Traitor Revealed(c.1690s)

The portrait of Colonel Henry Luttrell captures one of the most notorious figures in Irish history—a man whose name became synonymous with betrayal during the turbulent years of the Williamite War. Initially a loyal Jacobite, Luttrell commanded a regiment of horse for King James II and fought bravely at the pivotal Battle of Aughrim. But it was during the Siege of Limerick in 1691 that his reputation took a fateful turn.(Image: Portrait of Colonel Henry Luttrell (c. 1655–1717))

Suspicion grew that Luttrell was secretly corresponding with the Williamite commander, Godert de Ginkell, helping to undermine the city’s defense from within. When his duplicity was discovered, Luttrell was court-martialed by his fellow Jacobites and imprisoned in King’s Island Castle. The city eventually fell, and Luttrell’s true allegiance became clear: he openly switched sides, bringing several Irish cavalrymen over to King William III.

For his treachery, Luttrell was lavishly rewarded. The forfeited Luttrellstown Castle estate—previously belonging to his loyal, exile brother Simon—was granted to him, along with a sizeable pension reportedly worth £500 a year. In 1702, King William appointed Luttrell as a Major-General in the Dutch Service, further cementing his status and security. Yet Luttrell’s wealth and position could not shield him from public loathing. He was universally despised throughout Ireland, referred to simply as “the traitor.”

After the death of King William, Luttrell retired to Luttrellstown, living out his days in isolation and perpetual fear. His life ended violently: in 1717, while being carried in a sedan chair near his townhouse on Stafford Street, Dublin, Luttrell was shot in the chest by an unknown assassin. He died the following day, and his funeral brought little solace. In a final act of public vengeance, his grave was desecrated during the Irish Rebellion of 1798, when a mob broke open his coffin and smashed his skull.

The legacy of Colonel Henry Luttrell is one of infamy—his actions during the Siege of Limerick and subsequent reward by the Williamite regime made him a lasting symbol of betrayal in Irish nationalist memory. His story is a cautionary tale of shifting allegiances, the high stakes of war, and the enduring power of public opinion.