Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/269

HISTOKV.] Olaf Cuaran slew Congalach, king of Ireland, in 956. In 973 Donmall, the son of this Congalach, in alliance with Olaf, defeated Domnall O Neill, king of Ireland, at Cell Mona(Kihnoon near Dun- Shaughlin, county Meath). Domnall O Neill was the son of " Leather Cloaks," son of King Niall, from whom lie took the sur name O Neill, that is, grandson of Niall, and was the first who used it. The tauists or heirs of the northern and southern Hui Neill having died, the throne fell to Maelsechlainn or Malachy II. of the Clanu Colmain, the last of the Hui Neill who was undisputed king of Ireland. Malachy, who became king in 980, had already distin guished himself as king of Meath in war with the Dano-Irish. In the first year of his reign as over-king, he defeated them in a bloody battle at Tara, in which fell Eognvald, son of Olaf Ciiaran. This victory, won over the combined forces of the Scandinavians of Dublin, Man, and the Isles, compelled Olaf to deliver up all his captives and hostages, among whom were Domnall Claen, king of Leinster, and several notables, to forego the tribute which he had imposed upon the southern Hui Neill, and to pay a large contribu tion of cattle and money. Olaf s spirit was so broken by this defeat that he went on a pilgrimage- to Hi, where he died the same year. The Dal-Cais Dynasty. Like the Hui Neill, the rival family of Ailill Olum of Minister had split into two branches. The descend ants of Ailill s son Eogan were called the Eoganacht or Eugenians, and those of his son Cormac Cas the Dal-Cais. Ailill is said to have ordained that the succession to the throne of Munster should be alternately in the races of Eogan and Cormac Cas. This rule was observed with tolerable regularity for some generations, like the corresponding alternation between the northern and southern Hiii Neill. The Eugenian clans, however, being the more powerful, sue* ceeded in excluding to a great extent the rival race from the throne. The Dal-Cais, who were seated in North Munster, had necessarily to bear the brunt of the attacks upon Munster, which impoverished and weakened them. A few of them succeeded, however, in assert ing their claims to the throne, among whom were Cenneidig or Kennedy (in 954), and his sons Mathgamain or Mahon (slain 976), and Brian, surnamed Boruma, who reigned from 976 to 1002, when he became over-king. Properly speaking, the Dal-Cais derived their name not directly from Cormac Cas but from Cas MacTail, king of Thorn ond, one of his descendants. The grandson of this Cas, Carthann Find, was the first Christian chieftain of the race. The family was seated near Bel na Boruma or the Pass of the Cow- Tribute, and Ath na Boruma or Ford of the Tribute, which suggests that the Dal-Cais were in the habit of " lifting " preys of cattle. It was most probably from this place that Brian was called Boruma, and not, as is usually assumed, from having reimposed the ancient cow-tribute upon Leinster. Kennedy and his sons offered a stubborn resistance to the Dano-Northmen. "While king of Thomond, Mahon after a harassing warfare made a truce with the latter, but Brian roused the whole people to war. Mahon crossed the Shannon, and got possession of Cashel on the death of the Eugenian king of Munster, Dunchad. Ivar, Dano-Norsc king of Limerick, in con junction with Maelmuad, or Molloy, king of Desmond, and Donnaban, king of the Hui Fidgeinte and Hui Cairpri, who were in alliance with Ivar, perhaps even his vassals, determined to carry the war into Thomond, but were met by Mahdn at Sulcoit, near the site of the present town of Tipperary, and totally defeated. This decisive victory gave the Dal-Cais Limerick, which they sacked and burnt. Mahon then took hostages of all the chiefs of Munster. Ivar escaped to Britain, but returned after a year with a Lord of the Isles whose name is unknown, but who was called Maccus, son of Harold, probably a misunderstanding of the Irish Mac Arailt, that is, son of Harold. This chieftain had conquered Anglesey, which, however, he was only able to hold for a short time. He was one of the eight kings of Britain who paid homage to Eadgar at Chester in 973, and rowed his boat to and from church. Ivar and MacIIarold entrenched themselves at Inis Cathaig, now Scattery Island in the lower Shannon, which they held for three years. In the meantime a conspiracy was formed between Ivar and his son Dubcenn and the two Eoganacht chieftains, Donoban and Maelmuad, before mentioned. Donoban was married to the daughter of a Danish king of Waterford, and his own daughter was married to Ivar of Waterford. The son of the latter was called Donaban, after his maternal grandfather. The descendants of the Irish prince in the male line were the O Donovans, those of the Danish prince the O Donavans. Inis Cathaig, where the Dano-Northmen had entrenched themselves, was attacked in 976 by the Dal-Cais and plundered, and the garrison, including Ivar and his son Dubcenn, slain. According to the Norse saga, MacHarold and his two sons per ished there, while Ivar was defeated and put to flight elsewhere. Irish accounts tell us that Ivar s surviving son Harold was recognized as king of the foreigners of Munster, and that he took refuge with Donoban. This Harold was probably not the son of Ivar, but the above mentioned MacHarold, Lord of the Isles. Brian, now the head of the Dal-Cais, invaded the territories of Donoban, took his fort, Cathir Cuain, and slew himself and Harold. He next attacked the other conspirator, Maelmuad, who by the death of Mahon had become king of Munster, and defeated anil slew him. By this event 253 Brian became undisputed king of Munster. He reduced the Desi, who were in alliance with the Dano-Northmen of Waterford and Limerick, and banished their king. In 984 Brian subdued Ossory, and took hostages from the kings of East and West Leinster, for that province, like the others, had now become divided into two principalities, and thus made himself king of Leth Moga, or " Mug s Half" of Ireland. Brian then appears to have allied him self with the Dano-Northmen of Waterford, or made them his vassals, for they seem to have joined him in his invasion of West- meath in 989. This last exploit of Brian brought him into contact with Malachy, who after his great victory at Tara had gained other successes. In 983, in alliance with his half brother Gluniarind or "Iron-Knee," son of his former foe Olaf Cuaran, he defeated Domnall Claen, king of Leinster, whom he had released from hostageship by his victory at Tara, and who was now in league with Ivar of Waterford. In 985 lie slew the chieftains of Connaught, and plundered the country. In 989 he took Dublin, and imposed an annual tribute upon the city. Malachy thought it high time to check Brian, so he invaded Thomond, and defeated the latter. In 992 Brian, who evidently aimed at the over-kingship, invaded Meath, and advanced as far as Loch Ainind (Lough Ennel), at which was one of the residences of the southern Hui Neill, whereupon Malachy invaded Connaught and then compelled Brian to retire. In 996 Malachy advanced into Munster, plundered Nenagh, and defeated Brian. He next attacked Dublin, and carried off the ring or chain of Tomar 1 and the sword of "Carlus," two heirlooms much prized by the Danes of Dublin. In 998 Brian ascended the Shannon with a large force, intending to attack Connaught. Malachy, who received no support from the northern Hui Neill, came to terms with Brian. All hostages held by the over-king from the Danes and Irish of Leth Moga were to be given up to Brian, which was a virtual surrender of all his rights over the southern half of Ireland. Brian on his part recognized Malachy as sole king of Leth Cuind, or Cond s half, " without war or trespass from Brian." This treaty was thus the exact counter part of that made centuries before by their ancestors Cond and Mug Niiadat. In 1000 Leinster revolted against Brian, and entered into alliance with the Danes of Dublin. Brian advanced towards the latter place with the intention of blockading it, but halted on the way at a place called Glenn-Mama or Glen of the Gap, near Dunlavin, the ancient fortress of the kings of Leinster, in the county of Wicklow. It is said, though there is not sufficient ? round for the opinion, that Malachy joined him here. The Dano- rish allies attacked him, but were defeated with a loss of 4000 slain, including Aralt or Harold, son of Olaf Cuaran. Brian entered Dublin with his victorious army, where he found immense booty, and made captives and slaves of a great number of women and boys and girls. Making Dublin his headquarters, he then easily reduced the greater part of Leinster. After his defeat at Glen Mama, Sigtryggr or Sitric fled for protec tion to the northern Hui Neill at Ailech, but, failing to induce them or the kings of the Ulaid to enter into an alliance with him, he submitted to Brian three months after his defeat. The latter, seeing the advantage the Dane would be to himself, not only restored him to power in Dublin, but gave him his daughter in marriage, and took the mother of Sigtryggr as his wife or concubine. Gorm- flaith or Gormlaith was the sister of Maelmorda, the king of Leinster, whom Brian had defeated at Glen Mama. She was married first to Olaf Cuaran, by whom she had Sigtryggr, and then to Malachy, by whom she was divorced or repudiated, after she had borne him a son Conchobar. It is probable that her connexion with Brian dates before this, for her son Donnchad by Brian was grown up at the time of the battle of Clontarf. 2 Sigtryggr s confederate Maelmorda, brother of Gormflaith, was also taken into favour by Brian and restored to the kingship of Leinster. Brian then returned to his residence, Cenn Coradh, and there matured his plan for deposing Malachy, and making himself over- king. When everything was ready he entered Bregia (Mag Breg) with an army consisting of his own troops, those of Ossory, his South Connaught vassals, and the Dano-Irish of Munster. His allies the Dublin Danes appear to have advanced into Meath before him, but their cavalry was defeated by Malachy. The latter, feeling himself unequal to the contest with Brian, endeavoured to gain time for the purpose of seeking allies, for he had evidently been taken by 1 It is to this ring that Moore alludes in the line " When Malachy wove the collar of gold." 2 In the KjAla Gormflaith is described as " the fairest of nil women, and the best, gifted in everything that was not in her own power ; " but, it is said, "she did all tilings ill over which she had any power;" that is, though a beautiful she was a bad woman. The close relations which her story shows to have subsisted between the ;Scandinavians and Gdfdel at this period may be illustrated by other similar stories. Dounflaith was the daughter or grand daughter of "Leather Cloaks," and was in the first instance the wife of the king of Ireland, Domnal, son of Donnchad, and after his death of Olaf Ciiaiiin, king of Dublin, by whom she had Gluniarind, "Iron Knee," afterwards Dano-Irish king of Dublin. When Olaf Cmmtn died his other wife Gormflaith went to Malacliy as before stated, who repudiated her after some time. Malachy tht-n married Maelmaire, sister of Sigtryggr or Sitric, Olaf Ciianin s son by Gormflaith. From her name Maelmaire, "Servant of Mary," this daughter of Olaf Cuaran was probably a Christian.