Gerald The Earl Joins The Rebellion
In late October, Malby marched through the Desmond territory, devastating the countryside there and demanded that Gerald the Earl of Desmond surrender his castle at Askeaton. Desmond refused and resisted when Malby tried to take the castle by force. William Pelham, the Lord Justice of Ireland, then proclaimed Desmond a traitor, meaning that he was to be captured and executed. This forced Gerald and the remaining FitzGeralds to join the rebellion.
The Earl assumed leadership of the rebellion in a spectacular manner. On November 13, 1579, he and his followers sacked the town of Youghal, massacring its English garrison, hanging the English officials there, looting the town and abusing the civilian population. Desmond’s force then blockaded the city of Cork before withdrawing westwards into the mountains of Kerry. MacCarthy Mor, meanwhile, chief of the MacCarthys, announced his joining of the rebellion by sacking Kinsale.
Read more about this topic: Second Desmond Rebellion
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