellion. This suggests that thereligious motivation of the rebellion in the letter was exaggerated. Source 12 also giveslimited support for religious motivation. It supports Source 10 in terms of returning to oldbeliefs, which were widespread and popular, “introduce Papistry [...] forms a larger part of

his rebelli on”, however, Source 12 suggests that the strong view expressed in Source 11 andSource 10 about religious motivation is simply propaganda.

On the other hand, Source 11, to some extent, and Source 12, to a very strong extent,disagree with religion being the main stimulus. Despite, Source 11 giving explicit evidencethat the main aim of the rebellion was to return to Catholicism, when taking Source 11 inconjugation with Source 12, this seems to be misinformation to persuade King Phillip II.Source 11 also gives evidence that another aim was to drive the English, established mainlyin places such as The Pale, and the English Crown out of Ireland, “no other sovereign would

be recognised”. However, Source 11’s contradiction is more prominently expressed when

O’Neill promises that the Irish will sign agreements to ceasefire if they do not obtain Phillip’s

support, hence indicating that they were not as religious as they made themselves out tobe, and religion was used as propaganda, “it is not religion that moves him”. Source 12 also

gives evidence that O’Neill’s real aim was to take control of Ireland’s government and drive

the English, who had been given land by Queen Elizabeth I to move into Ireland, out, “it is

his aim to alter the government and state”. Sou rce 12 is a very strong and convincing source

as it is comprehensive covering different aims of the rebellion. Additionally, Source 12 iswritten by the leaders of Ireland, indicating that the rebellion’s aim to change the state is a

serious issue. Furthermore, as the addressee is the Privy Council as a whole, who had the

7/28/2019 How Far Do the Sources Suggest That the Irish Rebellion Was Motivated by Religion

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Queen’s ear more than anyone else in the Court, it increases the seriousness of the situation

because the letter was not trying to push Queen Elizabeth’s favour towards anyone.

In conclusion, the sources as a set agree to a strong extent that religion did not motivate theIrish rebellion; rather the sources as a set give large evidence that the rebellion wasmotivated by the need to take control from the Council of Ireland, whose members wereEnglish, back into the hands of the Irish, specifically O’Neill. Source 12 is the strongest

source of the set, as it is a primary source which is comprehensive, giving an overview of allthe aims of the rebellion, and the possible methods of propaganda. Source 11 corroboratesSource 12 to an extent, while Source 10 strongly favours that religion was the mainmotivation.