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SIR JOHN NORRIS (c. 1547-1597)

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Originally appearing in Volume V19, Page 757 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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SIR See also:JOHN See also:NORRIS (c. 1547-1597)  , See also:English soldier, was the second son of See also:Henry See also:Norris, See also:Baron Norris of Rycote, and gained his earliest military experience in the See also:civil See also:wars in See also:France . In 1573 he went to See also:Ulster with See also:Walter Devereux, See also:earl of See also:Essex, winning fame by his conduct in the guerilla wars against the Irish, and being responsible for the See also:massacre on the See also:island of Rathlin in See also:July 1575; and in July 1577 he crossed over to the See also:Netherlands to assist the Dutch against the Spaniards . Having added to his reputation by his valour at the See also:battle of Rymenant, Norris returned to See also:England in See also:March 1584, and in the following July he was sent to See also:Ireland as See also:lord See also:president of See also:Munster; he accompanied the lord See also:deputy, See also:Sir See also:John See also:Perrot, on a See also:campaign in Ulster, and spoke eloquently in the Irish See also:parliament; but he disliked his See also:work and soon obtained his recall . In See also:August 1585 he was again in the Netherlands, commanding the English See also:army of 4400 men which See also:Elizabeth had sent to serve against the Spaniards . During his successful See also:relief of See also:Grave in See also:April 1586 he was wounded, and just after this event he was knighted by the See also:governor-See also:general, the earl of See also:Leicester; but he and Leicester were soon at variance, and many complaints of his conduct were sent to England . After taking See also:part in the battle of See also:Zutphen in See also:October 1586 Sir John was recalled to England; but in 1587 he went again to the Netherlands and was soon quarrelling with his new See also:superior, Peregrine Bertie, Lord See also:Willoughby de Eresby, and with Sir See also:William See also:Stanley . In 1588, when the See also:Spanish See also:Armada was expected, he was See also:marshal of the See also:camp at Tilbury; later in the same See also:year he served the See also:queen as See also:ambassador to the Dutch states, and in 1589 he and Sir See also:Francis See also:Drake led the See also:fleet which ravaged the coasts of See also:Spain and See also:Portugal . In 1591, and again in 1593, he aided Henry IV. of France in his struggle with the See also:League in See also:Brittany; and in May 1595 he landed again in Ireland, where he was still lord president of Munster . But this See also:time he was entrusted with more extensive See also:powers and was to assist the lord deputy, Sir William See also:Russell,, in subjugating Ulster . He did not, however, work harmoniously with Russell; his See also:health was failing and the gigantic task was too much for him . After fighting and negotiating with the O'Neills in Ulster, and warring in See also:Connaught, he asked for his recall . This was not granted, but he was sup-planted in his military command; and he retired to Munster and died at See also:Mallow on the 3rd of July 1597 .

His See also:

monument is in the See also:church of Tattendon, See also:Berkshire . See J . L . See also:Motley, The See also:United Netherlands, vol. ii . (1904) ; and R . Bagwell, Ireland under the Tudors, vol. iii . (189o) .

End of Article: SIR JOHN NORRIS (c. 1547-1597)
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