Second Desmond Rebellion: The Siege of Smerwick ends with the Catholic garrison surrendering to the English forces under Arthur Grey. The majority of the garrison is massacred the next day.

Second Desmond Rebellion

Irish rebellion (1579–1583)

The Second Desmond Rebellion (1579–1583) was the more widespread and bloody of the two Desmond Rebellions in Ireland launched by the FitzGerald Dynasty of Desmond in Munster against English rule. The second rebellion began in July 1579 when James FitzMaurice FitzGerald landed in…

Siege of Smerwick

Siege and massacre during the Second Desmond Rebellion, 1580

The siege of Smerwick took place at Ard na Caithne in November 1580, during the Second Desmond Rebellion in Ireland. A force of between 400 and 700 Papal freelance soldiers, mostly of Spanish and Italian origin, landed at Smerwick to support the Catholic rebels. They were forced…

Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton

The Rt Hon. Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton, KG (1536–1593), was a baron in the Peerage of England. Lord Grey de Wilton is now largely remembered for his memoir of his father, for participating in the last defence of Calais (1558), and for his involvement in the massacre…

November 9

Day of the year

November 9 is the 313th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 52 days remain until the end of the year.