MARCH, 1599
Leon, Spain
"Your lordship, are you sure you wish to go on with this invasion? It is on the day of a Saint, and the Lord may not look kindly on that."
King Philip III looked over his navy, a combination of what him and his father had made. His troops were bording the ships, and in a few hours time they would be ready to ship off. "Father Miguel, the fact that the landing will take place on the day of Saint Patrick will only further God's grace. After all, has He not given us a sign when he struck Francis Drake down, or when He forced those English and Dutch galleons onto our shore? We will be fine, Father, as long as we do not upset Him." With that, Philip rode off to join his officers, and Father Miguel sighed as he gave the sign of the cross to the ships, and muttered a prayer.
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On the night of March 16th, 1599, Philip III landed with army of 600,000 on the south-western coast of Ireland after 9 days of sailing around the Bay of Biscay. He made his way to Cork suprisingly quietly and quickly, seeing as most of the British would be busy putting down rowdy celebrators of St. Patricks Day. Philip reached Cork at around noon, and soon surrounded the city, demanding that the British troops either surrender and give the city to the Spanish, come out and face the army on the field, or prepare for a siege. Not willing to contend with a seige, but also not having the numbers to stand up to the Spanish, and with the Irish civilians becoming increasingly rebellious, the English soon surrendered.
Phillip entered the city and held the British troops in the garrison dungeon. He announced that the city of Cork was now Spanish territory, and said that any Irish citizen who could prove that he could swiftly and accuratly load and fire a gun would be able to join the Spanish as they rooted the English out of the Emerald Isle. After 2 days of gathering volunteers, he moved up the eastern coast, liberating the city's of Killarney, Limerick, Galway, and Donegal before moving east and taking Longford.
Leon, Spain
"Your lordship, are you sure you wish to go on with this invasion? It is on the day of a Saint, and the Lord may not look kindly on that."
King Philip III looked over his navy, a combination of what him and his father had made. His troops were bording the ships, and in a few hours time they would be ready to ship off. "Father Miguel, the fact that the landing will take place on the day of Saint Patrick will only further God's grace. After all, has He not given us a sign when he struck Francis Drake down, or when He forced those English and Dutch galleons onto our shore? We will be fine, Father, as long as we do not upset Him." With that, Philip rode off to join his officers, and Father Miguel sighed as he gave the sign of the cross to the ships, and muttered a prayer.
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On the night of March 16th, 1599, Philip III landed with army of 600,000 on the south-western coast of Ireland after 9 days of sailing around the Bay of Biscay. He made his way to Cork suprisingly quietly and quickly, seeing as most of the British would be busy putting down rowdy celebrators of St. Patricks Day. Philip reached Cork at around noon, and soon surrounded the city, demanding that the British troops either surrender and give the city to the Spanish, come out and face the army on the field, or prepare for a siege. Not willing to contend with a seige, but also not having the numbers to stand up to the Spanish, and with the Irish civilians becoming increasingly rebellious, the English soon surrendered.
Phillip entered the city and held the British troops in the garrison dungeon. He announced that the city of Cork was now Spanish territory, and said that any Irish citizen who could prove that he could swiftly and accuratly load and fire a gun would be able to join the Spanish as they rooted the English out of the Emerald Isle. After 2 days of gathering volunteers, he moved up the eastern coast, liberating the city's of Killarney, Limerick, Galway, and Donegal before moving east and taking Longford.