Irish History
And
The Fighting Irish
And
The Fighting Irish
( Ireland and the Viking Invasion )
As
Tighernach, the annalist, says this was the first " treacherous turning of Brian against Malachy. " Both
Malachy and Brian were extraordinary men and it would seem as if Ireland was not big enough for both of them. Of the two, Malachy played the nobler part. He was generous, whole hearted, and loyal to his promises, and Brian's superior in unselfish patriotism and in readiness to sacrifice personal pride and personal rights to the welfare and interests of his country.. On the other hand, Brian was more forceful, energetic and capable. He was clearly a usurper and filled with ambition. Yet had he not done what he did, which after all, is condoned by modern statecraft and was no more treacherous than what has happened hundreds of times in the history of other countries. Malachy or some other rival would undoubtedly have attempted to over reach him. Had he begun his career at an earlier age and had he not had to contend with foreign invasion, he would no doubt have succeeded in welding the
Irish clans into a strongly centralised and compact empire. That design probably never never entered into his calculations. As it was, he did achieve that result to a certain extent and his reign was remakably successful, prosperous and happy.
Brian had his royal seat at Kincora, a well situated place near Killaloe, on the Shannon, where he ruled with a steady hand, established his power and authority on a firm basis, enforced law and order, imparted rigid and impartial justice, and dispensed a royal hospitality. Though much of his time was given to preperation of war, in which, whenever occasion offered, he always proved himself to be a good soldier, a brave warrior and a skilful strategist. he still found time to build forts, roads and churches. He founded schools and encouraged learning, dispatched agents abroad to buy books, and during his reign the bardic schools began to rise again.
Irish clans into a strongly centralised and compact empire. That design probably never never entered into his calculations. As it was, he did achieve that result to a certain extent and his reign was remakably successful, prosperous and happy.
Brian had his royal seat at Kincora, a well situated place near Killaloe, on the Shannon, where he ruled with a steady hand, established his power and authority on a firm basis, enforced law and order, imparted rigid and impartial justice, and dispensed a royal hospitality. Though much of his time was given to preperation of war, in which, whenever occasion offered, he always proved himself to be a good soldier, a brave warrior and a skilful strategist. he still found time to build forts, roads and churches. He founded schools and encouraged learning, dispatched agents abroad to buy books, and during his reign the bardic schools began to rise again.
Killaloe at the bottom of Lough Derg
He had difficulties with is own people, and indeed his title as emperor was never admitted by the north. Nor were the Leinstermen any too friendly and he had to maintain permanent garrisons in parts of Munster. On one of several royal progresses, which he made through the country, about the year 1004, he invaded Ulster and visted Armagh where he gave alms of a golden ring in which were 20 ounces of gold and where his official secretary and counsellor, and former instructor Maelsuthian O Cearbhaill ( O' Carroll ) of Loch Lein, reputed to be the best scholar in Ireland, inscribed in the Book of Armagh these words in Latin " I Maelsuthian, write this in the presence of Brian, Emperor of the Irish. "
Brian even attempted to extend his power beyond the limits of Ireland. In the year 1005, he fitted out a fleet manned by Norsemen from Dublin, Waterford and Wexford and Irish and pillaged the shores and levied tribute on the inhabitants of northern and western Britain. He did not extirpate the Danes who were domiciled in Ireland, or banish them from the kingdom, but treated them with the utmost leniency, and recognised the element of strength they would add to promote commerce and development of the country. In return for the Dublin Danes binding themselves to follow him in his wars, he was obliged to guarantee them and the other foreigners possession of their territory in Ireland. In furtherance of this policy or of his ambition, he found it to his interest to bind this peace by ties of marriage even with those who so lately were his bitterest enemies. A few months after Glenmama he gave his own daughter by his first wife in marriage to Sigtryggr ( Sitric ) his former opponent and King of Dublin, while he himself, Brian, married as his second wife, Sitric's mother, Gormlaith, a beautiful, powerful and intriguing Irish woman. Like her namesake, the gentle and unfortunate poet Queen, who lived sixty years before her, Gormlaith had a stormy life and her marriage to Brian was her third matrimonial venture. She was first married to Malachy the Great, then to Olafr Kvaran, Danish King of Dublin, by whom she had a son, and then to Sitric, before her marriage to Brian. She was prepared to marry as a legal matrimony for the fourth time. In the words of the sagaman
" Gormlaith was the fairest of all women, and best gifted in everything that was not in her own power, but it was the talk of men that she did all things ill over which she had any power. "
Brian even attempted to extend his power beyond the limits of Ireland. In the year 1005, he fitted out a fleet manned by Norsemen from Dublin, Waterford and Wexford and Irish and pillaged the shores and levied tribute on the inhabitants of northern and western Britain. He did not extirpate the Danes who were domiciled in Ireland, or banish them from the kingdom, but treated them with the utmost leniency, and recognised the element of strength they would add to promote commerce and development of the country. In return for the Dublin Danes binding themselves to follow him in his wars, he was obliged to guarantee them and the other foreigners possession of their territory in Ireland. In furtherance of this policy or of his ambition, he found it to his interest to bind this peace by ties of marriage even with those who so lately were his bitterest enemies. A few months after Glenmama he gave his own daughter by his first wife in marriage to Sigtryggr ( Sitric ) his former opponent and King of Dublin, while he himself, Brian, married as his second wife, Sitric's mother, Gormlaith, a beautiful, powerful and intriguing Irish woman. Like her namesake, the gentle and unfortunate poet Queen, who lived sixty years before her, Gormlaith had a stormy life and her marriage to Brian was her third matrimonial venture. She was first married to Malachy the Great, then to Olafr Kvaran, Danish King of Dublin, by whom she had a son, and then to Sitric, before her marriage to Brian. She was prepared to marry as a legal matrimony for the fourth time. In the words of the sagaman
" Gormlaith was the fairest of all women, and best gifted in everything that was not in her own power, but it was the talk of men that she did all things ill over which she had any power. "
A later image of Brian Boru, the three lions on the shield represent the family crest of O' Brian.
It was through Gormlaith's machinations and deadly hatred that Brian lost his life, and the last act in the long Dano-Irish drama was effected. A series of petty family quarrels recipitated the denouncement. One day, it was in the year 1013, the Leinster prince maolmordha ( Molloy ) who was Gormlaith's brother and consequently Brian's brother-in-law, and in alliance with the Dublin Danes, was bringing three large pine masts for shipping, probably as a tribute, to brian at Kincora. As his men were climbing a boggy hill near Roscrea a quarrel broke out between them and other clansmen, and Maolmordha, giving a hand to support one of the masts, tore a silver button from the tunic which Brian had given him. On arriving at Kincora he asked his sister to mend the tunic for him, but instead she threw it into the fire, saying he ought to be ashamed to accept any gift from Brian and thus admit his subjection to him, an indignity, she said, which neither his father or grandfather would ever have suffered. the taunt left a rankling wound in the heart of Maolmordha. On another day Maolmordha, looking on while Brian's eldest son, Murchadh ( Morrough ) and his cousin Conang were playing chess at Kincora, suggested a move which lost Murchadh he game. Murchadh andrily exclaimed, " That was like the advice you gave the Danes which lost them the battle of Glenmama. " to which Maolmordha replied " Yes, and i will give them advice again, and this time they will not be defeated. "
One word lead to another, and the men parted in anger. When Brian heard of the altercation, he sent a man post-haste after Maolmordha with gifts to appease him and to invite him back to Kincora. The messenger overtook him on the bridge of Killaloe, but maolmordha broke the man's head and kept on his way till he reached home where he made known to his people the great insult he had received from Brian's son. he then joined forces with O'Neill, O'Ruare, Sitric of Dublin and others and attacked Brian's ally, Malachy, near Sord ( Swords ) a few miles north of Dublin, and defeated him. Malachy appealed to Brian to come to his aid, but Brian was short of supplies and could furnish no assistance. In the meantime brian had put away Gormlaith, who was then free to vent all her spleen on him. She was especially anxious to win the help of Sigurd, Earl of the Orkneys. Sigurd who was Irish on his mother's side, promised to come, provided, in case of success, he should be King of Ireland and have the hand of Gormlaith. For he had ambition to establish a Danish dynasty similar to the one which his countrymen, Svein and his son Cnut had shortly before founded in England.
One word lead to another, and the men parted in anger. When Brian heard of the altercation, he sent a man post-haste after Maolmordha with gifts to appease him and to invite him back to Kincora. The messenger overtook him on the bridge of Killaloe, but maolmordha broke the man's head and kept on his way till he reached home where he made known to his people the great insult he had received from Brian's son. he then joined forces with O'Neill, O'Ruare, Sitric of Dublin and others and attacked Brian's ally, Malachy, near Sord ( Swords ) a few miles north of Dublin, and defeated him. Malachy appealed to Brian to come to his aid, but Brian was short of supplies and could furnish no assistance. In the meantime brian had put away Gormlaith, who was then free to vent all her spleen on him. She was especially anxious to win the help of Sigurd, Earl of the Orkneys. Sigurd who was Irish on his mother's side, promised to come, provided, in case of success, he should be King of Ireland and have the hand of Gormlaith. For he had ambition to establish a Danish dynasty similar to the one which his countrymen, Svein and his son Cnut had shortly before founded in England.
