I can't lie, I find this the most head-spinning period of English history. Thanks for setting the background to the battle; the context really helped with what followed.
House of Stuart took over in 1603 under King James 6th of Scotland not sure why English Historians always say James 1st or Charles 2nd of England James 6th was already King of Scotland and took the English crown in 1603 and Charles 2nd was already King of Scotland!!!
@@Valhalla88888there were were no pureblooded "English in 1066. The Kingdom of England was variously inhabited by a hodgepodge of the descendants of Britons Angles Saxons Freisans Jutes and Danes. The various kings of that Kingdom were of mixed ancestry including a bunch of Danish kings. With the English language only later eclvolving from various germanic dialects having little if any similarities to the English language spoken today which has evolved from Anglisc Norman French Latin and who knows what else
While not Boyne related, when I went on holiday last year to Torquay and then did a day trip to Brixham, I was rather surprised by how involved it was with William of Orange and the Glorious Revolution.
A small number of Dutch ships had sailed up the Thames. Rover not many years b4 and destroyed a large number of British ships. They failed to stop them getting away. And then not many years after the Dutch. King is on the throne of England. He did this unipped. A great revolution or a coup delay. It's for u to decide what it was
I grew up in Central Scotland. I was aware of King Billy, The Boyne, catholic v protestant, Glasgow rangers v Celtic, orange Lodge and orange walks. No one could ever tell me what it was all about. It was generational hatred with no real knowledge. The same people who supported Rangers, were orange Lodge, waved red hand of ulster flags were often celebrating the jacobites fighting the English. I mentioned King Billy to Dutch friends when I was trying to explain the division of catholic and protestants. Their response was shock "Our King William, from Holland, he was involved in Ireland? We didn't know. AND PEOPLE STILL CELEBRATE A WAR HE LEAD NOW?" This is the first time I've heard the story of what happened and it makes the division and hatred sound so stupid.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, it always amazes me how all of these groups which are closely linked do not get along at all, they always seem to be in dispute about something. I guess I cannot talk because of the state of our country. I really enjoy learning more about British history especially the parts I know so little about, well done, friend. Feliz cuatro del julio tambien!
You're a brave man for covering this one Chris - and for insisting on 'Londonderry' as well! Great work bringing out the political and dynastic aspects of this conflict - it wasn't just sectarian and was quite complicated in some ways as you rightly say. Appreciate that the video was already quite long but it's hard to really make sense of Irish history without making clear that the Irish Protestant population were and are almost entirely settlers from Scotland and England deliberately planted there to displace the Gaelic (and Catholic) natives. This wasn't an intra-Irish argument about religious doctrine, it was a war of conquest and colonisation, and the plantation was only a few generations old in 1690 as well.
Quite poor on the Irish context all right. Needs to mention the Ulster Plantation, 1641 rebellion and subsequent wars, Cromwellian Plantation and Restoration in Ireland. At a minimum.
My great gran brought my gran & all her brood to Scotland from Ireland way back , later my gran married & had my dad who in turn met & married my mum resulting in me & my siblings . I did a DNA no surprises that it came back very Celtic with : 83% Irish Scottish Welsh 11.4 % South Italian & Greek 5.6 % Baltic. I’m very proud of my roots both in Scotland & Ireland. Interestingly my son had English DNA from a grandparent he’s also extremely happy about .
Another classic, as always, though I am an American, I can never get enough of British history. Thank you for the English language and all that you've done for the world!!!!
Twenty years or. So b4. The Dutch ha. Won a marritme war against the British. Forgive. Me for saying this that. The ditch king on the British tone lookore like a coup. Delat. Than a revolution from my reading of the history.
As an Englishman with both Protestant Scots-Irish and Catholic Irish ancestors, I grew up with the history of the conflict. Northern England has a great many who are of Catholic Irish ancestry as it was the place with the largest population of recusant Catholics in it's rural backwaters. It was also the seat of the Industrial Revolution and the west was close to the ports in Ireland. Growing up, I knew several Irish men and women who'd moved here during the 20th century looking for work. My Irish grandfather was a REME diesel fitter who served in Burma with the predominately Orange 8th (Belfast) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery. After the war, he still visited his old comrades in Ulster, much to the bemusement of the local Catholics.
This battle is engrained in the local mind-set so much where I live, that some people revere certain random locations where William of Orange reputedly camped for a night or briefly visited on his way to the Boyne...
A nice musical start to the video 😄 When Marshal Schomberg spied the French troops in the Jacobite army, he turned to his Huguenot soldiers whilst pointing at the Frenchmen and said, "Gentleman, there are your oppressors!". Marshal Schomberg is still remembered and honoured to this day by the Unionist community of Northern Ireland.
The Irish nationalist community in the North of Ireland don't have to look so far back in history or too far in distance to recognise their oppressors.
@duncanstirling5206and wtf had any of that got to do with Ireland or the Irish people other than Ireland was used once again as a theatre for the English Crowns political ambitions
Thanks for telling this story. I had absolutely no idea. I have long known of the historical conflicts between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland but did not know of this battle. This battle is one of the many reasons the practice of both Christian faiths must be tolerated for the sake of getting along.
A friend who grew up in northern Ireland once told me that before the troubles the glorious 12th was a time for both communities to celebrate as well it might be the Boyne happening where and when it did probably prevented a new civil war God Bless Ireland it probably prevented the whole British Isles from once more being drowned in blood
@@dowdallerno1 Have you ever lived in NI? I have and I can remember all sides out watching the parades. Never any problems. Is Dolly’s Brae all you have?
@@rickc8865 I have lived and worked in the North. And I know most normal people, fuck off for the 12th, because they can't be dealing with the bollocks around it. 😉
@@TheHistoryChappeople die around this subject still, show at least some recognition of the nature of this problem. Playing the sash marks you as a participant not an observer. It's not just history, it's very real and very now for thousands of people.
My sister married into a northern Catholic family. The vitriol and hatred, from both sides, even in the policing and security around a gaelic football game, shocked her. Literally, when in Rome...
Will be out on Saturday in Glasgow celebrating on the streets then over to Belfast for the big one ,loved the intro Chris 😅. The comments will be interesting on this .
A right good stab at the battle and the story surrounding it. While Aughrim was indeed the coup de grace, when James fled Ireland after the Boyne the gig was up. True the Julian - Gregorian calendar shift has muddied things, I think the Boyne settled things dynastically. Whichever you choose, Julian or Gregorian, Boyne or Aughrim, they settled the modern constitution of the United Kingdom . In any case, 'Boyne' lends itself better to the many songs sung in the North to celebrate the battles.
Great video and very well timed. Having grew up in a Protestant house hold in Ulster, this video sums it up really well. Looking forward to the Sir George White VC video.
A great re-telling of an old story! Battles and campaigns in Ireland are like the paragraphs of an endless unpunctuated chronicle. The great punctuation marks of Aughrim and the Boyne seemed in 1691 and 90 to be full stops, after which Ireland was to be forever Anglo-Scots and Protestant. But they were mere commas in the story. Many paragraphs, and 230 years later, the fields where these battles were fought reverted to Irish control.
Ah yes the so called British Empire which no longer exists and Chelsea FC Chelsea FC which is owned by a consortium of investors led by Los Angeles Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly and private equity giant Clearlake. With Behdad Eghbali and José E. Feliciano all being the co-founders of Clearlake Capital 👍
@Britishempire-hv6rb ah you mean celebrating some Dutch bloke who fought an English king in Ireland lol. Amazing what Orange lodges celebrate - it's not British history though lol
I think it was one of the most important battles from Scotland’s perspective, although fought in Ireland. If James had won the battle of the Boyne, a religious war was inevitable in Scotland. It would’ve been a brutal,sectarian war . The outcome of the Boyne prevented that.
Its been a long while since ive heard the true story of the battle of the Boyne. I never knew about the calander change on the dates though. Growing up on the West Coast of Scotland in the 70's being the only non-catholic at a catholic school (thanks stepdad) i was very aware of the dates but kept my mouth shut!!
Thanks for making the distinction that James was was the VIIth of Scotland. When the Queen died in 2022 there were some on social media getting angry that many Scots referred to her as Queen Elizabeth and not Elizabeth II as she was in England. What's good for the goose...
Perhaps I am mistaken. I thought you had made a video on this piece of history before. William's victory marked the end of autocratic rule of Kings in Britain. It would have been interesting if you had discussed more of the political changes the Glorious Revolution brought about with the Bill of Rights in 1689, one of the landmarks in our Constitution. Best wishes, it is a fascinating story, as is the growth of the Orange Order.
If you were Catholic living in the UK their was no bill of rights , no rights what do ever , in Ireland they where called the penal laws , priests were hunted down, the majority in Ireland who were Catholic, were not allowed to practice their faith, that is why there are Mass rocks all over Ireland, also Catholics has to paid a tax to the state Protestant church of Ireland, Catholics were the majority in Ireland but only owned about 3% of the land , the rest were basically slaves to the Protestant land class , who were in most cases planted in Ireland , so there was no glorious revolution, only pure tyranny, for Catholics in their own lands
You should come to northern Ireland then every year the protestant community to this day try to march up and down Catholic streets singing victory songs and playing flutes and banging drums and chsntting hate fulfilled anti Catholic songs....the only way to explain it is the KKK walking up and down the streets of harlem.and is still going on today.
There are factions on both sides that benefit from keeping the hatred alive. Both governments are very happy to keep it going too especially since brexit. Divide and conquer. The Battle of the Boyne museum near Drogheda here in the south is a really great place to visit. I have met more than a few Protestants, English and even a Dutch couple walking the grounds and their reason for being there is always for historical interest. Never politics.
I would love to hear the story of the battle of Quebec. Which has a direct link with this video. The marine troops that crossed the English channel with William, and then crossed the Boyne, eventually became the 35th of foot, (later, Royal Sussex Regt and later still, 3rd Battalion The Queen's regiment). The 35th of foot were the soldiers that were ousted and retreated by Montcalm (see the film; "Last of the Moheicans), and despite being given assurances that their retreat would be safe, they were attacked by naitive indians as they withdrew. This was never forgotten, and the ancestors of these troops were one of the main regiments (35th foot) that climbed the heights of Abraham, and then ironically, were placed on the right of the line, facing the 'elite' (sic) Royal Rousillon. For them it was a chance to avenge the perceived betrayal by Montcalm, which they did by wiping out the Rousillon. The Rousillon plumes were taken by the 35th, and became part of the badge of the Royal sussex and 3rd Battalion Queen's regiment. As I said, I would love to see a detailed and accurate video regarding all of the above, which culminated in the battle of Quebec, where General Wolf lost his life.
When Protestants carried out a coup against the rightful King of England Scotland Wales and Ireland, with the help of a Dutch king , who after their victory, oppressed the Catholics, under the penal laws, reducing Catholics to all but slaves , who had the vast majority of their lands taken over by a Protestant ruling class , which the majority of Catholics that to pay rents to and were not allowed to practice their faith, and has to pay a tax the Protestant church of Ireland, Priests were hunted down, that is why there are mass rocks all over Ireland, the Protestants broke the treaty of Limerick, and oppressed the Catholic majority and reduced them to poverty, who only got back their freedom after the war of independence against the British Black and tans and auxiliaries , who murdered civilians burnd down creameries and farm houses and a big part of Cork City , murded elected Mayors all between 1919 1921 . For the majority Catholics of Ireland there was no glorious revolution only pure tyranny after the battle of the Boyne .
Thanks for presenting your point of view. Although a lot of the lands had already been confiscated by Cromwell hadn't they? Also, William was not a Dutch king, he was the Stadtholder as I said in my video.
@@TheHistoryChap yes Cromwell did take huge amounts of lands from the Catholic land owners smashed alters burnt churches killed priests , took almost all of what was left of lands owned by the Catholic church, and Irish land owners and paid off his soldiers with stolen Catholic lands , the saying at the time was , To hell or to Connaught, ya I did know he William or Billy was not a Dutch king , but , he in all regards was a king , he is of the house of Orange , which is the royal family of today, the point I am making is the war waged against the Catholic Irish was a war of extermation and total suppression driven by pure hate as was Cromwell's war against the Catholic Irish, and Queen Elizabeth the first also laid waste to huge parts of Ireland carrying out a war of pure hate and extermation of the free Catholic Irish chiefs and old Norman Lords , by the way I love your videos, and I do not lay the blame of what happened in the past to any English Welsh Scottish or Unionists person living today , I in fact like British people, but not the ruling class , ,some of my ancestors were planted into Ireland after the Munster rebellions against Elizabeth the first, , please do a video on the Munster rebellions 👍and the defeat of the Fitzgeralds of Munster, of who's castles can still be seen to this day eg Adare co Limerick
@@TheHistoryChap sorry if what I said comes across as harsh, but there is no sugar coating it , if you ever come to Ireland I would love to show you around all the ruins of Castles Churches and monasteries from all the wars , God bless and take care
Also do a video on the French Revolution what caused it and why its history was whitewashed I heard from a video how the apron people reved up the people against the bible they wanted to crush Christianity and they the evil ones beheaded thousands of Priests in France 🇫🇷 this went on for 10 years they made sure that one was not in history books he said now if you look at people like Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin, Moa they all did the same evil making wars etc against God and his people there are similarities with these people the great military machine himself yes I believe there are satans children and God's people like the bible says wheat and the tares growing together. thanks
I would like to see more of the jacobites. Don't know if you have enough supporters in North America but the French and Indian war is very interesting. Would like to see more of those British units in America.
Derry is the original name of the city, Derry is the Irish word for Oak, , just like co Kildare, meaning the church of the Oak, so nothing to do with London what so ever , London which is from Latin and the Romans called Londinium, and the Romans never came to Ireland and founded any towns , So Derry is the original name and what the majority of Irish people call it , and always did and always will ,
What you're completely omitted from your narrative is that derry monastery was not on the ground where londonderry is now there has never been a town or city named derry
@@colhughes3892 the name of the area comes from the Irish word Derry, meaning Oak , because the area was 100% Irish people who spoke only Irish , as I said no Romans speaking Latin lived in or named the area,
lol zzzz a name of a city . Yet the Republic of Ireland is the most Anglo Norman part zzz . Today the Republic of Ireland remains under EU occupation via the papal crown . The real oppressor of Irish people who order the “ Protestant “ / evangelical Irish church of Patrick worked for to be crushed and forced the papacy upon the Irish people.
TICK TOCK the lease is running out as if the English want the IRISH ☘️ 🇮🇪. I’m sorry & ASHAMED that the Scottish kissed English A$$ & STOLE your land you won’t find my SURNAME among the TRAITOR /S /SETTLERS. Thank’s to my Irish ☘️ mammy I hold an Irish ☘️ passport. RIP MAMMY I will see 32 countries & think of you .
Well done Chris! Since you asked fans what we'd like to see, I'll be hones but I've never seen many documentaries about the Mediterranean during the Napoleonic Wars outside the battle of the Nile. There's my native Malta which featured in a campaign 1798-1800 and then an Italian campaign (with, I believe, a regiment of Maltese troops seeing action at Capri in 1807). Malta also featured somewhat importantly as a "supermarket" for British goods during the Continental Blockade; and perhaps the huge amount of activity and shipping is what brought us the final (and terrible) plague outbreak in 1813-14. I'm also really interested in WW1 and the British contribution especially to the Hundred Days, but also the lesser-known Palestine, Mesopotamian, East African and Western Desert theatres.
Well once again, you wow me so much as always with a history lesson I had absolutely no clue as to the existence of until you announced it as today's update, Chris old bean, and that includes all the other historical facts you mentioned in this one also, including that of the Glorious Revolution, which was the reason the Catholic devotee James II was overthrown in the first place. Seriously, just HOW d'ya keep this up every time, huh, always furthering your well deserved status as a RU-vid superstar when it comes to delivering some of the undeniably best ever IMO British military history, cos every time you announce what's to come you deliver something my school history lessons never covered, hence I've had to rely on you and of course online reading itself to deliver the incredible facts about whatever into my head, hahaha. So, what's next then from ya, I wonder? Could we at last FINALLY be a step closer to at last having the Battle of Sedgemoor in a video coverage, considering that it was cos of James II's Catholic devotion in a Protestant England that his own nephew the Duke of Monmouth attempted to lead a rebellion against him in 1685, but which all came to a head, and disaster for Monmouth, at the Battle of Sedgemoor, and as well as James himself Colonel Percy Kirke was another big significant figure of the Monmouth Rebellion, certainly during the aftermath of the Battle of Sedgemoor in particular with him, Kirke that is. But whatever ya do, we'll always be awaiting ya to astound and surprise us all, Chris old bean, and certainly the Jacobites, again a topic I'm practically lacking ANY knowledge of myself personally, would be a topic to cover indeed, yes, siree
It not only shapes Ireland, but also America. A lot of WASPs still resent the Catholics, particularly the Irish; they're just blocked by the First Amendment.
Chris, My historical knowledge of the Pike and Shot period is woefully thin. My personal family history was already firmly in America by this time. A member of my family has participated in every American conflict since (for us) Queen Anne's war. Anything dealing with Randolph Churchill would be wonderful.
Thanks for posting. The glorious revolution was really a blatant userpation. One small correction if l may. The name Tyrconnell isn't pronounced Tie connell, it is pronounced Teer connell, probably from the Gaelic "Tír" meaning land (as in "Connell Land")
There is very little information on the internet about the East Africa campaign during the second world war. So many colonial troops from all over the empire contrbuted to the British victory over the Italins. It would be great if you would do a few episodes about this neglected campaign. I enjoy all your work very much well done.
It may be a little biased to say that Protestant nobles feared Catholic tyranny. It would probably be more fair and accurate to say they feared Catholic retaliation, and perhaps the loss of preferential treatment they had enjoyed under a Protestant monarchy. After all, both sides were guilty of religious repression/discrimination at some point.
Recently I had a bit of an odd discussion with an Englishman on Facebook: he talked about the 'Dutch invasion'. I (as a Netherlander) said to him that I wasn't aware the Netherlands ever invaded England: my history book said (just like History Chap) that the English wanted Mary II to be queen and so they got her husband Willem III van Oranje as part of the deal. But he insisted that we invaded the place and 'put our guy on the throne'. I didn't know what to say. The only explanation I can think of why the guy would think of it that way if he is a staunch catholic...
@@Johnny-Thunder I'm from Glasgow mate every house including my own has a framed picture of William Prince of Orange crossing the boyne ,I cannot comment for Catholics 😂, my football team in glasgow the fans sings songs in praise of King William they have done for over 100 years,it goes from generation to generation, during ww1 the 36th Ulster division went over the top at the somme on July 1st wearing orange sashes .
@@leggie65 Well I am very much flattered :D Seeing as the Scots and English were helping the Netherlanders during our war of independence against Spain it is only right we did a favour in return.
Live and let live I say...native of Limavady now an adopted son of Birkenhead....my family have fought for the crown stretching back to the Regiment of foot ( O,Cahan) ,led by the Marquis of Montrose..and of course there is the Rebel branch of the family...I have a brother in law who used to play in an Orange Lodge band....I,m not bad on the Bhodran....😅😅😅
Chris - I would highly recommend a visit to Londonderry it is a fabulous city in its own right and has a great history museum but I have been told the walking history tours are a must as well.
Revolution House the old Cock & Pynot alehouse where the Glorious Revolution was hatched, is only a few minutes walk from where I live in Chesterfield Uk . A very interesting presentation as per 🙂👍
In Ireland and The Netherlands we refer to it as the Dutch conquest of England. Of course it is still illegal for the British monarch, or his spouse to be a Catholic.
My Grandad used to sit me on his shoulders as the bands marched along Paisley Road West in Glasgow, much to my mum and dad's annoyance. My mum jumped the dyke to marry psycho catholic dad.
Chris, as usual im not going to make any suggestions as to what subject i would like you to teach me about. I did manage to scrape an o level but didnt actually love the subject until my early forties when i ( occasionaly put jack higgins, wilbur smith and tom sharpe down and got back into non lit books) and then came u tube. You pick the subject and i will always watch. If you ever explained the role of the fleet air arm in korea then i would be personally very interested as my father flew fireflys of hms glory in that conflict. I love reading your viewers comments as some of them are from folks with far more knowledge than me and i love it when they challenge you! If you were my history teacher 45 years ago i believe i would have chosen history as an A level.... still contemplating taking an online history a level at the age of 60 because of you and drachinefel ❤
The battle of the boyne did not end the williamite wars in Ireland . There were several significant battles after that and William of orange never took limerick and had to make a treaty to get sarsfield out of the place. Sarsfield wanted out for His own reasons. The naval battle of the downs is more significant than the boyne. The protestants then proceeded to break the treaty of limerick and introduced the penal laws.
While the 12 July Is a time for celebration with the loyalist community for the nationalists , it is an insult and a time of bitterness and resentment due to blatant discrimination. I pray that the peace process will continue in the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland.🇬🇧🇮🇪
Thank you for the rational, grown up comment. The video maker clearly doesn't understand the ongoing problem of sectarianism. His ludicrously naive addition of the sash at the beginning of the video ground my gears. It'd get you a trip to the dentists if you played it round here.
In training for Presbyterian ministry we had to cover Irish Church history, which basically was just plain Irish History; believe me you couldn't make it up! The Pope supporting a Protestant King against a Catholic army is just one of the many crazy things that happened in and to our troubled island!
@cwam1701e wasn't the first time the Vatican sided against The Irish. Henry ll carried the Papal Banner into Ireland, claiming the Pope had granted him permission to invade Ireland, like Ireland was The Pope's to give away !!! After something like that, having a Dutch King 500 odd years later, makes it seem somewhat less ridiculous than it actually was.
@@billlecky7964 You know, I was sure that I once read somewhwere that it was one of the Popes (Leo X?) who ordered Henry II into Ireland because the Irish were not sufficiently recognising of his (the Pope's ) authority; but then I thought I might have imagined it!
@@cwam1701e I think Rome has always been historically suspicious of Irish Catholicism, as the religion began in Ireland outside of Papal authority and influence.
3 of my ancestors were apprentice boys that helped. Close the gates in Londonderry. Their descendants still live in Londonderry right beside one of the gates
The hat trick of a Banner tour that spread over Easter, the Apprentice Boys and the Twelfth, such fun typified by the pilot of a C130 arriving in Aldergrove whose announcement was "welcome to Ulster please put your watch back 400 years".
@@TheHistoryChap I grew up in Belfast, I was one of those "string boys" you see in the Orange Order parades holding the string to the bannor. I obviously was very well aware of the Williamite Wars in Ireland and how it shaped what would become The United Kingdom. The bit you did really well was to put this battle into context as to how the Crown would have continued with absolute rule and destablised the country with the death of every Monrach that is even being forgotten in the oral history tradition in my community.
It's a very interesting campaign. Also a civil war I think within Ireland itself although it's themes are not linked to those of the English Civil War. And yet they appear similar to me.
What about Cromwell's depredations in Ireland? 600,000 killed? Some say he went mad toward the end of his life, and threrein lies the explanation. What do you say?
@@TheHistoryChap Neither am I, but an explanation may be in order. Madness is one such explanation, offered by some to account for the Pol Pot-like carnage Oliver is said to be responsible for; 600,000 or so gratutious deaths out the population of Eire at that time resembles a communist's deed, insofar as the percenatge slain of the total.
Okay. The following doesn't reflect my views and is best understood as my attempt to understand the why without considering the moral questions. The only explanation that I've read that explains the conduct of the New Model Army in Ireland is the religious beliefs of the men involved. As far as Old Noll was concerned, it was God who had aided the Parliamentarian cause and it was God who had granted them victory in the long and arduous wars in England and Scotland. So they believed that God had granted them a great victory over their ungodly enemies and in doing so had delivered God's people from the suffering they'd endured at the hands of their enemies. These enemies had then raised their banners in Ireland and restarted the conflict, which had already been decided by God in Parliament's favour. As far as aims are concerned, It's comparable with Sherman's campaign which was aimed at bringing the American Civil War to a conclusion. For context you could do no better than read Sherman's own quotes on war. So the brutal conquest was the method by which the Godly chastised the people they believed had gone again God's will by fighting on against those he had ordained as the victors. See also, 'The religious context of the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland' by Professor John Morrill.
When it comes to Irish history. An HONEST historian will acknowledge NONE have the high moral ground . History has a way of making hypocrisy of both Irish families .
