Chapter 11 – The Irish Solution
The year of 1663 had seen a row of disasters for the Protectorate. Whilst the war against Spain had been resolved, the Anglo-Dutch war raged in favour of the Dutch, and Scotland was once more in open rebellion.
Fortunately for forces of the Protectorate, the rightful heir to the throne James Stuart remained abroad, serving in the Spanish Navy. He watched the rebellion with interest, but decided to wait to see if it became anything worth pursuing [1]. His recent conversion to Catholicism wasn’t well known, especially in Scotland, something which would further weaken his position if he returned [2]. The Scottish forces comprised of a loose alliance of Royalists, Republicans and groups with their own agendas. More than a few Republicans with financial ties to the United Provinces found their way to Scotland to help liberate the Protectorate ‘from the top down’ [3]. With the Protectorate troops forced to retreat into England, this coalition fell apart.
In his personal life, Lord Protector Oliver II suffered a great tragedy as the year opened. The poor weather of late 1663 had caused his son Oliver, only 5 at the time, to contract a severe illness that claimed his life in January 1664. Whilst he still had 5 children still living (Robert 16, Anne 15, Thomas 7, Elizabeth 4 and George 2), this loss may have profoundly affected his judgement. His brother-in-law Charles Fleetwood in his memoirs, writes of a ‘dark mood’ that overtook the Lord Protector [4].
The Lord Protector saw the need for a swift strike to bring an end to this rebellion. After deliberating with his close personal allies he called on his forces to move into Scotland. Some sources claimed that the Lord Protector quietly asked for an ‘Irish Solution to the Scottish Problem’. The Lord Protector unilaterally declared the rebellious forces in Scotland to be traitors. With the military at his back once more few disagreed that weren’t openly in rebellion. He also called upon all Scottish land owners and nobles to report themselves and as many men as they could provide to the service of the Protectorate, with compensation for those that did.
The Lord Protector also brought together 25,000 men to march on Scotland, a feat made easier by the return of the troops sent to serve in Portugal. At the border, they were met with land owners and nobles who had chosen to respond to the Lord Protector’s call. Their contribution was considered negligible by the Protectorate forces, and for Oliver it was more a way to separating out the traitorous elements from those who could be trusted to remain in control in Scotland [5].
In March 1664, the application of this ‘Irish Solution’ began in Scotland. For several months, the Protectorate forces moved through Scotland, relieving stranded fortifications and seizing land and wealth from anyone that opposed them. Little in the way of mercy was shown, and the Lord Protector purposefully sought to behead the rebellious elements in Scotland both figuratively and literally. By the end of Scottish Uprising, a great deal of the Scottish rebellious elements had either been slain in battle, or arrested for treason [6]. Those that had stayed out of the conflict or back the Lord Protector would be instrumental in the reconstruction of the Scottish political system. Rebellion and terrorism would continue on for centuries to come.
Rewards came thick and fast for those who had backed the Lord Protector’s campaign. A massive redistribution of lands into the hands of those who supported the Protectorate regime followed however there was not a selling of land in the way that had occurred in Ireland. Oliver wished to see as much Scottish land to remain in Scottish hands as possible, merely ensure it was the ‘right’ Scottish hands (after all many were good, Protestant people rather than the anarchic Catholics of Ireland) [7].
Furthermore, the Lord Protector and his allies drew up plans for a more comprehensive system along the lines of the Major-Generals to be rolled out across England and Scotland. It seemed inevitable now for Oliver, that after 10 years of struggling to maintain control, only force of arms could maintain the peace in a Godly fashion. The format of the Major-Generals would have to become a permanent facet of the Protectorate’s workings [8].
The position of Regional Governor General was created, with 14 posts set across the country appointed by the Lord Protector. The Governor General was responsible for all the military forces within the region, with an allocated permanent force to ensure the rule of law was followed and the collection of tax. Additional forces not directly assigned to a region fell under the command of the General’s Council, which consisted of all other senior commanders. The General’s Council answered to Parliament, though more directly to the Lord Protector, and had the power to ‘advised’ the Lord Protector on appointments for Governor Generals and ‘advised’ the Lord Protector on the deployment of troops across the Protectorate [9].
The appropriate legislation for the Regional Governor Generals was retro-actively passed by Parliament [10]. To further build stability within the nation, and since Scotland now had representation within the English parliament, the Parliament was asked to pass the Act of Union, which formally bound England and Scotland together as a single nation, Great Britain [11]. The Scots were allowed free elections with little interference, but the Scottish vote consisted of such a small percentage of the total that it made little difference either way. The nation’s official title would now be the Commonwealth of Great Britain and Ireland.
With Scotland back under control, and with a reputation to regain, the Protectorate set about planning the next stage of the Anglo-Dutch war. The Dutch had attempted to open peace negotiations over the course of 1664, but the Lord Protector stalled them at every opportunity [12]. The situation in Scotland partly affected the negotiations, but a deeper plot lay at its heart. The damage taken at Dunkirk had seen many otherwise serviceable ships held back for repairs during the previous engagement. The ordered construction of additional ships made at the beginning of the Oliver II’s reign was stunted but still bearing fruit. Now, the Protectorate could bring together a more concentrated fleet engage the Dutch [13]. Whilst the damage taken during the previous engagement still held back more ships than the Protectorate would have liked, it could muster enough force to challenge the Dutch fleet currently at anchor in the United Provinces’ European territory.
In September 1664, the Protectorate struck back at the United Provinces.
[1] James strikes me a pragmatist. Since the rebellion is only in Scotland and sporadic, he isn’t going to risk his neck going home until victory is pretty much assured.
[2] As in OTL James converts to Catholicism, especially as he is now likely to be a permanent resident of Spain. This pretty much brings any future Stuart claims to a grinding halt, no one in England or Scotland will approve a Catholic King.
[3] The Dutch are pretty much guaranteed to extend a line of credit to Republicans in Scotland. Anything that keeps the Protectorate from organising is good news for the Dutch.
[4] Due to the weather it seemed very likely that death will stalk the land. Its not the last loss the Lord Protector will suffer.
[5] The Lord Protector is effectively cleaning house in Scotland. This rebellion will give him a chance to reorganise the entire country.
[6] This is why Lord Protector Oliver II is remembered as being brutal. Scotland is forcibly brought into line by any means necessary.
[7] Although there will be a lot of hatred for England in Scotland now, particularly for the Lord Protector, selecting locals who support the regime to give greater power to ensures the situation will remain cool, for now.
[8] The Major Generals were never meant to be a permanent solution, and the system isn’t very well organised. A massive structural reorganisation will rebuild the system into a form that will retain control more effectively.
[9] Officially the Lord Protector retains control and the Generals answer to Parliament, however with the Lord Protectors Men influencing the Parliament to the degree it does it is really just consolidating more power into the hands of the General’s Council.
[10] Thanks to the Lord Protectors Men.
[11] The Lord Protector and his allies are trying to dissolve the Scottish identity as much as possible. An English-Scottish Union is a step forward for this. Right now, the Scottish don’t have the power to fight this move so they will just have put up with it for now. Pro-Scottish rebels will continue to operate but on an effective level Scotland and England are now tied together. This will also mean though that in the future the Scots will see Britain as something FORCED on them.
[12] The stalling is a necessary tactical move. It works though, and keeps the Dutch from launching any major offensives.
[13] The stalling has provided important breathing space to reorganise the fleet and bring in the additional ships. Fortunately the activity in Scotland hasn’t affected the majority of the Navy, so they are ready to fight the Dutch once more.