The complicated history of Northern Ireland is hotly contested. The bloody 30-year conflict known as the Troubles caused thousands of deaths, with deep divisions across Northern Ireland, and the situation remains highly divisive to this day. This four-part series will examine the entire history of the Troubles, from the causes of the conflict to the long and difficult peace negotiations. In this first episode, we take an in depth look at the origin of the Troubles. Though the conflict began in earnest in 1969, the divisons that caused it can be traced back centuries.
Watch the rest of our Troubles series:
Episode 1 – Origins:
Episode 2 – Escalation:
Episode 3 – Division:
Episode 4 – Peace:
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The English Civil War, also known as the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, was a 30-year conflict that took place from 1642-1651. This war was the culmination of centuries of political, religious, and economic tension that had been building up within the English state.
The tensions leading up to the Civil War can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where disputes between the English monarchy and the nobility were common. These disagreements were based on differing ideas about governance and who had the right to rule. This tension persisted through the Tudor period, with religious conflict adding to the mix as the English Church broke away from Rome and the Reformation spread throughout Europe.
By the time of the Stuart dynasty in the early 17th century, these tensions had come to a head. James I and Charles I faced resistance from Parliament over their attempts to raise taxes without their consent and to exert more control over the English Church. Religious differences between Catholics and Protestants also contributed to tension, with fears of a Catholic plot to overthrow the government.
The situation escalated when Charles I dissolved Parliament and ruled without them for 11 years, a period known as the ‘Personal Rule’. This only accentuated the growing resentment against him and his government. In 1642, Parliament established the New Model Army, a professional military force commanded by Oliver Cromwell, and declared war on the King.
The first few years of the war saw both sides win victories and suffer defeats, but by 1645 Parliament had gained the upper hand. Charles I surrendered in 1646 and was imprisoned. However, the war was not over yet. In 1648, Royalists launched a second uprising, known as the Second Civil War. This was crushed by the New Model Army, and Charles I was put on trial for treason. He was found guilty and executed in 1649.
This did not put an end to the conflict, however. Royalist forces continued to fight, now under the leadership of Charles II, the son of the executed king. The war finally ended in 1651 with the Battle of Worcester, where Cromwell’s forces defeated the Royalists and forced Charles II into exile.
The English Civil War was a significant moment in English history, representing a major turning point in the development of the English state. It marked the end of the absolute power of the monarchy and the beginning of parliamentary democracy. It also solidified the position of the Church of England as the dominant religious institution in the country.
The roots of the conflict can be traced back to centuries of tension and disagreement between the monarchy, the nobility, and Parliament. These tensions were compounded by religious differences and disputes over taxation and governance. The events of the Civil War demonstrate the consequences of these long-running disputes and the importance of compromise in resolving them.
Have to say their wouldn’t of been to many Protestants/loyalists attacking soldiers like the guy said at 13 .40 maybe during serious times in the conflict but not very often. most Protestants wanted to join the army including myself .
Centuries of tension is a nice way of saying centuries of murder. If England never invaded then thete would be no troubles. Ireland should be reunited and anyone who doesn't like that should be offered a home in England
It was a potato blight not a famine. Not being alllowed to eat the other food we grew which was exported from Ireland at the barrel of a gun is what caused the famine. It was a genocide.
Perce had sweet f all to do with planning the rebellion ….it was a Tyrone man by the name of Tom Clarke that drove the planning process of rebellion
Tom Clarke was a great man that the British hated …he was their greatest prize in 1916….
800 years we were occupied by the English. My ancestors were murdered, starved, raped, dis-possessed, by the occupation forces. We still have 6 counties of our island occupied by foreign troops.
I am very proud that my grandfather fought in the War of Independence, and took part in the official handing over of Dublin Castle to the new nation. The English show no gratitude to us for building all the canal system, or building the entire railway system, or building the motorways, or for the 35,000 Republic citizens who joined the British forces in WW2.
With the English it is just take, take, take.
I am now unsubscribing from the channel, and blocking any notifications about the content.
Since when was shooting people murdering people, and blowing people up ”a trouble”this is minimising in the extreme…., I heard a radio article the other day on the anniversary of the Good Friday agreement and they are still referring to it as “ the troubles”. This is absurd ……it was a Civil War. No other phrase would be honest enough to describe it
During my visit the people of Ulster were absolutely delightful. Didn't ask their religious connections !
i am from Ethiopia .sectarianism is ravishing my beloved country. The division is ethnic. What can anybody from Ireland tell my people tp live in peace and harmony?
Actually, discrimination was the root cause of these troubles
03:21 “Export food for profit”? Do people export food other ways? For a loss?
tear the walls down
Interesting in 1850 my great great grandfather left Ireland from Londonderry n move to Australia. He meet Ned Kelly who was catholic n interest that Victoria didn’t become republic if Ned Kelly or Eureka stockade had one battle. This change history n kid who grew up in 80’s n remember bombings couldn’t understand why this was happening as our church United Church, Church of England n Catholic Church had Joint Easter n Christmas services in our community. I believe Ireland should be one country n Queen should have resolved this issue.
The unionists have to treat Catholics well now as they rely on Catholic unionists to maintain the existence of the country given that the population divide is 50/50. This is very hard for many unionists to deal with as they are used to getting things their own way the past 400 years.
England is the problem. They and the Unionists started the Troubles to keep Ulster English. Was 1600 dead and 16 000 wounded worth it ?
Now they the same with Scotland.
How can you skip the Irish parliament vote to join the union and the explosion of population on the Island between 1800-1840?
Also very little context around the Rising. No mention of the bolshevik tendencies of the era and the contemporary conceptions of nationhood. No mention of American influence.
As an attempt at context setting it's a little weak.
On this planet there are two types of nations British like nations and Irish like nations. One people try whatever to break free but the more they try the less freedom they end up with. The relationship is simply similar to that of cancer and body. In all the continents cancerous conflicts played out similarly. This is fed by fear an irrational fear that defy any logic to reaching meaningful peaceful conclusions. I wonder if natural calamities are coming to overwhelm the polarity by destroying earth in order to reconfigure the world map. Flooding or natural fires will be fixing for this job. Tsunamis, tornadoes or epidemic plagues are not sufficient. The world map was used to physically divide, isolate or dispossess communities. Imagine Britain is split into three independent nations who are also proxies to outsiders.
I found this channel yesterday, and I am legit more excited than i ever was at christmas as a child 😀
I think it's stupid on religious people fighting when there bible say love one another. It's time to get rid of all relgions
All of you complaining please be quiet. Let people learn. Because as you Irish always claim that us Americans know nothing about the Troubles perhaps you could shut your mouths and let us learn.
Surely the words…lmperial…and ….War give us a bit of a clue!
P.S. A great book The Dissenring Voice by Flann Campbell is well worth the read.
Awesome history I like it
Blame it on the Norman invasion.
The narrative of this video seems mostly fair but there is a distinct lack of emphasis on nationalist violence: rather the presentation is that British forces caused escalation, as if the IRA etc were just responding to their oppression rather than initiating violence themselves. This is precisely the narrative that Sinn Fein/IRA presents to the world today.
The British treated people like rubbish? What a surprise!
13:39 It's only a united Kingdom city because you went there and murdered people. Mumbai is a United Kingdom city by the same definition. People aren't arrested in trials in United Kingdom cities.
You talk about this as though there are two sides. The British people invaded Ireland, and then crushed all righteous resistance. God forbid they be afraid while occupying Irish land.
Mm please remember that originally Carson and Craig ("Ulster" this and "Ulster" that) were offered all 9 Cos of that ancient Irish province. But that then would have meant 52/48 split just in favour of unionism (too close to call). So they abandoned the 3 (just as much in Ulster as the other 6): Cavan, Monaghan and Donegal which remained in the then Saorstat Eireann/Irish Free State. But even with just the 6 Cos in NI (and now 66/34 split, a clear 2 to 1 majority) they still blatently discriminated in jobs and housing, plus blatent local govt gerrymandering. Look up (all local NI laws) Special Powers Act (included flogging and internment without trial), Promissory Oaths Act (everyone had to take an Oath Of Allegiance for any job incl even being a local roadsweeper), Flags and Emblems Act (Irish Tricolour effecively banned) etc. And meanwhile the UK Govt ignored all of this as the sovereign power, until the "faeces hit the propellor" in the late 1960s. The then NICRA ("one man one vote") peacefully just wanted internal reform, instead, they got RUC baton charges etc. The rest is history.
Among many important ommisions you left out the fact that many of the early revolutionaries where communists. This made the british double down on their exicutions for fear of a communist revovlution in England
Im 100% republican so my comment is admittedly bias.
But I feel sorry for the random british soldier from the british island dropped in (they defo were ‘mostly’ NOT ‘piggies in the middle’ thou. They were bias against Irish (makes sense on a base level) when one side is against you and the other isnt but bias non the less. I also feel sorry for the IRA Soldiers who fought against occupation.
But this idea that the RUC/brit army were ‘neutral’ is nonsense.
If brit terrorists never entered in the first place…
It fails to mention the greed of the Americans for selling infected potatoes to the Irish just to make money.
The origins? English occupation.
You say you don’t know to what extent the British army collaborated with the loyalist paramilitary groups, can’t you find out?? Is there an equivalent of the Freedom of Information Act requests in the UK? I don’t think peace and healing can happen and people can start to move forward towards solutions until they admit what they did and how they mistreated the Catholics and apologize!
You can understand why protestants dont want to leave the united kingdom, England has pretty much ruled over ireland since the 1500s
A good documentary. Previous to the plantation of Ulster, Hugh O'Neill, Earl of Tyrone along with Red Hugh O'Donnell from Donegal and their allies almost beat the English from our shores. Alas to fail at the battle of Kinsale.
There’s no difference between Protestant and Catholic Irish and the Israelis and Palestinians. The only ridiculous part is that the Irish are all Irish. How absurd
Let's call the plantations what they were. Ethnic cleansing.
I took an amazing guided tour with 2 guides in this area.
Both were convicted during the troubles from both communities.
The walking tour was amazing with both sides explaining their ( still) very conflicting views. I recommend this experience to anyone visiting Belfast
As one of the British officers involved at the time said , "it was a war". Yet, the history of this recent British Civil War is not taught really at school to British students. I have met so many British ppl over the years who are just unaware of what happened in their country for 30 horrible, long years. It's not their fault of course, as the reality clashes with the narrative the UK government prefers to tell in school history classes.
They misspelled "800 years of colonial rule"