1599 Sir Robert Cecil dies of a stroke. The Earl of Essex belays his expedition to Ireland, hoping to take advantage of the power vacuum, with the death of his great rival.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essex_in_Ireland
Essex's rising is larger, and more destructive
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2nd_Earl_of_Essex#Essex_rebellion
It is put down with great loss of life and treasure. William Shakespeare is among the dead in London.
1600 taking advantage of events in England, In June. The Spanish flotilla, sent to Kinsale the year earlier, in our timeline manages to get to Ireland. They land in Killibegs, and Teelin, lands firmly under the control of their Irish Allies
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Kinsale
1601-1601. ``The St Martins Summer of the Gael''`` They year of the Wilde Irish''
The Irish sweep across their Island. The get to the gates of Dublin With Spanish Gold and muskets and Brandy the Gaels rise. The rising spreads to the Highlands. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clan_Donald decides to cast in at least some, of its lot with the Spanish.
Bristol, is burned by Spanish fireships. Glasgow is raided by a Highland host. The University is burned.
1602. James 6th, killed at Drongan by Highlander-Spanish-Irish forces. Henry the Crown prince of Scotland
is taken hostage, by the Spanish. ( This Highland victory, is achieved by a mixture of luck. But remember http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alasdair_MacColla and Bonnie Dundee, won battles with similar troops
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Killiecrankie
I am telescoping Scottish and Irish History somewhat. Aside from the defeat, the young Prince Henry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Frederick,_Prince_of_Wales is a prisoner
The future Charles 1st, is safe with his Nurse. Charles is believed too young and too sickly to accompany the army http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_I_of_England
1602 Elizabeth dies. On her death bed she instructs the privy council, to proclaim an English Lord as Regent. With the Death of James 1st, and the incapacity and minority of his son.
Winter of 1602-1603. Anglo Dutch Alliance forged, by the Regent. Dutch naval forces, and veterans are supplied to the English Crown. In return for accepting the Crown of the Netherlands. (Held in trust, until the coronation of an English Monarch)
1603. Defeat of the Highlander forces by the Regent, and Lowlander forces. Scottish Parliament, proclaims The Regent of England, Regent of Scotland, during the minority of Henry
1604. Relief of Dublin, Irish army is bit by bit broken, and bloodied. The Regent, is proclaimed, Regent of Ireland, by the Irish Parliament. Old English families in the Pale, pledge loyalty
Summer 1604. Invasion of Ulster, by Scots and English armies. Dutch fleet, in action around Irish coast.
1605 ``Flight of the Host''. The Spanish evacuate their Irish army. ( Highlander, and other interlopers) out of Donegal Bay.
1607 Rising of Anglo Irish in the Pale crushed, in response to attempt by the Regent to supress Catholicism there. Rising is made in the name of King.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Rebellion_of_1641 More refugees flee to the Spanish, and French. ( OTL, we have the flight of the Earls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_of_the_Earls. However in this timeline. There is a movement of several thousand people . Now in our time line, there were more Irish refugees than is often believed. They are mentioned as Beggars and Prostitutes in Spanish literature of the time.
1607 onwards. Plantation of the Old Pale, Ulster and Munster. Ireland settled, by Lowlanders, English and other European Protestant's. Dutch-Germans-Scandinavians. Major effort to convert the Irish and Highlanders who remain. ( In OTL this might have been much more sucessful than imagined) At least in the Old Pale. Catholicism, survives, in the West. Ireland remains quiet from this point onwards.
1607-1609 Spanish and Anglo Dutch forces clash, in the Netherlands. Defeat of the Spanish. With the closing of the English road. The Channel route as the Spanish road, will close, as in our time line.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Road
There is no peace with Spain. There will be no Spanish Match later
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Match
1609 Peace of Brussels. Spanish agree never to interfere in Ireland. Evacuation of Spanish Netherlands. No peace beyond the line in the New World. Spanish must agree never to use Army of Ireland, against the English crown. Henry returned, from Spain, but viewed as suspect, as his time in the Spanish court.
Power of the Regency, increases, with Henry's death as, in our time line. Poisoned by the Dons goes the court legend.
Army of the Irish sees some service against the Moors. Posted in Galicia, awaits invasion that never comes. Banditry and desertions are rife. O'Neill, takes the title of Protector of the Irish. He does not go to Rome, as he did in OTL.
1610 Irish army dispatched to Buenos Aires, on the pretext of war against the local Indians. Court Gossip was that the English could forgive Spain, but not forget the Irish. O Neil is awarded freedom, from taxes for his army and their heirs.
1611 Irish arrive in Buenos Aires. They move to the outskirts of the town. The Portuguese merchants dominating the port
1610-1630 Irish settlement, brings rewards. Pampas, are quickly pacified by the light and fast moving Irish veterans. Leather traded in return.
