Hugh Dubh O'Neill

Hugh Dubh O'Niell, Earl of Tyrone, also known as "Black Hugh", was an Irish earl and soldier in during the 17th century, who is best known for fighting against Oliver Cromwell's British armies during the Irish Confederate War.

O'Niell was born in Brussels Belguium in 1611, the son of exiled Irish earl Art Og O'Niell. As a young man, Hugh served with the Spanish in the Eighty Years War against the United Provinces of the Netherlands. In 1641, Hugh's uncle Owen Roe O'Niell led a Spanish-supported invasion in support of an Irish uprising, which ended with Ireland gaining de-facto independence from England. During the war, Hugh was initially captured by Scottish Covenanter troops, but one of a number of Irish prisoner was exchanged for captured Scots in a prisoner swap. O'Niell went on to play a role in the Irish victory at the Battle of Benburb in 1646.

After Owen Roe O'Neill died in 1649, Hugh took command of the Irish armies in Ulster. When Oliver Cromwell invaded the same year, Hugh led his army against the English invaders. From April to May 1650, Hugh held the city of Clonmel against an English siege. When English artillery breached the walls of the city, Hugh had his men build a V-shaped coupure (earthwork or pallisade built behind a breach), and placed pikemen, musketeers, and cannon loaded with chain shot to defend it. During the first English assault, between 2000 and 2500 soldiers of Cromwell's New Model Army died in a single day. A second English assault by Cromwell's elite Ironsides unit was similarly repelled. After one month's siege, Clonmel finally fell, the defenders running low on supplies and ammunition.

O'Niell, however, escaped Clonmel before it fell and fought Cromwell's general Henry Ireton at the siege of Limerick, holding the city from a first siege in 1650, but surrendered after a second siege in 1651, the seige of Limerick cost the English over 2000 men including Ireton himself, who died of the bubonic plague (possibly related to unsanitary conditions at the siege) a month after the city fell.

After the siege, Hugh was captured and originally sentenced to death, but it was never carried out and he was instead imprisoned Tower of London. Hugh's imprisonment was cut short when a Spanish ambassador to England successfully argued that Hugh was a Spanish subject. Hugh was freed and sent to Spain on the condition that he never again take action against and English army.

Hugh never fought the English again, though he did serve as a Spanish artillery commander fighting against a rebellion in Catalonia. The Spanish recognized Hugh as the rightful Earl of Tyrone, and Hugh attempted to get his lands restored after Cromwell's death and the restoration of the English monarchy, however Charles II refused to grant the request and Hugh died a year later in 1661.