Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford (1593–1641) is one of the great controversial figures of English history. For many he was 'the Great Apostate' who abandoned the cause of liberty in the 1620s. For others he was a herioc figure who died on the scaffold as the King's good servant. In making a judgement about Strafford, his years of power, as Lord Deputy of Ireland (1633–40), are or crucial importance. Professor Kearney's definitive account, first published in 1959 provides essential reading for those studying the origins of the Civil Wars.