Tone, Wolfe

Full Name: Wolfe Tone

Nationality: Irish | Activity: Irish leader

Born: 20-01-1763 | Died: 19-11-1798

Tone was born in Dublin on June 20, 1763. He was educated there at Trinity College and studied law at the Middle Temple in London. He became a lawyer in Ireland in 1789 but soon gave up his legal practice to involve himself in political reform. In 1791 he helped found the Society of United Irishmen. Tone's admiration for the doctrines of the French Revolution helped spur the calling of a Catholic convention in December 1792. In response the British government, faced with a major European war, tried to encourage Catholic loyalty by passing the Catholic Relief Act in 1793. It granted Catholics the vote, admission to the University of Dublin, and the chance to hold most civil offices. Tone, however, wanted to mobilize the Catholics into a movement for political freedom.

Failing at this, he decided to negotiate for aid directly with France. In June 1795 he traveled to the United States, where he made contact with emissaries from France. With letters of introduction to the French authorities, Tone then went to Paris in February 1796. There he laid out plans for a French expedition, claiming that the Irish people would rise in rebellion if supported by France.

An expedition with 43 ships and nearly 14,000 men left France on Dec. 15, 1796, but the force was dispersed by a storm on the Irish coast. A similar expedition from Holland was abandoned in September 1797. By the time Tone returned to Paris, Napoleon showed no interest in the Irish venture. When an insurrection broke out in 1798, Tone landed on the coast but was soon arrested. He was tried and sentenced to be hanged on November 12. On that morning he stabbed himself, and on November 19 he died of the self-inflicted wound.

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Source: Encyclopedia Britannica