English victory 1641–42 Irish Rebellion 1642–49 1649–53 Cromwellian Conquest The siege of Charlemont took place in July – 14 August 1650 during the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland when the fortress of Charlemont in County Armagh Ireland was besieged by Charles Coote's Parliamentarian army, which was largely composed of soldiers of the New Model Army.

The force led by Coote eventually took the fort from its Irish defenders, but not before they suffered heavy losses, with some 500 Parliamentarian Soldiers being killed during assaults on the formidable stronghold.

[citation needed] Charlemont was the first stronghold to be captured in the Irish uprising of 1641, seized a force led by Felim O'Neill within 24 hours of the outbreak of the rebellion.

Realising that the fort would be near impossible to capture without heavy artillery, Venables and Coote brought siege cannon and mortars with their army when they commenced their attack in late July.

Felim O'Neill rallied the entire garrison as well as the civilian inhabitants to mount a vigorous defence at the breach- even the women had armed themselves as best they could.

The terms that O'Neill obtained were that he and his men would march out with bag and baggage after their wounds had healed, and proceed to a port where Coote would have ship waiting to carry them overseas.

[citation needed] Coote bore a great deal of responsibility for the massive casualties he suffered during the siege.

Like other Irish Protestant commanders such as Roger Boyle, he had proven himself ruthless on a number of occasions, executing any enemy who fell into his hands.

[3] From a Parliamentarian perspective, the fall of Charlemont completed the English conquest of Ulster and left Sir Charles Coote free to advance on Athlone, the passage to the province of Connacht.