Ipsus. A town of Phrygia, in Asia Minor. Here in 301 B.C., a battle was fought between Antigonus, king of Asia, and the forces of Cassander, Lysimachus, Ptolemy, and Seleucus, which resulted in the defeat and death of Antigonus.
Ipswich. The chief town of the county of Suffolk, England, situated on the Orwell. This town was destroyed by the Danes about 1000.
Ireland. Anciently named Ierne and Hibernia, is said to have been first colonized by Phœnicians. Some assert that Partholani landed in Ireland about 2048 B.C.; that the descent of the Damnonii was made about 1403 B.C.; and that this was followed by the descent of Herber and Heremon, Milesian princes, from Galicia, Spain, who conquered Ireland, and gave to the throne 171 kings. The Danes and Normans invaded Ireland in 795; but were totally defeated by Brian Boriomhe at Clontarf, April 23, 1014. In 1172, King Henry II. of England invaded Ireland with a formidable armament, and received homage from several of the minor native chiefs, and from the chief Norman adventurers, granting to the latter charters authorizing them, as his subjects, to take possession of the entire island in his name; which they partially succeeded in accomplishing. Subsequently the authority of the English crown became limited to a few towns on the coast, and the district termed “the Pale,” comprising a small circuit about Dublin and Drogheda. Henry II. received the title of “king of Ireland” in 1541, by an act passed by the Anglo-Irish Parliament in Dublin; and about the same period, some of the native princes were induced to acknowledge him as their sovereign, and to accept peerages. The attempts of the English government to introduce the reformed faith stirred up dissensions in Ireland. Among the first to revolt was the Earl of Desmond, after whose death, in 1583, his vast estates in Munster were parceled out to English settlers. Soon after the chief clans of Ulster took up arms; and in opposing them, the forces of Queen Elizabeth, commanded by officers of high military reputation, encountered many reverses, the most serious of which was that in 1598 at the battle of the Yellow Ford, where the English army was routed and its general slain. Philip III. of Spain, at the solicitation of the Irish chief, dispatched a body of troops to their assistance in 1601, which landed in the extreme south, instead of in the north, as had been expected, were unable to effect anything, and were constrained, to surrender. Although Elizabeth was supported by numbers of native Irish, the northern chiefs, O’Neill and O’Donnell, held out till the queen’s government came to terms with them in 1603, recognizing them as earls of Tyrone and Tirconnell. In 1608 these noblemen having apprehensions for their personal safety quitted Ireland, and retired to the continent. Their withdrawal enabled James I. to carry out that project of parceling out the north of Ireland to Protestant Scotch and English settlers. The Irish took advantage of the contentions in England to rise in insurrection (1641) and massacre the Protestants. It is believed that nearly 40,000 fell victims to their fury. The country continued in a state of anarchy till 1649. when Cromwell overran it. At the revolution the native Irish generally took the part of James II., the English and Scotch “colonists” that of William and Mary; and the war was kept up for four years (1688-1692). The Irish again rebelled in 1798, and were not suppressed until 1800. Ireland was incorporated with England and Scotland in 1801. Several insurrections have taken place since the latter date but were quickly suppressed. For important military events in Ireland, see separate articles.
Irish Brigade. A body of men who followed the fortunes of James II., and were formed into regiments under the monarchy of France.
Iron Cross. A Prussian order of knighthood, instituted on March 10, 1813, by Frederick William III., and conferred for distinguished services in the war which was then being carried on. The decoration is an iron cross with silver mounting. The grand cross, a cross of double the size, was presented exclusively for the gaining of a decisive battle, or the capture or brave defense of a fortress. It was revived by William I. in the Franco-Prussian war, and awarded by him to his son for his victory at Weissembourg, August 4, 1870.
Iron Crown. The crown of the ancient Lombard kings; is a broad band of gold set with jewels, within which is a thin plate or fillet of iron, and is declared by tradition to have been hammered from one of the nails of the true cross. It has been used at the coronation of 34 different monarchs, including Charlemagne, Henry VII. of Germany, Charles V., and Napoleon. After the peace of Vienna in 1866, the crown was presented by the emperor of Austria to Victor Emmanuel, king of Italy.
Iron Ores. Character of Pig-iron.—Ores suitable for “gun-metal” should be reduced in the smelting-furnace, with charcoal and the warm blast, varying from 125° to 300° Fahr., depending upon the ore used. Iron thus made, or pig-iron, should be soft, yielding easily to the file and chisel; the appearance of the fracture should be uniform, with a brilliant aspect, dark gray color, and medium-sized crystals. Character of Gun-metal.—When remelted and cast into cannon, it should approach that degree of hardness which resists the file and chisel, but not so hard as to be bored and turned with much difficulty. Its color should be a bright, lively gray; crystals small, with acute angles, and sharp to the touch; structure uniform, close, and compact. Magnetite.—Octahedral Iron Ore.—Color iron-black. Streak black. Brittle. The black streak and magnetic properties distinguish this species from the following: Specular Iron Ore.—Hematite.—Often massive granular; sometimes lamellar or micaceous. Also pulverulent and earthy. Color, dark steel-gray or iron-black, and often when crystallized having a highly splendid lustre; streak-powder cherry-red or reddish-brown. The metallic varieties pass into an earthy ore of a red color, having none of the external characters of the crystals, but perfectly corresponding to them when they are pulverized, the powder they yield being of a deep red color, and earthy or without lustre. Sometimes slightly attracted by the magnet. Limonite.—Brown Iron Ore.—Usually massive, and often with a smooth botryoidal or stalactitic surface, having a compact fibrous structure within. Also earthy. Color, dark brown to ochre-yellow; streak, yellowish-brown to dull yellow. Lustre, sometimes sub-metallic; often dull and earthy; on a surface of fracture frequently silky. Spathic Iron.—Carbonate of Iron.—Chalybite.—Usually massive, with a foliated structure, somewhat curving. Sometimes in globular concretions or implanted globules. Color, light grayish to brown; often dark brownish-red, or nearly black on exposure. Streak, uncolored. Lustre, pearly to vitreous; translucent to nearly opaque.
Irons. Fetters or instruments made of iron, with which a prisoner is shackled. To be put in irons, is to be handcuffed and confined in fetters.
Ironsides. A strong man. A cuirassier;—applied also to Cromwell’s cavalry.
Iroquois, or Six Nations. The name given by the French to the Indian confederacy of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas, to which were afterwards added the Tuscaroras, after being driven from their hunting-grounds in North Carolina. This once formidable confederacy is now nearly extinguished, but remnants of it are still found scattered through the State of New York.