About this eBook
“Highly Recommended . . . an absorbing account of a military formation that became an elite force within the French Army.” —Firetrench
Irish troops had fought for Louis XIV in the 1670s, under Irish officers who had little choice but to fight in foreign service, with the blessing of Charles II. With the accession of James II, and the religious politics of who might earn the English crown, they became embroiled in the Jacobite succession crisis, fighting in Ireland, then sent to France under Lord Mountcashel in 1689. With the fall of Limerick in 1691, Patrick Sarsfield led the second “flight” of “Wild Geese” to the continent, to fight in a war for the French, against the Grand Alliance of Europe, in the vain hope that their loyalty might warrant French support in a return to Ireland under a Jacobite king.
From the Nine Years War, through the War of the Spanish Succession, and beyond, their descendants would be present at Fontenoy, Culloden and in the Americas, forever destined to fight for a cause and land which had changed beyond recognition.
D.P. Graham explains the origins of the brigade and its regiments, the personalities who led them and formed their reputation, and the circumstances of their final dissolution in the aftermath of French Revolution.
“An excellent study of the events that led up to the creation of the Wild Geese, and in particular the brutal war in Ireland, a conflict that still has an impact in the present day.” —History of War
Irish troops had fought for Louis XIV in the 1670s, under Irish officers who had little choice but to fight in foreign service, with the blessing of Charles II. With the accession of James II, and the religious politics of who might earn the English crown, they became embroiled in the Jacobite succession crisis, fighting in Ireland, then sent to France under Lord Mountcashel in 1689. With the fall of Limerick in 1691, Patrick Sarsfield led the second “flight” of “Wild Geese” to the continent, to fight in a war for the French, against the Grand Alliance of Europe, in the vain hope that their loyalty might warrant French support in a return to Ireland under a Jacobite king.
From the Nine Years War, through the War of the Spanish Succession, and beyond, their descendants would be present at Fontenoy, Culloden and in the Americas, forever destined to fight for a cause and land which had changed beyond recognition.
D.P. Graham explains the origins of the brigade and its regiments, the personalities who led them and formed their reputation, and the circumstances of their final dissolution in the aftermath of French Revolution.
“An excellent study of the events that led up to the creation of the Wild Geese, and in particular the brutal war in Ireland, a conflict that still has an impact in the present day.” —History of War
About the author
D.P. Graham has an MA in History and is working toward a PhD. He has lectured on various aspects of Irish military history, and lives in Co. Antrim. He is the author of Enniskillen and The Battle of Newtownbutler, 1689; Brothers in Arms, The Hamiltons in Ireland, England and France, 1610-1719; and Lord Mountcashel: Irish Jacobite General.
Rate this eBook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Centre instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
