In the early modern period Kilkenny was the largest inland town in Ireland, where several factors had come into play that enabled the growth of prosperity and a burgeoning economy. During that period the merchant elite of the town occupied a pivotal role in its development, and they would also achieve importance as agents and administrators to the earls of Ormond. This was in keeping with European trends, where humanist ideas were spreading ever wider among the mercantile classes. The essays in this book cover a period beginning c.1200 – from the founding of the town of New Ross by the Marshals, through to the grant of city status by King James VI and I in 1608, and the beneficial outcomes of the 1613– 15 parliament for the Kilkenny merchants. Aspects of urban life, such as the merchants' wealth, art patronage, houses, and their social networks are also investigated.