Mountjoy, Charles Blount, Lord

Mountjoy, Charles Blount, Lord (1563–1606). Mountjoy claimed the victory in the Nine Years War which his friend Essex had signally failed to achieve. Arriving as lord deputy in 1600, he refused parleys and truces and adopted different tactics from his predecessors. He concentrated on reducing Leinster and south Ulster, leaving Docwra in the north‐west and George Carew in Munster with virtually independent commands. In mid‐1601 the Irish currency was debased to keep down the escalating costs of the war, though Mountjoy and most Irish officials objected. Inflation leapt 80 per cent in six months, damaging the economy and Mountjoy's attempt to root out army corruption. Critically he defeated the Irish at Kinsale and forced the withdrawal of their Spanish allies. The cost of 25 garrisons in Ulster was crippling, but only in February 1603 did Queen Elizabeth I take up the fugitive Hugh O'Neill's offer to submit. Mountjoy agreed the treaty of Mellifont but the revolt of the towns postponed his trip to court to claim the laurels as conqueror of Ireland from the new king, James I. James created him earl of Devonshire and appointed him lord lieutenant of Ireland. Mountjoy's governorship was chronicled by his secretary Fynes Moryson.

Hiram Morgan