Description

Founded during the reign of King Henry VIII in 1541, the Honorable Society of King’s Inns stood at the absolute epicenter of Irish legal, political, and social authority for centuries. Kings Inns and the Kingdom of Ireland delivers a masterfully researched chronicle of this elite institution during the crucial centuries leading up to the year 1800.

The text investigates how the training of barristers, the enforcement of colonial law, and the dynamic growth of Dublin’s legal elite mirrored the broader political transformations of the nation. From the turbulent religious shifts of the 17th century to the dazzling wealth and architectural expansion of Georgian Dublin, this book shows how the courtroom and the parlor rooms of King’s Inns shaped the constitutional destiny of the Kingdom of Ireland.

Key insights for legal and academic researchers:

• Definitive Institutional History: A thoroughly researched look at the administration, member registers, and inner workings of King’s Inns.

• Dublin Political Context: Explores the close relationship between the ruling legal class, Dublin Castle, and the old Irish Parliament.

• Rich Archival Documentation: Draws extensively from historical charter records, court transcripts, and early modern legal diaries.