Multimedia presentation

Brian Boru Ireland in the 11th Century

Young Brian Boru

Brian Boru as King

Battle of Clontarf

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Ireland in the 11th Century • Ireland was not one unified country in the 11th Century • The country was divided into four provinces each with a separate king • These provinces were divided into smaller kingdoms called tuatha

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Irish Culture in 11th Century • The people in Ireland were Celts, and spoke Gaelic • Celtic society centered on kinship, and people lived with their extended family • Most people lived on small farms, growing wheat

A Celtic Farmer

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Brehon Law • This was a civil code of laws that people lived under • Under them, women were virtually the equal of men • Divorce was permitted • Kings were elected by the local nobles Image of a Brehon Law Tract

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Christianity in Ireland • By 1000AD, Ireland had been Christian for 500 years • Monks from Ireland often carried the faith to Britain and Europe • Many abbots were involved in local politics and occasionally battles!

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The Vikings attack • Viking raids began on Ireland in 795 AD • They often targeted monasteries, which were wealthy • After a few decades, the Vikings began to settle in Ireland • They founded towns like Dublin and Cork A Viking Longship

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The Vikings settle in Ireland • By 950AD, the Vikings were settled in Ireland • They had independent kingdoms in Limerick, Cork and Dublin • Often they became involved in fights between Irish rulers

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Brian of the Dal Cais • Brian was born in 941 A.D. • He was born into the royal tribe of the Dal Cais • Cennedig, his father, led this tribe • The Dal Cais were based in west Munster, at Kincora The Dal Cais Crest

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Brian of the Dal Cais • Brian’s mother was killed in a Viking raid on his home when he was young • Some years after this, his father, Cennedig, died • His brother, Mathgamain, then became the leader of the Dal Cais

Raid on the Dal Cais

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Brian becomes a warrior • Mathgamain made peace with the Vikings of Limerick • Brian deserted Mathgamain to continue fighting the Vikings • His small band of soldiers became feared amongst the Vikings of Limerick

Brian’s band of Dal Caisan warriors

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Brian becomes a warrior • Soon Mathgamain joined Brian in his struggle • Between them, they drove the Viking king, Ivar, out of Limerick • In 963 Mathgamain captured Cashel and became the King of Munster

Cashel, home of Munster Kings

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Brian avenges his brother • Mathgamain ruled Munster for eight years • Ivar returned however, and had Mathgamain murdered • Brian then challenged Ivar to single combat and killed him in battle

Brian fights Ivar

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Brian as King of Munster • By 980, Brian had made himself King of Munster • He had drove all the Vikings out of Munster and took Limerick for himself • Hungry for power, he began raiding the lands of Connacht and Leinster

Brian Boru, King of Munster

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Brian’s power grows • Brian’s growing power alarmed the High King of Ireland, Mael Sechnaill II • In 997 AD he called on Brian to meet him • They decided to each rule half the country, with Brian ruling the south

Mael Sechnaill II

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Brian’s power grows • The Kings of Leinster and Dublin, who were now ruled by Brian, rebelled in 999 AD • In the midst of winter, Brian defeated them at Glenn Mhama • The Viking King of Dublin, Sitric, then promised to remain an ally of Brian’s

Brian’s victory at Glen Mhama

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Brian becomes High King • Brian was not satisfied ruling half of the country • Increasingly he sent raiding parties north into Mael Sechnaill’s lands • He also began making peaceful alliances with Mael’s traditional allies

Brian’s men raided Mael’s lands

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Brian becomes High King • Mael Sechnaill eventually realized that his supporters had deserted him • In order to save his lands, Mael surrendered the High Kingship of Ireland to Brian • Brian became High King in 1002 AD

Brian Boru as High King

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Brian Boru as King • By becoming King, Brian made history • He was the first man to take the crown from the O Neill dynasty • He was also the first High King who could be said actually rule the entire country

Brian Boru

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Emperor of the Irish • Brian sought to rebuild the Church in Ireland • He ordered that churches ruined by Vikings be rebuilt • He sent overseas to replace lost books and artifacts • In 1005, the abbot at Armagh declared Brian the ‘Emperor of the Irish’. Vikings attack a monastery

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Emperor of the Irish • Brian dreamed of unifying Ireland under his rule • To do this, he had to subdue Ulster, where local kings retained their independence • After ten long years, Brian managed to tame and rule Ulster

Brian goes on campaign

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Emperor of the Irish • By 1011, Brian had full control of Ireland • He hoped to make Ireland a united Christian Kingdom like France • Brian was named Boru because the Gaelic for tribute is ‘boruma’ Boru receiving tribute

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Unrest in Brian’s Kingdom • In 1012, Maelmurra, King of Leinster, went to pay tribute to Brian • A huge row broke out while he was playing fidchell with Brian’s son, Murcadh • Maelmurra chose to rebel against Brian

Maelmurra, King of Leinster

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Unrest in Brian’s Kingdom • Maelmurra joined forces with Sitric, Viking King of Dublin • In 1013, Brian marched north and laid siege to Dublin • But he ran out of supplies and had to retreat to Munster for the winter

Sitirc, Viking King of Dublin

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Maelmurra seeks allies • Knowing Brian would return, Maelmurra and Sitric sought Viking help • The Earl of Orkney promised a large army • More Viking aid came from Denmark and Iceland

The Earl of Orkney

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Brian rallies his support • Brian also spent the winter looking for support • He found that the rulers in Connacht and Ulster would not assist him • Mael Sechnaill, the former High King, agreed to join forces with Brian however Rallying support

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The Battle of Clontarf • In the spring of 1014, Brian’s army marched on Dublin again • Awaiting them was the largest Viking army Ireland had ever seen • Irish independence itself now seemed under threat A Viking Army

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The Eve of Battle • Brian’s army set up camp in Clontarf, just outside of Dublin • The night before the battle, Mael Sechnaill and Brian had a huge row • Mael declared that he would not now help the High King

Disagreement in the Camp

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The Battle of Clontarf • The Battle of Clontarf was fought on Good Friday, 1014 • Brian was now 72 years old, and did not take part in the battle • Instead Murcadh, his son, led the Irish forces onto the field

Murcadh leads Brian’s army

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The Battle of Clontarf • The battle began at dawn and lasted the entire day • Initially the momentum was with the better armed Vikings • As the day grew longer however, it seemed that the Irish could win Battle of Clontarf

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The Battle of Clontarf • Crucially, Mael Sechnaill decided to enter the battle, swinging it for the Irish • The Vikings were routed • They had arrived in over 300 ships, but fled home in less than 24 boats The Vikings Retreat

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The death of Brian Boru • Throughout the battle, Brian prayed in his tent • As he was fleeing, Brodir, the Viking king of the Isle of Man, came across the King’s tent • He slew the old king as he was bowed in prayer

Brodir discovers Boru in prayer

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Brian’s greatest victory • Brian died alongside his son, Murcadh, and his grandson • Yet he had broken the military power of the Vikings in Ireland • An Icelandic saga paid tribute to the Irish High King by recalling that “Brian fell, but saved his kingdom. This Brian was the best of Kings” “The Best of Kings”