Ireland, King James' Irish Army List, 1689

General collection information

This collection is an assortment of biographical accounts from the 1689 Irish Army, levied by King James II. The original accounts were compiled in a book by John D'Alton, originally published in 1861. Records in the collection are typed and composed in a narrative format.

Using the collection

Records in the collection may include the following information:

This collection paints a vivid picture of the lives of those who participated in the Williamite War. It's also especially useful in that some narratives include details about the military achievements of other family members.

Many Irish surnames have been anglicised and may have different spellings and variations. It's important to look out for different spellings when searching for records.

Collection in context

King James II of England (also known as King James VII of Scotland and King James II of Ireland) peacefully ascended the throne in 1685; however, his reign was short. A Roman Catholic convert, King James attempted to bridge the divide between Catholics and Protestants. When Parliament objected to his policies, he attempted to govern the United Kingdom without Parliament.

When William of Orange, King James' son-in-law, invaded England in 1688, he received great support causing King James to flee the country. His attempts to take back the throne became known as "the Williamite War" and ultimately ended with William defeating James in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690.

Bibliography

Google Books. "Illustrations, Historical and Genealogical of King James' Irish Army List, 1689." Last Modified 18 September, 2007. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Illustrations_Historical_and_Genealogica/dplJAAAAMAAJ?hl=en.

CoTyroneIreland.com. "King James' Irish Army Lists 1689." Last Modified 6 April, 2009. https://cotyroneireland.com/muster/KingJamesIrishArmy.html.

The Royal Family. "James II." Last Modified 16 October, 2019. https://www.royal.uk/james-ii.