The city's charter was granted by [[King John of England|Prins John]] joech Cork stedsrjochten yn 1185. The city was once fully walled, and some wall sections and gates remain today. For much of the Middle Ages, Cork city was an outpost of [[Old English (Ireland)|Old English]] culture in the midst of a predominantly hostile [[Gaels|Gaelic]] countryside and cut off from theit EnglishIngelsk governmentregear in [[the Pale]] aroundom [[Dublin]] hinne. Neighbouring Gaelic and [[Hiberno-Norman]] lords extorted "Black Rent" from the citizens in order to keep them from attacking the city. The present extent of the city has exceeded the medieval boundaries of the [[Barony offan Cork City]]; it now takes in much of the neighbouring [[Barony offan Cork]]. Together, these [[Barony (Ireland)|baronies]] are located between the [[Barony of Barrymore]] to the east, [[Muskerry East]] to the west and [[Kerrycurrihy]] to the south.
TheIt city'sbestjoer municipalfan governmentde stêd was dominated by about 12–1512 oant 15 merchant families, whose wealth came from overseas trade with continental Europe – in particular the export of wool and hides and the import of salt, iron and wine.
The medieval population of Cork was aboutsa'n 2,.100 peopleminsken. It suffered a severe blow in [[1349]] when almost half the townspeople died of plague when the [[BlackSwarte DeathDea]] arrived in the town. In 1491, Cork played yn [[1491]] a part in the English [[Wars of the Roses]] when [[Perkin Warbeck]] a pretender to the English throne, landed in the city and tried to recruit support for a plot to overthrow [[HenryHindrik VII offan EnglandIngelân]]. The mayor of Cork and several important citizens went with Warbeck to England but when the rebellion collapsed they were all captured and executed.
The title of [[''Lord Mayor of Cork|Mayor of Cork]]'' was established by [[royal charter]] in 1318, and the title was changed to ''Lord Mayor'' in 1900 following the knighthood of the incumbent Mayor by [[VictoriaKeninginne of the United Kingdom|Queen VictoriaViktoria]] on her [[Royal visit|Royal Visit]]besite to the city.
In the [[Irish War of Independence|War of Independence]], the centre of Cork was gutted by fires started by the British [[Black and Tans]] and the city saw fierce fighting between Irish guerrillas and UK forces. During the [[IrishIerske Civil Warboargerkriich]], Cork was for a time held by anti-[[AngloIngelsk-IrishIersk Treatyferdrach|Treaty]] forces, until it was retaken by the pro-Treaty [[Irish Army|National Army]] in an attack from the sea.
