Murchad mac Briain

Last updated

Murchad mac Briain was the son and heir of Brian Boru, a High King of Ireland. He was the de facto leader of his father's army, killed on 23 April 1014 at the Battle of Clontarf.

Biography

In 1013 there was a rebellion by Máel Mórda, King of Leinster, and Sitric Silkenbeard, the Viking king of Dublin against Brian Boru's rule in Ireland. Murchad was sent by Brian to deal with the rebellion. According to the Annals of Ulster he "made a great raid into Laigin, plundered the land to Glenn dá Locha and Cell Maignenn, burned the whole country, and took great spoils and countless captives." [1]

It is said that before the battle of Clontarf that some Vikings fled "for they dread the valor of Murchad and the Dal gCais in general" [2] He also allegedly carried two swords in battle. [3] Some accounts say he died in battle with his father Brian, though most accounts report that Brian never fought in the battle, which is the accepted version of events by historians. [4] He was buried in Armagh along with his father and other relatives. He had a son called Toirdelbach mac Murchada meic Briain. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Boru</span> Historical king of Ireland from 1002 to 1014

Brian Boru was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and possibly ended Viking invasions of Ireland. Brian Boru was mentioned in Annals of Inisfallen and Chronicon Scotorum as "Brian mac Cennétig". The name Brian of Bóruma or Brian Boru was given to him posthumously Brian built on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain, and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain. Brian first made himself king of Munster, then subjugated Leinster, eventually becoming High King of Ireland. He was the founder of the O'Brien dynasty, and is widely regarded as one of the most successful and unifying monarchs in medieval Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Clontarf</span> 1014 battle between the Kingdom of Ireland and an Irish-Norse alliance

The Battle of Clontarf took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising the forces of Sigtrygg Silkbeard, King of Dublin; Máel Mórda mac Murchada, King of Leinster; and a Viking army from abroad led by Sigurd of Orkney and Brodir of Mann. It lasted from sunrise to sunset, and ended in a rout of the Viking and Leinster armies.

McMahon, also spelt MacMahon, were different Middle Age era Irish clans. Their name is derived from the Gaelic MacMathghamhna meaning 'son of the bear'.

Toirdhealbhach Mór Ua Conchobhair anglicised Turlough Mór O'Conor, was King of Connacht (1106–1156) and High King of Ireland.

Toirdhealbhach Ua Briain, anglicised Turlough O'Brien, was King of Munster and effectively High King of Ireland. A grandson of Brian Bóruma, Toirdelbach was the son of Tadc mac Briain who was killed in 1023 by his half-brother Donnchad mac Briain.

Gormlaith ingen Murchada (960–1030), sometimes spelled Gormflaith, was an Irish queen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muirchertach Ua Briain</span> King of Munster and High King of Ireland

Muircheartach Ua Briain, son of Toirdelbach Ua Briain and great-grandson of Brian Boru, was King of Munster and later self-declared High King of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Ireland (795–1169)</span> History of Ireland from the first Viking raid to the Norman invasion

The history of Ireland 795–1169 covers the period in the history of Ireland from the first Viking raid to the Norman invasion. The first two centuries of this period are characterised by Viking raids and the subsequent Norse settlements along the coast. Viking ports were established at Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick, which became the first large towns in Ireland.

Bróðir and Óspak of Man were two Norwegian or Danish brothers who were active in the Isle of Man and Ireland in the 11th century. They are mentioned in the 12th century Irish Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh and the 13th century Icelandic Njal's Saga as the key leaders who fought on opposite sides in the Battle of Clontarf, in 1014. The latter account names Bróðir as the killer of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. Both Boru and Bróðir died in the battle, although accounts differ as to who killed whom. Óspak fought on the side of Boru, was injured, and lost his two sons in the battle.

Sigtrygg II Silkbeard Olafsson was a Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin of the Uí Ímair dynasty. He was caught up in the abortive Leinster revolt of 999–1000, after which he was forced to submit to the King of Munster, Brian Boru. His family also conducted a double marriage alliance with Boru, although he later realigned himself with the main leaders of the Leinster revolt of 1012–1014. He has a prominent role in the 12th-century Irish Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh and the 13th-century Icelandic Njal's Saga, as the main Norse leader at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Glenmama</span> Part of the Viking wars in Ireland

The Battle of Glenn Máma or Glenmama took place most probably near Lyons Hill in Ardclough, County Kildare, Ireland, in AD 999 between Windmill Hill and Blackchurch. It was the decisive and only engagement of the brief Leinster revolt of 999–1000 against the King of Munster, Brian Boru. In it, the combined forces of the Kingdoms of Munster and Meath, under King Brian Boru and the High King of Ireland, Máel Sechnaill II, inflicted a crushing defeat on the allied armies of Leinster and Dublin, led by King Máel Mórda of Leinster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill</span> High King of Ireland from 980 to 1002

Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, also called Máel Sechnaill Mór or Máel Sechnaill II, was a King of Mide and High King of Ireland. His great victory at the Battle of Tara against Olaf Cuaran in 980 resulted in Gaelic Irish control of the Kingdom of Dublin.

<i>Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib</i> Medieval Irish text

Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib is a medieval Irish text that tells of the depredations of the Vikings and Uí Ímair dynasty in Ireland and the Irish king Brian Boru's great war against them, beginning with the Battle of Sulcoit in 967 and culminating in the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, in which Brian was slain but his forces were victorious. The chronicle, which compares King Brian to Augustus and Alexander the Great, was written in the early twelfth century, at least a hundred years after the events it describes. Much of the narrative is drawn from the earlier Annals of Ulster.

Malachy MacMurrough was King of Leinster, Ireland in the late 10th and early 11th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donnchad mac Briain</span> King of Munster

Donnchadh mac Briain, son of Brian Bóruma and Gormflaith ingen Murchada, was King of Munster.

Flaithbertach Ua Néill was king of Ailech, a kingdom of north-west Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, for which reason he was known as Flaithbertach an Trostáin. Following the death of his son Áed in 1033, Flaithbertach left his retirement and resumed the leadership of the Northern Uí Néill.

Events from the 10th century in Ireland.

Events from the 11th century in Ireland.

Domnall Gerrlámhach, also known as Domnall Gerrlámhach Ua Briain, Domnall mac Muirchertaig, and Domnall Ua Briain, was an obscure twelfth-century Uí Briain dynast and King of Dublin. He was one of two sons of Muirchertach Ua Briain, High King of Ireland. Domnall's father appears to have installed him as King of Dublin in the late eleventh- or early twelfth century, which suggests that he was his father's successor-designate. Although Domnall won a remarkable victory in the defence of the Kingdom of Dublin in the face of an invasion from the Kingdom of Leinster in 1115, he failed to achieve the successes of his father. After his final expulsion from Dublin at the hands of Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht, and the death of his father, Domnall disappears from record until his own death in 1135. He was perhaps survived by two sons.

Domhnall Mac Briain was the son of Brian Boru, the High king of Ireland and Eacraidh whose father was a Rí of a tuath in Mide. He had two known siblings, one brother (Tadc) and a sister. The Annals of Inisfallen record that he raided Cenél Conaill. Half of the army was led by Domhnall, while the other half by his half brother Murchad mac Briain.

References

  1. "Battle of Clontarf: Sources for the battle". Trinity College Dublin. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
  2. O'Connor, Ralph (2014). Classical Literature and Learning in Medieval Irish Narrative. ISBN   9781843843849.
  3. "The real life of Brian Boru". Irish Examiner.
  4. "The long Good Friday: 'Nobody could recognise even his own son, so covered were they in blood'". The Irish Times.
  5. "Annals of Ulster". Archived from the original on 17 March 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2017.