User:Angusmclellan/Muirchertach Ua Briain

Muirchertach Ua Briain (c.1050–c.10 March 1119), son of Toirdelbach Ua Briain and great-grandson of Brian Bóruma, was High King of Ireland.

Background

Major political divisions of Ireland similar to those in Muircheartach's time

Muirchertach was a son of Toirdelbach Ua Briain, a previous Dál gCais king of Ireland. He took the kingship of Dublin in the year 1075. In 1086 his father died and the province of Munster from which he had claimed kingship of Ireland had been split between his three sons: Tadc, Muirchertach and Diarmait. Tadc died soon after, and Muirchertach banished Diarmait from Munster, claiming its kingship for himself.

King of Munster

Between 1086 and 1101, Muirchertach consolidated and strengthened his position as province-king of Munster. He went on forays into Mide and Leinster in 1089 and took the kingship of Leinster and the Viking town of Dublin. In 1093, he accepted the submission of Domnall mac Flainn Ua Maíl Shechnaill, the Uí Néill king of Tara, and also made peace with his brother Diarmait at Cashel.

King of Ireland with opposition

In 1094, Muirchertach fought the kings of Leth Cuinn and Gofraid, king of Dublin. He went with his army to Dublin and banished Gofraid, and brought about the killing of Domnall Ua Maíl Shechnaill. He asserted supremacy over the Uí Néill kingdom of Mide.

In 1101 he became king and travelled the island provinces. It was in this year that he gave the fortress at on the rock of Cashel as a gift to the Church.

Magnus Barelegs

In 1102, Muirchertach made a marriage alliance with Magnus Barelegs, king of Norway. In 1114 the king became sick to the point where "he became a living skeleton". In response to the king's misfortune, his brother Diarmait took control of the kingship of Munster and banished Muirchertach. The following year Muirchertach regained his strength and undertook a campaign to regain control of Munster and successfully captured Diarmait. Only later did the king regain control of Munster.

Final years

In 1119 Muirchertach Ua Briain died.

References

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• Annals of Ulster AD 431–1201, CELT: The Corpus of Electronic Texts, 2003, retrieved 2007-02-10
• Chronicon Scotorum, CELT: The Corpus of Electronic Texts, 2003, retrieved 2007-10-25
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• Sturluson, Snorri (1964), Hollander, Lee M. (ed.), Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway, Austin: University of Texas Press, ISBN 0-292-73061-6