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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, within the province (and
kingdom) of Leinster.
In 840-841 the entire area was invaded by
Norsemen
from
Scandinavia.
They established a fledgling settlement, picking up the name from the
locals as Dyflin or Dyflyn, somewhere near the confluence of the rivers
Poddle and Liffey. It was this that became the heart of the Viking
settlement, and it developed to become the later capital of Ireland.
The area formed a dark pool or dubh linn which provided a safe
harbour for Viking longships, although the pool itself was filled in
during the eighteenth century when Dublin was being expanded into a
city. The Castle Garden within the castle grounds marks its location.
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. It was
probably made even harder by the fact that the Viking rulers often shared
the 'throne', ensuring that there was always a leader on hand in case of
difficulty. Many Dublin kings of the tenth century also held power in the
Scandinavian kingdom of York,
and Dublin provided one end of an extensive Scandinavian trade network
that linked many other kingdoms together such as those of Orkney,
Man, and the Hebrides.
(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from Dublin -
The Making of a Capital City, David Dickson (Profile Books, 2014),
from A Short History of Ireland, John O'Beirne Ranelagh (Cambridge
University Press, 2001), from Gesta Danorum: The History of the Danes,
Karsten Friis-Jensen & Peter Fisher (Ed & Trans), from The Makers
of Scotland: Picts, Romans, Gaels and Vikings, Tim Clarkson (EPUB, 2012),
from A New History of Ireland, Vol 1: Prehistoric and Early Ireland, D Ó
Cróinín (Ed, 2005), from the Annals of the Four Masters, author
unknown, from The Chronology of the Irish Annals, Daniel P McCarthy,
and from External Links:
Ireland's History in Maps, and
English-Old Gaelic Dictionary, and
Annals of
Ulster.) |
840 - 841 |
The Vikings set up their settlement as a longphort or ship camp of
extremely large proportions. Their early history is sparsely recorded, and
is largely a case of mounting raids and hoping not to be caught by the
Irish kings. Their
luck runs out when they are indeed caught by the Irish at Mag Itha in 845.
|
839 - 845 |
Thorgest / Turgesius / Tuirgeis |
First Viking ruler of Dublin. Drowned in Lough Owel. |
845 - 853 |
Later in the same year the Vikings are dealt a heavy defeat at Mag Itha by
High King Niall Caille mac Aedo Oirdnide. A further blow is the death of
Thorgest which is recorded in the Annals of Ulster. He is captured
by Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid, king of
Mide and soon-to-be high
king of Ireland himself,
and is drowned in Lough Owel. The Viking settlement at Dubh Linn may be abandoned
until 853, or perhaps used only as a seasonal base. |
853 - 873 |
Ivarr the
Boneless |
King of the Northmen of all Ireland & Britain. |
853 - 871 |
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Olaf the White |
Arrived with
Ivarr. 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 are the founders of the Uí Ímair in
Ireland - the
clan or descendants of Ivarr. They are the sons of Ragnarr Lothbrok of
Denmark,
and they 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
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 |
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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, he may remain the acknowledged ruler of York
until his death, as no one else claims the title.
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This may be a fairly typical image of Vikings staging a raid
- whether in Ireland or Britain the scene would have been
very much the same - but they seem to be faced with some
well-armed opposition on the shore
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875 - 881 |
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Bard |
Co-ruler
while Halfdan was in York
or campaigning. |
881 - 883 |
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Mac Auisle |
Co-ruler while Halfdan was campaigning. Murdered. |
883? |
Eoloir Jarnknesson |
Usurper. Ruled for a few months? |
883? - 888 |
Sichfrith Ivarsson |
Possibly a son of Ivarr the Boneless. Assassinated. |
888 - 893 |
Sigtrygg (Sitric) Ivarsson |
Possible brother and assassin. |
891 |
Áed mac Conchobair, king of
Connacht, has
already met his death fighting the Vikings in support of High King Flann
Sionna mac Máele Sechnaill O'Néill of
Ireland. The annals
now record that the men of North Connacht - specifically the Uí Amalgada, a
branch of the Uí Fiachrach - defeat Norse forces and slay their leader. That
leader seems not to be one of the more senior of their number, however. |
893 - 894 |
Sichfrith Jarl |
Possibly the Siefred of
York (895). Probably
deposed. |
893 - 902 |
Ivar (II) |
Probably subservient to Sigtrygg. Killed raiding. |
894 - 896 |
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Sigtrygg (Sitric) Ivarsson |
Second time in power. Defeated and deposed. |
900 - 902 |
The
Vikings control Ynys Manau, but
they lose the island to York
in the same year in which the combined forces of
Laigin and Brega
expel them from Ireland. Ivar returns to raiding, where he is killed by
the Picts
of Fortriu in 904. The Vikings are left searching for a new base of
operations, which they find in 907 when Æthelred and Æthelflaed of
Mercia
re-found the city of Chester and settle a Viking army on the Wirral
to guard the approach. More Vikings arrive along the Mersey, setting
up further colonies and creating the origins of Liverpool (see feature
link, right).
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A recreation of a Viking ship of this period which was uncovered
on England's west coast, in Liverpool on the Wirral peninsula in
2007
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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. He is
succeeded there by Sihtric Caoch in 921. Sihtric goes on to marry, Edith,
the sister of Æthelstan of
Wessex and
accept baptism. |
921 - 927 |
Guthfrith |
Brother. King in
York (927). |
927 |
Upon the death of Sihtric Caoch in
York, Æthelstan of
Wessex invades
Northumbria and secures control of it with the support of the high reeves of
Bamburgh, expelling
the hopeful claimant, Olaf son of Guthfrith. The West Saxon king rules York
as part of a united England until his death on 27 October 939. |
927 - 942 |
Olaf
/ Anlaf I Guthfrithson / Amblaib |
Son
of Guthfrith. Claimant & king in York
(927 & 940-942). |
940 - 944 |
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Blácaire |
Brother
and regent while Olaf was in York.
Driven out (944) |
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.
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This illustration of King Æthelstan, king of all Britain as
proclaimed by various charters and coins of his reign, comes
from the Abbreviatio Chronicorum Angliae - he was
the first English monarch to be portrayed wearing a crown
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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.
Even its ruler, Sigtrygg, is unknown outside of a mention in the Annals
of Ulster which itself has been suggested as being a later invention.
Blácaire is still clearly in charge in 944, so he is probably the dominant
king in 942-943 too. |
942 - 943 |
Sigtrygg / Sitric |
Mentioned in Annals of Ulster. Otherwise unknown. |
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 after Olaf is killed in battle. Also killed in
battle. |
948 - 951 |
Gofraid mac Sitriuc |
Brother of Olaf II. Died during plague outbreak. |
952 |
? |
Claimant for the throne at York.
Briefly recognised. |
952 - 980 |
Olaf / Anlaf II Sihtricson (Cuaran) |
Restored. Defeated by the
Irish at the Battle
of Tara. |
980 |
Ireland's High King Máel
Sechnaill conquers Dublin following a great victory at the Battle of Tara
and a three day siege of Dublin itself, the first time the Irish kings manage
to achieve such a conquest. Olaf's heir, Reginald, had also been killed at Tara,
leaving the settlement without a recognised leader. As a result of the
imposition of Irish overlordship, 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.
Irish vassal. |
1002 |
In a bloodless coup, High King Máel Sechnaill is dethroned by
Brian Bóruma (more popularly known as Brian Boru). It results from the failure
of the Northern Uí Neill,
nominally Máel's kin, to support him against the military aspirations of
this king of the Dál gCais of Thomond
and also of Munster, who
has effectively ruled the southern half of
Ireland since an agreement
of 997. As a result of the sudden shift in power, Viking Dublin, never entirely
conquered, fights back against Irish dominance. |
1014 |
High King Brian Boru defeats the Dublin
Norse
at the Battle of Clontarf, but dies in the process. A great many other
Irish nobles also
die in the battle, destroying decades of hard-won Irish unity. The Uí
Dúnlainge of
Laigin
are amongst those defeated at Clontarf, and with their usual supporters
already declining - the Clann Cholmáin of
Mide - their rivals in
Laigin, the Uí Cheinnselaig, are able to return from relative obscurity and
contest the throne there.
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The Battle of Clontarf was a tactical disaster for the Irish,
destroying hard-won unity in the face of the Viking threat that
would not be repaired in time to fight off the Normans
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More broadly, Máel Sechnaill is able to regain the
titular high kingship with the support of his kinsman, Flaithbertach ua
Néill, king of Ailech, but Ireland remains fragmented. |
1034? - 1038 |
Towards the end of what would seem to be an unusually long period of peace
for Dublin and its ruler, the kingdom is known to govern
Ynys Manau during this period. This
possibly starts in 1034, upon the death of Swein Kennethson, the sub-king of
Manau under the overlordship of Orkney. |
1036 - 1038 |
Echmarcach mac Ragnaill |
Later King Margad MacRagnald of
Ynys Manau (1052-1061). |
1038 - 1046 |
Ivar (III) Haraldsson |
Seized power. Son of Prince Harald (killed 999).
Expelled. |
1046 - 1052 |
Echmarcach mac Ragnaill |
Restored. Ally of High King Donnchad
mac Brian. |
1052 |
High King Donnchad mac Brian's main rivals are Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó, king
of Laigin and his ally,
Niall mac Eochada, king of
Ulaid, plus Áed in Gaí
Bernaig, king of Connacht.
Diarmait now installs his son Murchad as king of Dublin, expelling Donnchad's
brother-in-law and ally, Echmarcach mac Ragnaill. The opposition to Donnchad
grows so that he is deposed in 1063 and goes on pilgrimage to
Rome where he
dies the following year. |
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 |
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Domnall mac
Murchada mac Diarmata |
Son of Murchad and co-ruler. |
1070 - 1072 |
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Gofraid mac Amlaib mac Ragnaill |
Co-ruler. Reinstalled in 1072? |
1072 - 1074? |
Toirdelbach Ua Briain |
High King (1072-1086),
and king of Munster. |
1072 |
Upon the death of High King Diarmait mac Máil na mBó in
battle, his close ally Toirdelbach O'Brien succeeds him. His first act is
to ravage Osraige and
Laigin, during which
he burns Uí Cheinnselaig and takes a good deal of booty and cows, along with
hostages. The Vikings of Dublin, generally known in the annals as 'the
foreigners', give him the kingship of their settlement.
In the following year, Conchobar Ua Máel Shechnaill, king of
Mide, is murdered
and Toirdelbach ravages the now-unprotected
Irish midlands.
This is followed by a visit to
Connacht from which
he extracts more hostages, both from the Uí Conchobair and the Uí Ruairc.
Laigin is divided between rivals, ending its short-term threat to his power,
and Gofraid mac Amlaíb meic Ragnaill is installed in Dublin as his sub-king
(or reinstalled - the dates for Gofraid seem to be confused). |
1072 - 1074 |
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Gofraid mac Amlaib mac Ragnaill |
Sub-king. Banished from Dublin. |
1074 - 1086 |
Muirchertach Ua Briain |
Son of Toirdelbach Ua Briain.
High King, and king
of Munster. |
1086 - 1089 |
Enna mac Diarmata mac Mael na mBo |
Heavily involved in
Laigin's
leadership. |
1086–1089 |
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Donnchad mac Domnail Remair |
Brother and co-ruler. King of
Laigin. Killed. |
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.
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The attack and conquest of Dublin by Godred Crovan would
have been launched from longboats just like this
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1089 - 1093 |
Viking problems don't end there. As high king, Muirchertach
stamps his authority over
Ireland by engaging
in forays into Mide and
Laigin in 1089. He
seizes the kingship of Laigin and attacks the Vikings of Dublin. In 1093, he
accepts the submission of Domnall mac Flainn Ua Maíl Shechnaill, king of Mide,
while Godred Crovan of Dublin is banished. |
aft.1091 - 1094 |
Godred Crovan / Gofraid Crobán |
Also King Godred IV of
Ynys Manau (1079-1095). Banished. |
c.1094 - 1102 |
Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain |
Of the Uí Briain of
Munster. |
1102 - 1103 |
Magnus III the Barefoot / Barelegs |
King of
Norway,
and Ynys Manau (1095-1102). |
1103 - ? |
Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain |
Of the Uí Briain of
Munster. Restored. |
1115 |
Donnchad mac Murchada, king of
Laigin, and
Conchobar mac Congalaig (also referred to as Conchobar Ua Conchobair
Failge), king of the
Uí Failghe and joint king
of Laigin, see an opportunity to make the most of the faltering power of
Munster - under
the power of the Uí Briain. The pair launch an attack on Dublin, whose
defending forces are led by Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain (Domnall
Gerrlámhach) of the Uí Briain (dies 1135). The attempted invasion is
defeated and both kings are killed, but Donnchad's successor is soon
able to seize Dublin for Laigin. |
1115 |
Donnchad mac Murchada mac Diarmata |
Joint king of
Laigin. Briefly a
claimant for Dublin's throne. |
1115 - 1117 |
Diarmait mac Énna meic Murchada |
King of
Laigin. Died in
Dublin. |
1117 |
Enna mac Donnchada mac Murchada |
King of
Laigin. Expelled
by Domnall Gerrlámhach. |
1117 |
With the death of Diarmait mac Énna meic Murchada in Dublin, his successor
and kinsman, Enna, is expelled by Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain
(Domnall Gerrlámhach). The Uí Briain of
Munster now
control the stronghold once again. |
1117 - ? |
Domnall mac Muirchertaig ua Briain |
Of the Uí Briain of
Munster. Restored
for a second time. |
1126 |
An army is formed by Tiorrdelbach Ua Conchobhair, so he gives the vassal
kingdoms of Dublin and
Laigin to his own
son, Conchobair. Then he marches south to defeat Cormac Mac Carthaigh in
battle, before burning his camp at Sliabh-un-Caithligh. |
1126 - 1127 |
Conchobair mac Tiorrdelbach |
Son of Tiorrdelbach Ua Conchobair. Killed 1144. |
1127 |
There is now a gap in the available information about the kings of Dublin.
It could be the case that it is drawn directly under
Laigin's control
during the lifetime of Conchobair mac Tiorrdelbach. As usual in Dublin, when
a ruler is next known he is from a different house. |
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? - 1133 |
Thorkell |
Forced to flee Ireland. |
1133 |
A
Norman attack 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 attack and its presumed
failure are unclear. Do the Normans control Dublin for a time or is an Irish
vassal ruler reinstalled?
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The coming of the Normans to Ireland was a blow for the Irish
(and the Norse!) - the newcomers were tactically and militarily
far more powerful than anything seen before by the native kings
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1141 - 1142 |
Conchobair Ua Briain |
Son of Diarmait Ua Briain. King of
Munster. Died. |
1142 - 1148 |
Ottar of Dublin |
A powerful
Norse
landowner in the Hebrides. Murdered. |
? - 1146 |
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Ragnall Thorgillsson |
Son of Thorkell and co-ruler. |
1146 - 1160 |
Brotar Thorgillsson |
Brother. |
1160 - 1171 |
Hasculf Thorgillsson |
Brother. Killed by Normans in
1171. The Dublin kingdom ends. |
1169 - 1171 |
The Normans of
England
invade Ireland, and Viking Dublin and Waterford are conquered, never to
regain independence. Hasculf Thorgillsson attempts to regain it by force
but is killed in the process. The settlement 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. |
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