Irish Fright (1688)

The Irish Fright occurred in December 1688, during the Glorious Revolution in England. Rumors spread that Irish soldiers, part of the Jacobite Irish Army supporting King James II, were planning to massacre and pillage in retaliation for James's overthrow. The false reports triggered panic, leading to mass mobilization for defense. The panic spread rapidly across England, reaching at least nineteen counties, with towns mobilizing militias and arming against the supposed Irish threat. The Fright subsided within days, and while its instigators remain unclear, it reflected the febrile political climate after James II's flight and anti-Catholic sentiments.