support for the rebels on condition that O'Neill acknowledge him as Mac Carthaig Mor. In the following days, Fitzthomas, followed reluctantly by Donal Mac Carthaig, laid waste to Lord Barry's territory of Ibawne, on the ground that Barry had refused to join the rebellion. From his base at Kinsale, Fínghin mac Donncha closed all the approaches into his own country. In 1600 O'Neill's army arrived in Munster and pitched camp between the rivers Lee and Bandon, whereupon MacCarthy came into the camp for an interview and was installed there as Mac Carthaig Mór at the expense of his rival, Donal Mac Carthaig. To the English, it now appeared that Mac Carthaig had sided conclusively with O'Neill, and military action was taken against him. In fact, Florence may simply have been playing both sides to become the Mac Carthaig Mor. In April an English expedition led by Captain George Flower raided his lands in Carbery and fought a bloody skirmish with Mac Carthaig's levies, which left over 200 men dead between the two sides. In the same month, Sir George Carew was appointed governor of Munster, with sufficient men and resources to pacify the province. Carew summoned Mac Carthaig to Cork for an explanation of his conduct; at first, Mac Carthaig refused to come in without guarantees for his life and liberty, and when he did come in he refused to give his son as hostage. Carew urged him to support the English campaign, but Mac Carthaig promised no more than his neutrality, arguing that he was loyal, but that if he were to side openly with the English his own followers would desert him (a common plea of Gaelic leaders). In fact, at this time Mac Carthaig, in an intercepted letter to Hugh Roe O'Donnell, had sought to assure the northern rebels of his commitment to their cause. He was also the main contact in the south of Ireland for the Spanish, who planned a landing in Munster, which Mac Carthaig most likely expected would settle the war for good. On 5 January 1600, he wrote to Philip II of Spain, via his agent in Ulster, Donagh mac Cormac Mac Carthaig, offering, In the months that followed, Carew broke the rebellion in Munster, retaking rebel castles, arresting Fitzthomas, the Súgan Earl, and persuading Donal MacCarthy to change sides. Carew viewed this as highly significant, because Donal Mac Carthaig was not