Hugh O'Neill was a prominent Irish nobleman and military leader in the late 16th century. Born around 1540, he became the 2nd Earl of Tyrone and played a significant role in the struggle against English rule in Ireland. O'Neill is best known for leading the Nine Years' War from 1594 to 1603, which aimed to resist English colonization and assert Irish independence. His efforts ultimately ended in defeat, leading to the Flight of the Earls in 1607, when he and other Irish leaders fled to continental Europe. O'Neill's legacy is marked by his resistance to English authority and his role in the complex history of Ireland during this turbulent period.