His thesis is simple: English policy in Ireland was shaped to a greater extent than has previously been realized by foreign policy and the power politics of the Counter Reformation... A brief but important book.'CHOICE Dr Palmer explores the role of sixteenth-century Ireland in considerable depth, examining how it changed during times of crisis abroad, and how the tensions provoked by the Reformation in England introduced an ideological element into international politics. He shows how the failure of Henry's invasions of Scotland and France in the 1540s led to greater involvement in Ireland by these countries, which in turn led to the entry of more and more English officials into Ireland and the implementation of increasingly aggressive policies. This study thus shows that Tudor rule in Ireland reflected wider international politics, with significant implications.WILLIAM PALMERis Professor of History at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia.