Battle of Clontarf
Battle of Clontarf | |||||||
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Part of the Viking Invasions of Ireland | |||||||
Battle of Clontarf, oil on canvas painting by Hugh Frazer, 1826 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Forces of the High King of Ireland |
Kingdom of Dublin Kingdom of Leinster Kingdom of the Isles Earldom of Orkney | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Brian Boru † Murchad mac Briain † |
Brodir † | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
5,000 men | ~7,000 men | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
4,000 dead | ~6,000 dead | ||||||
The Battle of Clontarf (
It is estimated that between 7,000 and 10,000 men were killed in the battle, including most of the leaders. Although Brian's forces were victorious, Brian himself was killed, as were his son Murchad and his grandson Toirdelbach. Leinster king Máel Mórda and Viking leaders Sigurd and Brodir were also slain. After the battle, the power of the Vikings and the Kingdom of Dublin was largely broken.
The battle was an important event in Irish history and is recorded in both Irish and Norse chronicles. In Ireland, the battle came to be seen as an event that freed the Irish from foreign domination, and Brian was hailed as a national hero. This view was especially popular during English rule in Ireland. Although the battle has come to be viewed in a more critical light, it still has a hold on the popular imagination.[2]
Background
The Vikings (or Norsemen) began carrying out raids on
From the time of the seventh century and the reign of
Revolt of Dublin and Leinster
Brian consolidated his hold on Ireland by eventually obtaining the submission of the northern territories of
Sigtrygg went overseas in search of Viking support and enlisted the help of Sigurd Hlodvirsson, the Earl of Orkney and Brodir, a warrior of the Isle of Man. According to the Icelandic Njáls saga, Sigtrygg promised both men the kingship of Ireland if they defeated Brian.[17] In early 1014, Sveinn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, had invaded and become the first Norse king of England.
The Viking fleets of Orkney and Mann sailed into Dublin in
Battle
No order of battle is given in the contemporary sources; the only leaders named are those who died in the battle. The nearest contemporary accounts are the Annals of Inisfallen and the Annals of Ulster. Among the fallen on Brian's side, they name the High King himself, his son Murchad, and his grandson Toirdelbach, as well as his nephew Conaing, Domnall mac Diarmata of Corcu Baiscind (County Clare), Mac Bethad mac Muiredaig of Ciarraige Luachra (County Kerry), Mael Ruanaidh Ua hEidhin of Uí Fiachrach Aidhne, and Tadhg Ua Cellaigh of Uí Maine (both in south Connacht).[20] The Annals of the Four Masters note several other significant deaths, including Eocha, son of Dunadhach, Chief of Clann-Scannail; Tadhg Ua Ceallaigh, lord of Ui Maine; Maelruanaidh na Paidre Ua hEidhin, lord of Aidhne; Geibheannach, son of Dubhagan, lord of Feara-Maighe; Mac-Beatha, son of Muireadhach Claen, lord of Ciarraighe-Luachra; Scannail, son of Cathal, lord of Eóganacht Locha Léin; and Domhnall, son of Eimhin, son of Cainneach, great steward of Mair in Alba (modern Scotland).[21]
On the opposing side are named Máel Morda, Dubgall mac Amlaíb (brother of Sigtrygg), Gilla Ciaráin mac Glún Iairn (probably a nephew of Sigtrygg), Sigurd Hlodvirsson of Orkney, and Brodir, commander of the Viking fleet.[22] No notables from Meath are recorded among the slain; leading to the suggestion that, if present, Máel Sechnaill kept himself and his forces out of harm's way. But the Annals of Ulster say that Máel Sechnaill and Brian rode together to Dublin, and the Annals of the Four Masters go so far as to say that it was Máel Sechnaill who won the day, and completed the rout after the death of Brian.[23] On the other hand, Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib ("The War of the Irish with the Foreigners"), says that the men of Meath came to the muster with Brian, but "were not faithful to him".[24]
According to the Cogad, after his arrival at Dublin, Brian sent his forces north across the river to plunder the area known as Fine Gall, and they torched the country as far as Howth. Brian, now in his seventies, did not go with them but stayed behind to pray. The Dublin forces set out by land, and were joined at Clontarf at high tide by the Viking fleet that was in Dublin Bay.[25]
The front line of the Dublin-Leinster forces were the foreign Vikings, led by Brodir, Sigurd, and a man called Plait, described as "the bravest knight of all the foreigners".[26] Behind them were the men of Dublin, commanded by Dubgall mac Amlaíb and Gilla Ciaráin mac Glún Iairn. Behind them again came the Leinstermen, headed by Máel Mórda.[26] Sigtrygg remained in Dublin with enough men to defend it should the battle go against them. He watched the battle from the walls with his wife Sláine, the daughter of Brian.[27]
At the front of Brian's forces were the Dál gCais, led by Brian's son Murchad, Murchad's fifteen-year-old son Toirdelbach, Brian's brother Cudulligh, and Domnall mac Diarmata of Corcu Baiscind. Behind them were the other forces of Munster, commanded by Mothla mac Domnaill mic Fáeláin, King of the
The battle opened with Plait taunting Domnall mac Eimín, a Scottish ally of Brian. The two men marched out into the middle of the field and fought, and both died, "with the sword of each through the heart of the other, and the hair of each in the clenched hand of the other."[28]
Then the battle proper got under way. It is described in the Cogad as remarkably loud and bloody. The men of Connacht fought the men of Dublin, and the fighting was so fierce that only 100 Connachtmen and twenty Dublinmen survived. The last casualties occurred at "Dubgall's Bridge", which Seán Duffy suggests was a bridge over the
The battle, which had begun at first light, lasted all day. Eventually, the Dublin-Leinster forces broke, and some withdrew towards their ships, while others made for a nearby wood. However, the tide had come in again, cutting off the passage to the wood, but also carrying off the Viking ships. With no way out, they were killed in large numbers, many of them by drowning.[32] Samuel Haughton, in 1860, calculated that the tide at Clontarf would have been high at 5:30 am and again at 5:55 pm, which is consistent with the account in the Cogad.[33] It was at this point that Brian's grandson Toirdelbach was killed. He pursued the enemy into the sea, but was hit by a wave and thrown up against the weir, and drowned.[34] Murchad killed Sigurd, the earl of Orkney, but shortly afterwards he himself was killed.[34] Brian was in his tent praying when Brodir found him, and killed him. Brodir himself was then killed,[35] possibly by Ulf the Quarrelsome.
Aftermath
Brian's body was brought to Swords, north of Dublin. There it was met by the coarb of Patrick, the traditional head of the church in Ireland, who brought the body back with him to Armagh, where it was interred after twelve days of mourning. Along with Brian were the body of Murchad and the heads of Conaing, Brian's nephew, and Mothla, King of the Déisi Muman.[36] Máel Sechnaill was restored as High King of Ireland, and remained secure in his position until his death in 1022.[37]
Though the Annals imply that life was not much changed after the death of Brian Boru, it created a succession crisis, as Brian's son and heir Murchad had died as well. Brian had two remaining sons who could challenge for the kingship:
Within weeks the Dál gCais, under the new leadership of Donnchad, were battling their old masters in Munster, the Eóganacht Raithlind. Tadc initially joined his brother against the Eóganacht, but Donnchad ordered his killing in 1023.[38]
Sigtrygg remained King of Dublin until 1036, and was apparently secure enough to go on pilgrimage to Rome in 1028.[39] However, after Clontarf, Dublin had been reduced to a lesser power. In 1052, Diarmait mac Máel na mBó, King of Leinster, captured Dublin and Fine Gall, for the first time asserting Irish overlordship over the Norse of Ireland.[40]
Historical debate
In modern times there has been a long-running debate among historians, which is now 250 years old, about Ireland's Viking age and the Battle of Clontarf. The standard view, and the "popular" view, is that the battle ended a war between the Irish and Vikings by which Brian Boru broke Viking power in Ireland. However
See also
- Battle of Confey
- Battle of Tara
- Brjáns saga
- Njál's saga, which includes a section on the Battle of Clontarf.
References
- ISBN 978-1-136-24239-7.
- ^ Downham, Clare. "The Battle of Clontarf in Irish history and legend". History Ireland.
- ISBN 0521829925. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ISBN 0851155731. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ^ Downham, Clare (March–April 2014). "Clontarf in the wider world". History Ireland. 22 (2): 23.
- .
- ISBN 1851826076.
- ISBN 1851094407. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ISBN 1851094407. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ^ ISBN 0415013488. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ISBN 9780717157785.
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 129–33
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 134–35.
- ISBN 9781846823848.
- ^ McGettigan (2013), p. 87
- ^ McGettigan (2013), p. 88
- ^ a b c McGettigan (2013), p. 89
- ^ McGettigan (2013), p. 91
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 190–191
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 179–180
- ^ Annals of the Four Masters: Volume II at M1013.11, manuscript available at https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100005B/
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 175, 181–184
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 185, 191
- ^ Duffy (2013), p. 201
- ^ Duffy, Seán (March–April 2014). "What happened at the Battle of Clontarf?". History Ireland. 22 (2): 30.
- ^ a b Todd, James Henthorn, ed. (1867). Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh: The War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill. London: Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. pp. 164–165. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
- ^ Duffy (2014), pp. 211–213
- ^ a b Cogadh Gaedhel Re Gallaibh, pp. 166–169
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 209–210
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 210–211
- ^ McGettigan (2013), pp. 101–102
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 213–214
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 215–217
- ^ a b Duffy (2013), p. 218
- ^ Duffy (2013), pp. 219–220
- ^ McGettigan (2013), pp. 109–110
- ^ McGettigan (2013), p. 111
- ^ ISBN 9780717157785.
- ^ McGettigan (2013), p. 118
- ^ Duffy (2013), p. 254
- ^ a b "Network science shines new light on Battle of Clontarf". RTE. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
- ^ a b c Kevin O'Sullivan (24 January 2018). "Battle of Clontarf: It's a mathematical question". The Irish Times. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
Centuries-old debate continues as social media analysis used to explore Viking-Irish strife ... The debate has carried on for the past 250 years.
- ^ PMID 29410814.
This delivers a picture that lies between antipodal traditional and revisionist extremes; hostilities recorded in the text are mostly between Irish and Viking—but internal conflict forms a significant proportion of the negative interactions too.
Further reading
- Howard B. Clarke, Ruth Johnson, eds. The Vikings in Ireland and Beyond: Before and After the Battle of Clontarf. Dublin: Four Courts Press, 2015.
External links
- Battle of Clontarf Archived 2 October 2017 at the Trinity College, Dublin
- Battle of Clontarf Commemorative website