Gaelic Kingdoms

Viking Kingdom of Dublin / Dyflin

The village of Dubh Linn (in Old Irish) can be dated to the pre-Roman Prehistoric era in Ireland. A monastic centre also developed nearby, and in 840-841 the entire area was invaded by Norsemen from Scandinavia. They established the fledgling settlement of Dyflin or Dyflyn, somewhere near the confluence of the rivers Poddle and Liffey and it is this that became the heart of the Viking settlement, and the later capital of Ireland. The area formed a dark pool or Dubh Linn which provided a safe harbour for Viking longships.

The Viking or Norse kingdom of Dublin was repeatedly attacked by the Irish kings, and it was even expelled between 902-917, but the fight to destroy the power of the Vikings in Ireland would be a long and hard one, perhaps made more so by the fact that the Viking rulers often shared the 'throne', ensuring there was always a leader on hand in case of difficulty. Many kings of the tenth century also held power in the Scandinavian kingdom of York.

840 - 841

The Vikings set up their settlement as a longphort or ship camp of extremely large proportions. The first leader, or king, is sparsely recorded, and even his death by drowning at the hands of High King Máel Sechnaill is only briefly recorded by the Annals of Ulster.

839 - 845

Thorgest / Turgesius

Drowned in Lough Owel.

853 - 873

Ivarr the Boneless

King of the Northmen of all Ireland & Britain.

853 - 871

Olaf the White

Arrived with Ivarr the Boneless. m Aud dau of Ketill Bjornsson.

856

Viking raids into Wales are dealt a major blow when Rhodri, king of Gwynedd, defeats a major raid by Orme. The Viking leader is killed, and the Dublin Vikings are kept out of northern Wales.

865 - 870

Ivarr the Boneless and his brothers, the sons of Ragnarr Lothbrok of Denmark, lead the first Viking army to invade mainland Britain in search of conquest rather than pillage. Landing in East Anglia, they ravage the kingdom for a year before heading into Northumbria in 866. That kingdom falls in 867 and a puppet king is installed. The Great Army moves south, campaigning during the spring and summer. East Anglia falls in 869, and the capital of Alt Clut is sacked in 870, with Olaf's help. Ynys Manau also falls to them in around 870, and between 870-871, Ivarr's brother, Bagsecg, is involved in the attacks, leading the Great Summer Army into England and adding his forces to those of Ivarr and Halfdan.

Bagsecg is killed at the Battle of Ashdown in Wessex in 871, after which Olaf returns to Norway, and the following year the Great Army is back in Northumbria. It winters in late 872 and early 873 at Torksey on the River Trent in Lindsey, before moving west into Mercia, which is defeated in 874 and a vassal king is installed on its throne. Later that year the army divides, with one half going to Cambridge and the rest heading towards the Tyne and eventually settling in York.

873 - 883

Halfdan

Brother of Ivarr the Boneless. King in York (878-883).

873 - 875

Eystein Olafsson

Co-ruler while Halfdan was campaigning in Mercia.

874 - 877

Halfdan continues his family's conquering ways by seizing the kingdom of Mercia, although much of it submits to the protection of Wessex. In 877 Halfdan is expelled from the Scandinavian kingdom of York, where he had been its first Viking king. However, Halfdan may remain the acknowledged ruler of York until his death, as no one else claims the title.

A typical image of Vikings staging a raid

875 - 881

Bard

Co-ruler while Halfdan was in York or campaigning.

881 - 883

Mac Auisle

Co-ruler while Halfdan was campaigning.

Eoloir Jarnknesson

883? - 888

Sichfrith Ivarsson

888 - 893

Sigtrygg (Sitric) Ivarsson

893 - 894

Sichfrith Jarl

893 - 902

Ivar

894 - 896

Sigtrygg (Sitric) Ivarsson

Co-ruler.

900 - 902

The Vikings control Ynys Manau, but they lose the island to York in the same year in which the combined forces of Leinster and Brega expel them from Ireland.

914 - 917

Sihtric and Ragnald, both descendants of Ivarr the Boneless, are active in the Irish Sea from 914. Ragnald defeats Barid son of Ottar off the coast of Ynys Manau in that year. In 917 they lead separate fleets in an attack on Ireland and while Ragnald is initially defeated by High King Niall Glúndubh, Sihtric turns the tables and defeats the High King's army. The Vikings resettle Dublin and re-found their kingdom.

917 - 921

Sihtric Caoch (the Blind)

Grandson of Ivarr. King in York (921-927).

917 - 921

Ragnald I / Ragnall

Grandson of Ivarr. Also king in York (919-921).

918/919

Ragnald seizes control of York, destroying the slow Anglo-Saxon recovery of the region.

921 - 927

Guthfrith

Brother. King in York (927).

927 - 942

Olaf / Anlaf I Guthfrithson / Amblaib

Son of Guthfrith. King in York (927 & 940-942).

940 - 944

Blácaire

Brother and regent while Olaf was in York.

934 - 937

The grand alliance including the Scots, Northumbrian Danes at York, Dublin Danes, and the Welsh of Gwynedd and Cumbria, mass their forces north of the Humber in a bold attempt to destroy Æthelstan of Wessex. The plan fails, however, when the West Saxons and Mercians of the south destroy the alliance at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937.

c.942 - c.972

The Vikings control Ynys Manau, but by this time the once-powerful kingdom of Dublin has been reduced to a minor player in Irish politics.

942 - 943

Sigtrygg / Sitric

944

Dublin is sacked by High King Congalach Cnogba, adding to the weakened kingdom's woes. Olaf drives out Blácaire and takes sole control, perhaps aided by his alliance with Congalach.

945 - 947

Olaf / Anlaf II Sihtricson (Cuaran)

Son of Sihtric. King in York three times (between 942-952).

947 - 948

Blácaire

Restored.

948 - 951

Gofraid mac Sitriuc

952

?

Claimant for the throne at York. Briefly recognised.

952 - 980

Olaf / Anlaf II Sihtricson (Cuaran)

Restored.

980

Irish High King Máel Sechnaill conquers Dublin, the first time the Irish kings manage to achieve this. As a result, some Irish date the founding of Dublin to this year (or 988), despite its ancient heritage. Olaf abdicates and retires to Iona where he probably becomes a monk. Máel appoints his half-brother, Glúniairn, to rule the Viking kingdom.

980 - 989

Glúniairn / Járnkné

Son. Half-brother to High King Máel Sechnaill by his mother.

989

Glúniairn is killed, apparently by his own slave when he is drunk, although the death is more likely to be the result of factional in-fighting in Dublin. High King Máel Sechnaill descends on the kingdom and installs Sitric Silkbeard, another son of Olaf, as king.

989 - 1036

Sigtrygg / Sitric Silkbeard Olafsson

Half-brother.

1002

High King Máel Sechnaill is dethroned by Brian Boru and Viking Dublin, never entirely conquered, fights back.

1014

Norse power in Ireland is broken when they are defeated by High King Brian Boru.

1034? - 1038

The kings of Dublin also control Ynys Manau.

1036 - 1038

Echmarcach mac Ragnaill

Later King Margad MacRagnald of Ynys Manau (1052-1061).

1038 - 1046

Ivar Haraldsson

1046 - 1052

Echmarcach mac Ragnaill

Restored.

1052 - 1070

Murchad mac Diarmata mac Mael na mBo

Also King Murchaid MacDairmit of Ynys Manau (1061-1070).

1070 - 1072

Diarmait mac Mail na mBo

High King (1064-1072), and king of Leinster & Dublin.

1070 - 1072

Domnall mac Murchada mac Diarmata

Son of Murchad and co-ruler.

1070 - 1072

Gofraid mac Amlaib mac Ragnaill

Co-ruler.

1072 - 1074?

Toirdelbach Ua Briain

High King (1072-1086), and king of Munster.

1074 - 1086

Muirchertach Ua Briain

Son. High King, and king of Munster.

1086 - 1089

Enna mac Diarmata mac Mael na mBo

1086–1089

Donnchad mac Domnail Remair mac Mael na mBo

Co-ruler.

1087 - 1094

The Annals of Ulster record that the grandsons of Ragnall, the kings of Dublin, are killed on an expedition to attack Ynys Manau. The ruler of Manau, Godred Crovan, in turn invades Dublin and takes the kingship until he too is kicked out.

The attack and conquest of Dublin by Godred Crovan would have been launched from longboats just like this

after 1091 - 1094

Godred Crovan

Also King Godred IV of Ynys Manau (1079-1095).

c.1094 - 1102

Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain

1102 - 1103

Magnus III the Barefoot / Barelegs

King of Norway, and Ynys Manau (1095-1102).

1103 - ?

Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain

Restored.

? - 1115

Donnchad mac Murchada mac Diarmata

1115 - 1117

Diarmat mac Enna

Son of Enna.

1118 - 1126

Enna mac Donnchada mac Murchada

Son of Donnchada.

1126 - 1127

Conchobair mac Tiorrdelbach Ua Conchobair

? - 1133

Thorkell

Forced to flee Ireland.

1133

A Norman invasion from England forces Thorkell to flee Dublin and Ireland altogether for the safety of the Scottish Highlands. However, there seems to be limited information available about this period, so the circumstances surrounding the invasion and its presumed failure are unclear.

1141 - 1142

Conchobair Ua Briain

1142 - 1148

Ottar

? - 1146

Ragnall Thorgillsson

Son of Thorkell and co-ruler.

1146 - 1160

Brotar Thorgillsson

Brother.

1160 - 1171

Hasculf Thorgillsson

Brother. Killed by Normans when he re-invaded Dublin in 1171.

1169 - 1171

The Normans of England invade Ireland, and Viking Dublin and Waterford are conquered, never to regain independence. The city is used as the main base for the expansion of the English conquest, becoming the capital of the entire country, and remaining so even after southern and central Ireland achieve independence.