Date Thesis Awarded

5-2016

Access Type

Honors Thesis -- Access Restricted On-Campus Only

Degree Name

Bachelors of Arts (BA)

Department

History

Advisor

Ronald Schechter

Committee Members

Kathrin Levitan

Kim Wheatley

Abstract

Theobald Wolfe Tone was one of the leaders of the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He and his allies worked initially for moderate reform and later to establish Ireland as an independent republic free from English rule. Tone devoted the latter part of his career to negotiations with the French government to acquire a military force to assist in Ireland’s liberation. While the French did eventually agree, the rebellion was unsuccessful. Tone documented his life in a series of personal and public writings, which have been studied by historians since the nineteenth century. For much of this time, scholars have treated Tone as a symbol for various causes and sought to align him with modern political perspectives. This thesis strives to present Tone more complexly, demonstrating that his precise political views varied according to the situation and that his political and diplomatic skills themselves deserve more attention than they have thus far received.

Recommended Citation

Trevor, Abigail Clancy, "Theobald Wolfe Tone as a Politician and Diplomat" (2016). Undergraduate Honors Theses. William & Mary. Paper 954.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/honorstheses/954