This book offers a fundamental critique of conventional views of sixteenth-century Irish history that have stressed the centrality of colonization and military confrontation. It argues that reform rather than conquest was the aim of Tudor policy-makers, but shows that the immense difficulties faced by the reformers in pursuing their objectives forced them to make administrative innovations that ultimately contradicted and undermined their original policy.
Reviews
'The Chief Governors is a compelling book, lucidly and elegantly written ... this is a hugely important book which no one interested in early modern Ireland can afford to ignore. It should set the terms of debate for years to come.' Andrew Hadfield, Irish Studies Review
