James II and the Jacobean War is a report that presents the events leading up to, including, and following the Jacobean War of 1689-1691. There is little of consequence that was left out that should be considered. The author discusses the events and blossoming tensions that led up to the war as well as the major players in each army. The report presents the war in a watered down version of what was certainly a complex, in-depth, and extensive topic on which to research. It is evident the author endeavored to include the most important persons, battles, and consequences of each battle. A reader, subsequently, gains a basic knowledge of the war and, in fact, an interest to study it further.
The paper focuses on the Catholic-Protestant aspect of the war. Although political struggles existed in the Jacobean War, the author felt the long-lasting effects of the war fell in the religious aspect. Rightly so. As the author concluded, religious tensions and hostilities continue in today's Ireland. There is little background with respect to Ireland and its situation at the time of the war. The author felt the war hinged upon the actions of James II and William of Orange. The situation in Ireland and its religious tensions was affected but not the focus: James II and William of Orange advocated tolerance.
The author presents a relatively chronologically accurate account of the war. A few instances the author presents a hindsight view of the war; a brief look into the futility or the fortuitousness of an army action. Understandably, this method of insight allows the author to bridge the complicated and lengthy account of the initial event and its conclusion. The battles and events of the war are interpreted based on their outcome: if the Williamites pushed the Jacobites back, the battle is considered a Williamite victory and vice versa. The author needs little historical background and education to determine if a battle is a victory to one side and a crushing defeat on the other.
The report presents personages and events of great interest. James II, William of Orange, and Patrick Sarsfield, to name a few, are fascinating historical persons who most certainly have colorful stories of their own. The Jacobean War, to this reader, was not known as a religiously-based war; after reading the report, facts are presented and a reader cannot refute the blatant emphasis of the war on religion. The author provides a disclaimer that the war had other political factors as well as religious. The author then discusses the war in terms of religious aspects.
The paper has several strong points. The author presents events chronologically and intersperses with accounts of battles the repercussions of that particular battle to the moral or general stance of an army. This aspect is important in that often a reader will not pay particular attention to an event accounted unless that event or battle was categorized as significant; the author prepares the reader to focus on the actions of a particular battle. The paper does not focus on the minutia of the war. Understandably, there is much written on the war and much to be said concerning the motivations of James II and William of Orange. However, the paper has a clear focus, the religious aspect, which allows for relatively concise coverage of the war. This aspect also translates into today's Ireland which still bares the affects of the religious Jacobean War. The paper is concluded neatly, concisely, and with a specific purpose in mind. The author apparently wished to focus on the affects of the Jacobean War on the Irish people and their lives. Their religious tensions, the author felt, needed to be substantiated or at minimum rooted to an origin. Although the religious strife of Ireland did not originate from the Jacobean War, the strife was intensified by the war. The author expresses this point clearly.
Overall, this paper succeeds in educating the reader about the Jacobean War with relation to the intensified tensions of Catholic and Protestant religions. The paper mentions several aspects of the war that had a great affect on its outcome; however, focus needed to be established and is done neatly with attention drawn to religion. The paper entices the reader to learn more about the war by offering subsequent motivations and actions of the armies and peoples. The author succeeds in stimulating a reader's desire to learn which is, to this reader, a complete success.