Siege of Limerick (1691)

Siege of Limerick (1691)
Part of the Williamite War in Ireland
The treaty stone on which the Treaty of Limerick was signed in 1691
Date August – October, 1691 Location Limerick, Kingdom of Ireland Result Williamite victory Treaty of Limerick Evacuation of Jacobite and French troops from Ireland
Belligerents
Williamites England	Jacobites France
Commanders and leaders
Lord Ginkell	Earl of Lucan
Strength
20,000	14,000
Casualties and losses
low, though likely some deaths from disease	c.800 killed

The siege of Limerick in western Ireland was a second siege of the town during the Williamite War in Ireland (1689–1691). The city, held by Jacobite forces, was able to beat off a Williamite assault in 1690. However, after a second siege in August–October 1691, it surrendered on favourable terms.

Siege

By the time of the second siege, the military situation had turned against the Jacobites; their main force had been badly defeated at the Battle of Aughrim in July, with over 4,000 killed, including their commander, the Marquis de St Ruth, and thousands more either taken prisoner or deserted. The town of Galway capitulated in July 1691; its Jacobite garrison was accorded 'all the honours of war,' which allowed them to retain their weapons and receive a free pass to Limerick.

However, although its defences had been considerably strengthened since 1690, morale was now much lower after a series of defeats and retreats. By now, siege warfare was an exact art, the rules of which were so well understood wagering on their outcome and duration had become a popular craze; the then enormous sum of £200,000 was alleged to have been bet on the siege.