Conrad von Rosen
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Conrad von Rosen (1628, Straupe – 1715) was a soldier from Livonia, noted for his long service in the French Army. He took part in the War of the Two Kings in Ireland on the Jacobite side. In 1689 he commanded the Irish Army during the unsuccessful Siege of Derry.[1]
Early career
He was born of Baltic German heritage in Straupe, then part of Swedish-controlled Livonia (today in Latvia). In 1646 he became a mercenary and joined the French Army, where he married the daughter of his Colonel.[2] He served throughout the various wars of Louis XIV, rising steadily through the ranks.
Ireland
von Rosen was one of a number of experienced French commanders sent to Ireland with James II in 1689. He served in Ulster, taking part in the Jacobite victory at the Battle of Cladyford where he overcame the stubborn defence of Colonel Adam Murray's Protestant troops, and forced a crossing of the River Finn.[3]
In June von Rosen arrived at Derry to take command of the siege of Derry. He immediately adopted a much more hard-line towards the defenders than his predecessor Richard Hamilton, who now became his deputy.[4] von Rosen began bombarding the city in a more intense fashion, while also aiming to force the defenders to submit through starvation. He rounded up many Protestants inhabitants of the surrounding countryside who had previously been given legal protections by Hamilton, and drove them towards the city walls hoping that the sight of them would dispirit the defenders. The garrison responded by threatening to hang Jacobite prisoners who had been taken during the siege. Hamilton quietly appealed the matter to King James, who ordered von Rosen to cease such activities. James was furious over the matter and described the General as a "bloody Muscovite".[5]
After the failure to take Derry the Jacobites withdrew southwards. Following the landing of Williamite reinforcements and their capture of Carrickfergus, von Rosen advocated abandoning and burning Dublin and retreating behind the River Shannon line a policy that was rejected by James II. When the Williamite Army was encamped at Dundalk, he dramatically reversed his advice and suggested that the Jacobite army should launch an immediate attack. King James and his Lord Lieutenant Richard Talbot rejected this as they felt any assault on the entrenched position of the enemy would be suicidal.
von Rosen then announced that he would leave Ireland. He sailed home with another French figure the Comte d'Avaux.
References
Bibliography
- Barratt, John. Battles for the Three Kingdoms: The Campaigns for England, Scotland and Ireland, 1689–92. Sutton, 2007.
- Childs, John. The Williamite War in Ireland, 1688–1691. Continuum, 2007.