While the hostile armies watched each other in Flanders,
hostilities were carried on with somewhat more vigour in other
parts of Europe. The French gained some advantages in Catalonia
and in Piedmont. Their Turkish allies, who in the east menaced
the dominions of the Emperor, were defeated by Lewis of Baden in
a great battle. But nowhere were the events of the summer so
important as in Ireland.

From October 1690 till May 1691, no military operation on a large
scale was attempted in that kingdom. The area of the island was,
during the winter and spring, not unequally divided between the
contending races. The whole of Ulster, the greater part of
Leinster and about one third of Munster had submitted to the
English. The whole of Connaught, the greater part of Munster, and
two or three counties of Leinster were held by the Irish. The
tortuous boundary formed by William's garrisons ran in a north
eastern direction from the bay of Castlehaven to Mallow, and
then, inclining still further eastward, proceeded to Cashel. From
Cashel the line went to Mullingar, from Mullingar to Longford,
and from Longford to Cavan, skirted Lough Erne on the west, and
met the ocean again at Ballyshannon.68

On the English side of this pale there was a rude and imperfect
order. Two Lords Justices, Coningsby and Porter, assisted by a
Privy Council, represented King William at Dublin Castle. Judges,
Sheriffs and Justices of the Peace had been appointed; and
assizes were, after a long interval, held in several county
towns. The colonists had meanwhile been formed into a strong
militia, under the command of officers who had commissions from
the Crown. The trainbands of the capital consisted of two