The “Palatine” Earls: powers within their territories

The English Government had already become hopeless of ever conquering Ireland. They now went further and abandoned the duty of governing most of the land that had been conquered. That duty they surrendered to the three earls who were given ” Palatine ” powers* over their respective territories.

The Palatine Earls were for all purposes independent princes. They raised armies and levied war, appointed sheriffs, judges and other officers, created lords and knights, collected and administered taxes, granted lands, and had full power of life and death in their palatinates, without reference to, or interference from, the representatives of the King.

The English Government, in fact, abdicated its functions, and allowed its authority to be ousted in two-thirds of the lands which were still occupied by its nominal subjects.

The palatine Earls have powers within their territories, making these territories nearly sovereign jurisdictions with their own administrations and courts, largely independent of the king, though they owed allegiance to him.