Annals of Dublin from 448 to 1169

**

CHAP IX.**

Brief annals of the city of Dublin from the year 448 to the year 1169, when it was first invaded by the English, during which period the Ostmen or Danes became masters of it.

We have seen before (Chapt. I)*, that Dublin was either built or fortified by the Ostmen or Danes, who settled *here early on the score of traffick: but, as these mercantile people had for a long time no concern in government, it cannot be expected that their actions could afford any matter for history, till their countrymen came hither for the purposes of conquer in the 9th century, and, like a deluge, spread the terror of their arms thro’ the whole kingdom.

That Dublin, and the adjacent territories, were early governed by Roitelets, or petty kings, is manifest from the tenor of the Irish history, though the names of such petty kings have not been handed down to us, except in one instance only. For the kingdom being cantoned into several parts, the supreme monarch had his share of territory, as well as the dominion of the whole. The four provincial kings were governors of the four provinces, yet in subordination to the supreme monarch, to whom they were feudatory, and collected and paid the allotted tributes and taxes for the support of the government to him; so that, properly speaking, they were *substitutes *or vice-roys only to the monarchs of Ireland, though they often undertook to mete his power. If the provincial kings were to be considered in any other light, it would be repugnant to the nature of monarchy, which was always the prevailing form of government in this island; and the title of king of Ireland would be only an empty shadow if those provincial kings should be allowed singly to enjoy a supreme right of magistracy in their respective shares. For then, nothing would be left to the supreme monarch but the little territory of Meath, which was reckoned his private estate, and was allotted to him for the maintenance of his table.

As the provincial kings were substitutes to the supreme monarch, so they had under them other *inferior kings *of smaller territories. For the possessors of considerable domaines in Ireland were in common acceptation dignified with the titles of kings, though in reality they were only subjects; so that to this passage of Martial, “Qui rex eft, regem, Maxime, non habeat” may be opposed another (Flah. Ogyg. P. 31), “Degener in tuguri rex lare quifque fui.” Thus we read frequently of the king of Brefinny, the king of Kinsellagh, the king of Ossory, the king of Cashell, and the like, who were all subjects only to the several provincial kings, as these latter were to the monarch.

The Irish in this instance of petty kings followed the examples of other nations who often gave the title of kings to the governors of small territories times to those of single towns. Thus Ulysses was called king of Ithaca, though his dominions were only a craggy island of about 25 miles in compass; insomuch, that Cicero compares them to a *nest built upon a rock. Nestor had the title of king of Pylos, though his power extended no further than a single town of that name in Peloponnesus. Joshua slew 31 kings in the small compass of Palestine alone; and Strabo affirms, that every city of the Phoenicians was governed by a peculiar king. Nor is there occasion to travel so *far for instances of this kind, Kent alone being subject to four kings, when Julius Caesar invaded it.

The Irish language distinguished the office of king by two words (Ogyg. P. 26.)*, *namely, *airdrigh, *or the high king; i.e. the supreme monarch and *righ-beag, i.e. *the little or *petty-king *in latin *regulus, *who was a provincial or inferior king, and owed obedience and subjection to the *airdrigh, *though at the same time he exercised an absolute authority over his own subjects, who nevertheless had a right of appeal to the Supreme monarch. There were also other petty-kings of smaller districts in Ireland, some subjects to the *airdrigh, *and some to the provincial kings.

From hence it seems to be fairly collected, that the provincial kings were the great officers of the supreme monarch’s* *court, and of his council and that the other petty kings, or chieftanes of smaller districts, were in the nature of counts, barons, or lords of manors in other countries, and were probably the great officers of the several provincial kings, and, of their council. Some antient writers, taking example from the customs of other countries, have not unfrequently called these last mentioned petty kings by the titles of *dukes *(duces) or chieftanes, and counts. Thus the author of the life of St. Declan (MS), not yet published, calls the father of Declan, ‘Ercus, dux Defiorum’, i.e. Ercus, duke or chieftane of Desies,’ (Defies? KF) then a territory, now a barony in the county of Waterford, of which the defendants of that Ercus continued petty kings until the arrival of the English.

So in the life of St. Carthag (Cited by Flah. Ogyg. P. 29), Mcloctride is called dux Nan-Defi, duke or chiefane of Defies. Bede (Eccl. Hist. Lib. 4. Cap. 4.)*, in his account of St. Colman, says, “That he bought Mayo a comite ad cujus possessionem pertinebat - from a count, whose estate it was.” The *author of the life of Laurence O-Tool (Jnt. Surii Collect), archbishop of Dublin, who died in the year 1180, mentions a count of Kildare, who undoubtedly was them petty king of that district; for Kildare was not erected into an earldom till 1316.

The Danes,** **having settled themselves in the government of Dublin, followed the example of the Irish in this particular, and were sometimes called kings, and sometimes counts; of which an instance may be seen in the black-book of Christchurch Dublin, where Sitric Mac-Aulaff, king of the Ostmen of Dublin, is called Sitricus, rex Dublin, filius Ableb, otherwise called Aulaff, was immediate predecessor to Sitric.

Many instances of this sort of petty kings might be cited from the histories of Ireland, which, to avoid prolixity, are omitted and thus much is advanced only to give the reader some* *idea of the nature of the kings, or chief governors of Dublin in the Danish times, who undoubtedly owed subjection to the provincial kings of Leinster; though in the 9th and 10th centuries, when they had strengthened themselves in Dublin, Fingal, and other adjacent territories, they shook off their allegiance, and often made war on these princes.

One instance only occurs of a king of Dublin (and that in the 5th century) before the invasions of the Danes in the beginning of the 9th, and he is mentioned (it must be confessed) by no very reputable writer (Jocelin. Vit. Patricii. Cap. 71), as follow’s: **

A. D. 448**. Alphin Mc. Eochaid, king of Dublin, and his subjects, were converted to the christian faith by the preaching* *of St. Patrick, and baptized in a fountain called after that missionary’s name, St. Patrick’s well, on the south side of the city, near where the steeple of the church dedicated to him now stands; which well (we are told by archbishop Usher) (Primord. P 863) was a little before the year 1639, shut up and inclosed within a private house. In the black-book of Christ-church the following passage may be seen.

“Fornices, &c. The arches or vaults were built by the Danes before the arrival of St. Patrick in Ireland; and at that time Christ-church was not built in the manner it is now; and therefore St. Patrick celebrated mass in one of the arches or vaults, which to this day is called the arch or vault of St. Patrick: and St. Patrick prophesised concerning the building of Christ-church there in future ages.”

It must follow from hence that these vaults were erected by the Ostmen merchants, as a depositary for their wares, many ages before that people came to make settlements here on the score of conquest, which happened in the following time and manner. **

A. D. 838**. The Ostmen entered the river Liffey (Annals of the four masters) with a fleet of 60 fail, in aid of their countrymen, who had ravaged the land, and made several settlements in it during the space of 43 years before. Dublin now submitted to them for the first time, in which they raised a strong rath (Waraei Antiq. Cap. 24)), and thereby curbed not only the city, but in a little time extended their conquests through Fingal to the north, and as far as Bray, and the mountains of Wicklow to the south. These parts seem to have been soon after made the head of the Danish settlements in Leinster, and from them Fingal took its name, as much as to say, *the territory of the white foreigners or Norwegians, *as the country to the south of Dublin was called *Dubh-Gall *or *the territory of the black foreigners, *from the Danes. This last denomination is not preserved in history, that we know of; but it remains by tradition among the native Irish of these parts to this day. The Danes however were soon after driven out of Dublin. Turgesius, their principal commander, was slain in 845, and the grestest part of the Danes driven back to Norway, and the islands from whence they came. **

A. D. 851**. About this time (Waraei Antiq. Cap. 24.) the Danes, or Ostmen again possessed themselves of Dublin, Fingal, and other adjoining territories. And now a bloody battle was fought between the Irish of Meath and Leinster, and those foreigners; in which the Danes of Dublin were put to flight, and the city plundered by the victors. A great number of the Danes escaped to their own country, from whence the year following they returned with fresh recruits, overthrew their enemies in battle, and recovered the city of Dublin, which they repaired and strengthened with fortifications.

The author of the life of St. Coemgene (Waraei Antiq. cap. 24), commonly called St. Kevin, intends those Danes or Ostmen, in a passage wherein he speaks of Dublin thus: “Et ipse Sanctus Garbanus prope cititatem Ath-Cliath habitabat, quae est in aquilonali Laginewsium plaga, super fretum maris posita, et illud scotice dicitur Dubh-lein, quod sonat latine Nigrae-thermae: et ipsa civitas potens et belligera est, in qua semp habitant viri asperrimi in praeliis, et peritissimi in classibus. – St. Garban (says that writer) lived near the city of Ath-Cliath, which is seated in the north parts of Leinster, upon a firth of the sea, and in the Irish language is called *Dubh-lein, *which in Latin signifies *Nigrae-therma, *or the *black-bath: *and the city is potent and warlike, and inhabited by a race of people, who have been always most hardy in battle, and of great skill in navigation.” **

A. D. 853**. Amlave on Aulaffe (Ware Antiq. cap. 24.) arrived in Ireland with a powerful fleet of Danes and Norwegians, and all the Danes then living in Ireland submitted themselves to his government. Some writers (Ibid.) have taken this Amlave, and this Norwegian fleet to be the same of whom Cambrensis (Topogr. Hib. District. 3. Cap. 43.) speaks. “A short time after” (says he) namely, after the death of Turgesius, a colony from Norway, and other parts of the islands of the north, as it were the remains of former swarms, landed in Ireland. They had a competent knowledge of the goodness of the country, either from their own experience, or from the reports of their parents. They came not with an hostile fleet, but under a pretext of peace, and colour of traffick; and sitting down in the maritime parts of the kingdom, they at length by consent of the princes of the, land erected several cities in it. For the Irish out of a natural disposition to laziness, never in any degree employed themselves in navigation or commerce; and therefore it was by the unanimous advice of the whole kingdom judged to be for the interest of the weal-publick, that some foreign ers should be permitted to make settlements in the island, by whose industry the commodities of other countries, which this nation wanted, might be imported into it. The leaders of this enterprize were three brethren, namely, Amelaus, Sytarachus and Yvorus. They therefore at first founded three cities, namely, Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick; of which the principality of Dublin fell to the share of Amelaus, that of Waterford to Sytarachus, and Limerick became the lot of Yvorus and from thence by degrees they proceeded to build other cities in Ireland. This people therefore, who are now stiled Ostmen, were in the beginning peaceable and governable enough under the kings of the country. But when their numbers increased beyond bounds, and they had. strongly fortified their cities with trenches and walls, they every now and then were fond of reviving their antient quarrels, which they could not easily forget, and to out into open rebellion. They were called Ostmen in their own language, which was a corrupt kind of Saxon, as much as to say*, eastern men; *for, in respect to Ireland, they came hither from countries lying to the east.”

This is the account given by Cambrensis, which others (Ranulph. in Polycronico) have followed but it seems to be manifest, that the Ostmen possessed themselves of these maritime habitations by force and arms, and not under colour of traffick, nor by permission of the Irish; and this will appear, if it be considered, with what barbarity they ravaged Ireland from their first entrance into it, and even at the time of which we now speak, and for a long time after. The account therefore of Cambrensis seems to have been blended from actions of two distinct periods. For that these brethren came to Ireland about the time mentioned, is certain ; but that they landed here under the pretext of traffick (as this writer alledges) is as much a mistake. Nor can it be conceived, that Amlave built the city of Dublin after the death of Turgesius, who was slain in 845, when we have seen before (Chap. 1.), that it was a city of considerable rank many centuries earlier: and Hollingshed (or those (Stanihurst’s Descrip. Of Ireland in Hollings. p. 20) whose works he published) is in as great an error, when he places the arrival of these brethren in 155. The history therefore of the arrival of the Ostmen in the way of traffick, should with much more probability be carried up to earlier times, and their coming* *hither in an hostile manner be placed in the 9th century; and then their building the arches or vaults under Christ-church before the time of St. Patrick (a fact much controverted) (Ogyg. P.42.), may stand with truth. **

A. D. 856**. A truce, which was made in 853 between Aulaffe and some of the Irish princes expiring this year, new hostilities were commenced between Melaghlin, king of Ireland, and the Ostmen of Dublin, headed by the said Aulaffe, which continued three years to the loss of great numbers on both sides; but in the year 859, the former truce was renewed between them. In the mean time, other parts of the kingdom were not so quiet for in 857 Cathol the white, attempting innovations in Munster, was set upon by king Aulaffe from Dublin, and Yvor from Waterford, and put to flight with great loss. **

A. D. 862**. Upon the death of king Melaghlin this year, Lorcan Mac-Cathol, and Cornelius Mac-Dermod aspired (Wareai Antiq. cap. 24) to the monarchy, and as a step to it found means by their power to divide the kingdom of Meath between them: but Hugh Finliat, the monarch in possession, by the assistance of Aulaffe, king of Dublin, took them both prisoners, and was thereupon universally recognized king of Ireland, the first having his eyes thrust out by king Hugh, and the other drowned at Clonard by Aulaffe. **

A.* D. 865*. The truce being ended, king Hugh raised an army to oppose the Danes, and gave them a total defeat (Keat. Part 2. p. 63.) at Lough-foile, in which 1,200 of the enemy fell, with most of their principal officers. Encouraged with this success, the king attacked the fortifications and garrisons of the enemy, and beat them out* *of their fortresses, recovering all the plunder and booty they had deposited in them. Soon after the principal seat of king Aulaffe, built at Clondolchain, near Dublin, was set on fire by a party of Irish, and consumed, and in the confusion an hundred of the principal Danes were slain. To revenge this affront, Aulaffe, by an ambuscade, surprized a body of 2,000 Irish, who were most of them slain, taken prisoners. **

A. D. 869**. The foregoing success inspired the Danes with fresh courage: Auliffe this year (Waraei Antiq. cap. 24) extended his arms northward, and plundered and burned Armagh, having first slain a thousand Irish in battle. **

A. D. 870**. Aulaffe, and his son Ivar fitted (Ibid.) out a fleet of 200 ships, and sailed over to Britain in aid of their countrymen Hinguar and Hubba; and making a successful expedition, they returned to Dublin the year following, loaded with vast booty and a great number of prisoners. The Ulster annals relate the success of this expedition thus:

“Amlaph and Yvar came to Ath-Cliath out of Albany with 200 ships, and brought with them a great prey of English, Britons and Picts into captivity.”

But king Aulaffe died soon after his return. **

A. D. 871**. Yvar Mac-Aulaffe succeeded his father in the government of Dublin, and was a prince of such power, that the Irish annals (Ibid.) have given him the title of *king of the Norman of all Ireland. *During his government of Dublin, Ailell king of Leinster was slain by the Danes; and the year following Yvar died. **

A. D. 872**. Ostin Mac-Aulaffe succeeded his deceased brother Yvar, and in the year 875 made an expedition (Waraei Antiq. cap. 24) into North-Britain, and having routed the Picts there with great slaughter, was upon his return slain by the treachery of some Ostmen, and then Godfrid Mac-Yvar assumed the government of Dublin. Buchanan (Hist. p.95. edit. 1715.), treading in the steps of some of the English historians (Cowper and Grafton), relates, ” that in the year 877 the citizens of Dublin pretending to be aggrieved by the Scots of Galloway, who had rifled some ships of theirs driven by a storm on that coast, in revenge sent over some forces, preyed the country, and carried home great booty. That Gregory, king of Scotland, to repair the injuries done to his subjects, passed with an army into Ireland, the king of which was then Duncan, Donat, or rather Dunach, who was a child, and under the guardianship of two powerful chieftanes, Brien and Cornelius, between whom the whole land was divided into factions. But receiving an account of the landing of a foreign enemy, they made a truce, and marching with two armies, fortified the passes on the river Bann, and by wailing the country, endeavoured to stop the progress of king Gregory. But he marched forward without delay, and by night secretly sent a party of his army to possess an eminence which hung over Brien’s camp, which he the next day assaulted, and by tumbling down rocks from his advantageous post cast the whole army into confusion; Brien was slain, and Cornelius soon after put to flight. King Gregory marched forward, took in Dundalk, (called Dungardus by Buchanan) and Drogheda, and laid siege to Dublin, which was surrendered in a short time by Cormal, bishop of it. Gregory visited his kinsman, king Duncan, and told him, that it was not for the sake of conquest or wealth, but to vindicate his subjects, that he came there. Then committing the care of the king’s education to the elders of the land, he took upon himself the guardianship, and garrisoning the fortresses, he exacted an oath from the nobles, that they would admit neither English, Briton, nor Dane into the island, without his license, and, having taken 60 hostages, returned home to his great honour.”

Hollingshed (History of Scotland, p. 143) embellishes this story with many new circumstances. But after all, the relation can by no consist with truth. For the Irish historians acknowledge no monarch of the names mentioned at or about this period; nor was it ever known that a child was admitted to the supreme government of Ireland and further, the city of Dublin never was the seat of supreme government during the Irish times, nor was it at this time under the power of any Irish king, either provincial or other, but was governed by Godfrid Mac-Yvor, a Dane, and was the head of the settlements of that people. **

A. D. 885**. Flan Mac-Melaghlin, king of Ireland, was routed (Annals of the Four Masters) in battle by Godfrid Max-Yvor, and his subjects, the Ostmen of Dublin, in which Largisius, bishop of Kildare, and many others were slain; and two years after Kildare was wasted and burnt down by the same people. **

A. D. 888**. King Flan renewed the war (Ware ibid.), which was followed by a fierce battle fought between him and the Danes of Dublin, wherein many fell on both sides; and among others, on the part of Flan, Hugh O-Connor, king of Conaught, was slain; soon after which, Godfrid Mac-Yvor, prince of the Danes of Dublin, fell by the treachery of his brother Sitrick, who succeeded him. **

A. D. 890**. The Danes of Dublin (Trias Thaum), under the conduct of Gluniarm, general to Sitrick Mac-Yvor, marched northwards, and possessed themselves of Armagh*, *and not only plundered it, but set fire to the cathedral, and other religious houses, and carried away 710 prisoners into captivity. **

A. D. 892**. The whole city of Dublin was this year torn (Ware Antiq. cap. 24) by intestine factions, fomented by Jeffery Merlys, a man of great reputation among the citizens at that time, against Sitrick Mac-Yvor, then king of Dublin, on the score of the murder of his brother, and other cruelties, and many mischiefs ensued these dissentions. **

A. D. 895**. The Ostmen of Dublin marched (Ibid.) an army into Ulster, and plundered Armagh; and another party of them the same year (Annals of the four Masters) pillaged Kildare. **

A. D. 896**. Divine vengeance(Waraei. Antiq. cap. 24.), though slow, pursued the guilty Sitrick, who had murdered his brother as before said, and he was slain by his own people. He was succeeded by another brother, called Aulaffe Mac-Yvor, who was slain the same year in battle by the Ultonians of Tyrconnel, and was succeeded by Reginald Mac-Yvor, probably another brother of Sitrick. **

A. D. 897**. Ireland at this time felt another scourge besides that of the Danes.

For Caradocus of, Lhancarvan relates. “That in the year 897 it was destroyed by strange worms, having two teeth which consumed all that was green in the land. These (proceeds he) seem to have been locusts, a rare plague in those countries, but often seen in Africa, Italy, and other hot regions.”

Other writers (Polycron. Ad. An. 897. Hanm Chron. p 88) add, “That these devourers left neither corn nor grass, nor food for man or beast, but consumed all that was green in the land. ” so that of consequence a miserable famine ensued.

This visitation confined both the Irish princes and the Danes with the terms of peace for five years, when in the year 902 (Ware Antiq. an 902) a fresh fleet of these latter people landed on the coasts of Leinster to recruit their countrymen in Dublin, but were attacked by the provincial troops of Leinster near that city, and put to flight with great slaughter. **

A. D. 911**. The Danes of Dublin (Carad. of Lhancarvan ad an 911)fitted out a fleet this year, and made incursions into South Wales; but were constrained by the inhabitants to return home after a successful expeditions and not without some loss. **

A. D 914**. A sharp naval engagement (Ware Antiq.) happened near the isle of Man between Barred and Reginald Mac-Yvor, two Danes, (the latter of whom was king of Dublin) Reginald obtained the victory, and slew Barred, and a great number of his party. **

A. D. 916**. (Carad of Lhancarvan). The Ostmen of Dublin made an expedition into the island of Anglesey in Wales, and wasted it from end to end with fire and sword. **

A. D 919**. Was memorable (Ware.) for a sharp battle fought between Neill Glundub, king of Ireland, and the Ostmen, near Dublin, on the 15th of September, in which king Neill and a great number of the principal officers of his army were slain. Donat Mac-Flan O-Melaghlin succeeded him, and the year following revenged his predecessor’s death by the greatest slaughter of the Danes that ever before happened in Ireland insomuch, that scarce one half of their great army escaped (Mac-Geoghagan’s Annals, MS).

At this time Keallachan Cashell was king of both the divisions of Munster, and exerted all his power in extirpating the Danes out of his dominions, whom he defeated in several battles, and by main force compelled them to abandon their settlements. These foreigners despairing of being reinstated in their old possessions by force of arms had recoursed to a detestable strategem. Reginald Mac-Yvor of Dublin, had all the other Danes of the kingdom tributary to him. Under colour of desiring peace, he drew the. king of Munster into a snare, which was near proving fatal to his life, as it did to his liberty. He offered to give him his sister in marriage, to conclude a perpetual league offensive and defensive with him, and to fend hostages to him for the due observance of the agreement. The fame of the lady’s beauty and accomplishments, together with the advantages of such an union, fired the young prince, and he made great preparations to espouse the Dane’s sister. He intended to take the flower of his army with him in order to conduct the princess with the greater state into his province; but upon the representation made by prince Kennedy (to whom he proposed to commit the government during his absence) of the danger of leaving his kingdom destitute of forces, he set out for Dublin, attended by Duncan, one of the sons of Kennedy, and a small number of troops sufficient only for a body guard. The consort of Reginald Mac-Yvor, who was of the birth of Ireland, found means of getting into the knowledge of her husband’s secret designs, and either out of a principle of generosity or love, having before seen king Keallachan at Watrrford, she privately informed him of his danger, when he had arrived near the suburbs of the city. The king of Ireland was suspected to have known and approved of the plot, and being an enemy to the king of Munster, for refusing to pay him the usual tributes, concealed it.

King Keallachan, having thus received information of the conspiracy, resolved to return home with the utmost speed; but his few troops being surrounded by those whom Reginald had placed in ambush were, after an obstinate resistance cut to pieces, and king Keallachan and Duncan Mac-Kennedy made prisoners, and conducted to Dublin; and afterwards confined under a strong guard at Armagh.

Kennedy, the regent, being informed of the treachery of Reginald, and of the imprisonment of the king and his son, resolved to attempt their release, and having mustered the provincial troops, he gave the principal command of them to Donogh Mac-Keefe, petty king of Fermoy, an experienced soldier. He also fitted out a fleet in the ports of Munster, and made Failbe Fion, king of Desmond, admiral of it; suspecting that the Dane might remove; the prisoners on board his fleet (which then roved in the eastern seas) in case there was any danger of a rescue.

The Munster* *forces took their route through Connaught, to avoid any opposition from the much suspected king of Ireland. Upon their approach to Armagh;, the Danes being informed of their strength, removed the prisoners oh board their fleet which then lay in the bay of Dundalk.

Mac-Keefe pursued, but came too late, and now it appeared that the precaution of Kennedy in fitting out a fleet, was of singular advantage. For while the Munster forces flood distracted on the shore, unable to assist their king, the fleet appeared in fight, and attacked the Panes with such vigour, that they obtained a complete victory, and recovered their king and prince Duncan.

Reginald escaped to Dublin by flight, where he died in 921, oppressed with grief for the disappointment of this shameful attempt. King Keallachan having recovered his liberty, and provided for the necessities of his fleet and army, put himself at the head of his troops, arid directed his march towards Munster. Mortough Mac-Flan, king of Leinster, being in league with the Dane, opposed his passage through his territories, and endeavoured to cut off his retreat. But the king of Munster forced his way, and arrived at his court without any loss , and was received with infinite joy by his subjects. Keating (Hist. 2nd part, p. 75) improves this account with many new circumstances, but he misapplies it in point of time, and places the scene under the government of Sitrick, the son of Turgesius, which is impossible, Turgesius having died near 80 years before; nor was any son of his king of the Ostmen of Dublin. **

A. D. 921**. Upon the death of Reginald Mac-Yvor this year, his son Godfrid Mac-Reginald succeeded (Ware Antiq.) in the government of Dublin, who the same year marched an army into Ulster, and in November plundered Armagh, which it seems had recovered its liberty by the late success of the king of Munster. **

A. D. 924**. Godfrid made an expedition (Ibid.) towards Limerick, in which he lost a great part of his army; nevertheless, upon his return, being joined (Annals of the Four Masters) by some troops of his countrymen of Waterford, he ravaged and plundered Kildare. **

A. D. 926**. (Waraei Antiq. cap. 24).* *King Godfrid sent an army into Ulster under the command of his son Aulaffe, who was twice put to flight by the Ultonians ; and at length escaped with difficulty by the assistance of his father, who had followed from Dublin with a body of fresh forces. Kildare was the year following plundered and miserably spoiled (Annals of the four Masters) by Godfrid on the festival of St. Bridget, the patroness of the place. **

A. D. 934**. King Godfrid died (Waraei Antiq. cap. 24), and left behind him an infamous character for his cruelties. He was succeeded in the government by his son Aulaffe Mac-Godfrid, called Anlaph by the English historians, who is supposed to be the same person that was routed in the battle of Brunaburgh in Northumberland, by Athelstan king of England, in the year 937 whose disgraceful flight the Saxon chroncle thus describes (Ir. Hist. Libr. P. 156)*, *” The sorry remains of Anlaph’s army put to sea, and made for Dublin, returning to Ireland in a shameful manner.” **

A. D. 941**. This year (War. ibid.) Aulaffe was taken off by a sudden death. Caradocus of Lhancarvan calls him, “Abloick chief king of Ireland,” and places his death under the year 939, though the book of Margan says, he died in 940. However, that may be, he was succeeded by his brother Blacar Mac-Godfrid. **

A. D. 944**. (War. Antiq. c. 24) Congelach Mae-Maelith, king of Ireland, by the assistance of Brien, king of Leinster, assaulted, took, plundered and burned Dublin having slain (as it is said) 4,000 Ostmen there, and put the remainder of them, with their king Blacar to flight. **

A. D. 945**. (Ibid)* *King Blacar having levied a good body of auxiliaries from among his countrymen, marched back to Dublin, and recovered and repaired it. **

A. D. 946**. *(Ibid) *The Ostmen of Dublin, to revenge their late losses, laid a great part of Meath waste. **

A. D. 947**. (Ibid) The Ostmen of Dublin were again put to flight by Congelach, king of Ireland. **

A. D. 948**. (War. Antiq. c. 24) The Ostmen of Dublin renewed the war, and were again vanquished by king Congelach, Blacar king of Dublin, and about 1,600 of his subjects falling in the action. Godfrid Mac-Sitrick succeeded Blacar. About this time, the Ostmen settled in Ireland embraced the christian faith and some are of opinion, that they this year founded the abbey of the B. V. Mary near Dublin for Benedictin monks; though others hold, that it was founded long before by Melaghlin or Malachy king of Ireland (who died in 862) and by one Gillemoholmoc and Roisia his wife, while others ascribe that action to Donald Gillemoholmoc alone. **

A. D. 950**. (Ibid) The Ostmen of Dublin plundered Slane in Meath, and burned it down to the ground. But the year following having wasted a great part of the same territory under the conduct of king Godfrid, upon their return to Dublin loaded with spoil, they were intercepted by the Irish, and put to flight, with the fsaughter of 6,000 men, and in the rout Godfrid was slain, and was succeeded by Aulaffe Mac-Sitrick. **

A. D. 953**. (Annals of the four Masters) The Ostmen of Dublin again plundered Kildare, and slew Cullen Mac-Kellach, the abbot of it. **

A. D. 956**. (War. Antiq. c. 24) A sharp battle was fought between Congelach king of Ireland, and the Ostmen of Dublin at Tiguiran in Leinster, in which Congelach was put to flight and slain. Caradocus of Lhancarvan* *erroneously places this action in 953. See Ware’s Lat. Antiq. cap. IV. **

A. D. 959**. (c) Aulaffe Mac-Sitrick, petty king of Dublin, (called Abloick king of Ireland by Caradocus of Lhancarvan) landed in the island of Anglesea, and plundered Holy-head, (called by the inhabitants Caer-Gubi) and the whole territory of Lhyn. Yet some (Lib. Mar. five lib. Hergesti) ascribe this action to the sons of Aulaffe. **

A. D. 962**. (War. ibid.) Godfrid, a Dane, one of the sons of Aulaffe Mac-Sitrick, died in the life-time of his father. It is said, that about this time Edgar, king of England, subdued a great part of Ireland, and particularly the most noble city of Dublin. Of this, see what is said before chap. I. out of the preface to king Edgar’s char-ter. **

A. D. 964**. (Annals of four Masters) The Ostmen of Dublin marched out as far as Kildare, and there took a great booty and many prisoners, who were put to ransom. **

A. D. 970** (War. Antiq.) A battle was fought at Kilmore between Donald O-Neil, king of Ireland, and Donald, the son of the deceased monarch Congelach, assisted by the auxiliary troops of Aulaffe Mac-Sitric, king of the Ostmen of Dublin, in which many fell on both fides; but king Donald received the greater loss. **

A. D. 977**. (Ibid.) Aulaffe Mac-Sitric slew in battle Mortagh and Congelach, two of the sons of Donald king of Ireland. **

A*.* D. 980**. (Ibid.) The power of the Ostmen of Dublin, and of other parts, was greatly broken in the memorable battle of Tarah by Melaghlin, king of Ireland, this year succeeded his father, king Donald. For in that battle, besides some thousands of common soldiers, the principal commanders and leaders of the Ostmen were almost all slain, and among them Reginald the son of king Aulaffe; who took these losses so much to heart, that the following year he undertook (Annal. Insul. Omn. Sanct.) a religious pilgrimage to the island of Hy or Iona, where he died of grief, after a reign of 31 years, and was succeeded in the government of Dublin by his son Glun-Iaran Mac-Aulaffe. **

A. D. 981**. (War Antiq.). King Melaghlin, animated by the successes of the former year, marched into Fingal, a little territory under the dominion of the Ostmen of Dublin, and wasted it with fire and sword, at the same time setting all the Irish prisoners at liberty, who were in the custody of the Ostmen. At length a peace was concluded between this victorious Irish monarch, and the Ostmen of Dublin; who to repair their late losses, having mustered up a body of auxiliary forces, broke into the territories of Brien MacMurrough, king of Leinster, which Brien endeavouring to defend, he was taken prisoner by them, and soon after slain. **

A. D. 983**. Instead of a necessary union between the princes of Ireland against the common enemy, they joined with the Danish forces in making war on each other. King Melaghlin (as is said before) having made peace with the Ostmen of Dublin, hired (Mc. Geoghagan’s Annals, MS) a considerable body of their forces under the command of king Gluniaran, and marched against Donald Claen Mac-Lorcan (who was now king of Leinster upon the death of Bryan) and defeated him in a set battle. But this victory cost the Ostmen dear; for besides the loss of a great number of common soldier; many leaders (War. Antiq.) of principal account were slain; and among the rest Patrick Mac-Ivar, petty prince of Waterford, a young officer of great hopes, fell. **

A. D. 985**. (Annals of the four Masters) The Ostmen of Dublin made an irruption northward as far as Derry, and with such cruelty, that they spared neither religious nor lay-man that fell into their hand, and among others Malkyaran O-Maigne, abbot of Derry, suffered a cruel martyrdom. **

A. D. 989**. (War. Antiq.). Gluniaran Mac-Aulaffe, king of Dublin, was this year murdered by one of his domesticks, called Colvann (Mc. Geoghagan’s Annals), and was succeeded by his brother Sitric Mac-Aulaffe. Caradocus of Lhancarvan, deceived both in the name and title, calls this Gluniaran, who now was killed, Abloick king of Ireland.

“The same year, (according to the account given by Mc. Geoghagan) king Melaghlin fought the Danes in their own quarters in Dublin, slew great numbers of them, where he remained three score nights, and he pressed them so close in their camp without the town, that he confined them to drink nothing but salt-water. At length they submitted, and agreed to pay him a tribute of an ounce of gold out of every capital messuage and garden in Dublin yearly at Christmas to him and his successors for ever.” **

A. D. 994**. (War. Antiq.). Sitric Mac Aulaffe, king of the Ostmen of Dublin, was driven into banishment by his subjects of the city, headed by Hymar (Annals of the four Masters), who reigned a short space in his stead: but the aame year he was recalled and restored to his kingdom, from whence he banished Hymar. **

A. D. 996**. (Ibid.). The Ostmen of Dublin made an expedition into Meath, and wasted and plundered Kells, then called Kenanuse, and two years after they did the like by Kildare. **

A. D. 999**. (War. ibid.). Maarian or Maelmurry Mac-Murrough, by the assistance of Sitric Mac-Aulaffe, king of Dublin, got possession of the kingdom of Leinster; his predecessor, Donald Mac-Lorcan, being taken prisoner in battle, and obliged to abdicate. Before the end of this year, the valiant king of Munster, overthrew the Ostmen of Dublin in a battle fought at Glenanin, and from thence he marched to Dublin, which he took and plundered. **

A. D. 1000**. (War. Antiq.). The Ostmen, having given hostages for their allegiance to Brien Boro, repaired and fortified Dublin with new works. **

A. D. 1004**. Caradocus of Lhancarvan relates, “That Gulfath and Ubiad, two Irish lords, were taken prisoners by the Scots who put their eyes out, and also destroyed the country and town of Develin.” By the Scots in this passage are to be understood the Irish in the northern parts; and Caradocus himself afterwards under the year 1031 distinguishes them by the name of Irish-Scots. **

A. D. 1013**. (Ibid.).* *Leinster was miserably wasted and plundered by Murrough O-Brien, son to Brien Boro then king of Ireland, and afterwards by king Brien himself, even up to the walls of Dublin. In the mean time, the Lagenians and Ostmen of Dublin made peace among themselves, and, joining their forces, used their utmost endeavours to defend their country, though without success. **

A. D. 1014**. (War. Antiq.) About the beginning of this year, or the end of the last, Brien Boro made a league with many of the petty princes of Ireland, and they agreed to unite their forces, and expel Sitric and all the Ostmen of Dublin out of the kingdom, as publick enemies. On the other hand Sitric, having received intelligence of this union, was not negligent in providing for his own security. Having therefore made peace (as is before observed) with Melmurry Mac-Murrough king of Leinster he solicited and obtained aids both from him, and from the Danes and Norwegians who inhabited the isle of Man, and the Hebrides or western islands of Scotland, called by the Irish Inche—Gall. Great preparations being thus made on both sides, they met at length on the 23d of April this year at Clontarf, near Dublin, where after a long and obstinate engagement, king Brien obtained the victory, (as most writers say) though he instantly died of the wounds he received in the action. Others, on the contrary hold, that through the Danish army began to give ground, yet that on the death of king Brien, they rallied, and defeated the confederate army of the Irish with great slaughter. The authors of this latter opinion add, that the rashness of Brien gave great advantage to the Danes. For his ambition was so great, that he would not wait for the auxiliaries, which were expected to join him in three days under his son Donat, lest he should seem to sully the glory of his former great achievements, and therefore he was easily persuaded to engage the enemy with such forces as he had then about him, which proved fatal to his country and himself. This circumstance also contributed (Keat. 2d part, p. 94. Dub. Edit.) not a little to his overthrow, Melaghlin, king of Meath, who had been king of Ireland, and for his indolence and inactivity obliged to abdicate in favour of Brien, smothered a strong resentment in his mind; and though he marched with the forces of his country to Clontarf, yet on the day of the battle he drew off, and was only a spectator of the action at a distance.

With Brien fell his son Murrough, and Tirlagh, the son of Murrough, a great number of the nobility of the provinces of Munster and Conaught, and 7,000 (some day 11,000) common soldiers. Many also of the Ostmen and provincial troops of Leinster were slain, and among them Dub-gall the son of Aulaffe, Bruodar, admiral of the Danish fleet, (who slew king Brien) Melmurry, king of Leinster, and many others.

Some writers affirm, that the bodies of Brien and his son Murrough, of Donat O-Kelly) Doulan O-Hartegan, and Gille Barmedi, were buried by the Irish at Kilmainham, a village about a mile from Dublin, near an antient stone cross while others hold, that the bodies of Brien and Murrough were conveyed from the field of battle to Swords, (six miles from Dublin) and from thence attended to Armagh by the archbishop and clergy in procession, where they were deposited in the cathedral there, to which Brien had been a benefactor. After the battle, Sitric retired to Dublin with the remains of the Ostmen, and Melaghlin was rewarded for his treachery by being a second time advanced to the throne of Ireland. **

A. D. 1018**. (Keat. Part 2. p. 98. Dub. Edit.). The Danes of Dublin were quiet for four years after this bloody battle; but at length they began to recover their spirits, and marched into Meath under the conduct of their king Sitric, who wasted and plundered Kells, from whence they took many prisoners, and slew great numbers, who had taken shelter in the church there. But their good fortune forsook them before the end of the year, when they were defeated (War. Antiq.) by king Melaghlin in a battle fought at Fodvay. **

A. D. 1019**. Bryen Mac-Melmurry, king of Leinster, fell under the jealousy of the Danes, and Sitric, king of Dublin, put out his eyes (Ibid.), which (according to a custom long established among the Irish) rendered him incapable of government so that he was deposed, and Ugair succeeded him. **

A. D. 1022**. (War. Antiq). Ugair Mac-Dunluing, king of Leinster, routed Sitric, king of Dublin, in a battle fought at Delgine, and slew* *a great number of his forces. **

A. D. 1029**. (Ibid.). Sitric, king of the Ostmen of Dublin, undertook a religious pilgrimage to Rome, and died on his journey. He was succeeded by his son Aulaffe Mac-Sitric, who the year following was taken prisoner by Matthew or Mathgaun O-Riagan, and obliged to pay for his ransom 200 cows, 80 British horses, 3 ounces of gold, and a certain sword called Charles’s sword: perhaps the sword of Charles Knute, son to the king of Den-mark, who fell valiantly fighting in the plains of Clontarf. **

A. D. 1035**. (Ibid.) Aulaffe Mac-Sitric, king of Dublin, was slain in England on a journey he was making to Rome, and was succeeded by his son Sitric Mac-Aulaffe, who the year following slew Reginald O-Hivar, prince of the Danes of Waterford, in the streets of Dublin. **

A. D. 1042**. (War. Antiq). This year, or as some say, in the year 1041, Sitric Mac-Aulaffe king of the Ostmen of Dublin, died. This Sitric, as it is thought, is the fame person, whom the black-book of Christ-church calls Sitric the son of Ableb, and who, together with Donat, bishop of Dublin, about the year 1038, founded that church in the heart of the city; of which we shall give an account hereafter.

He was succeeded by his son Aulaffe Mac-Sitric, erroneously called Alphred, king of Divelin, by Caradocus of Lhancarvan. About this time, or a year earlier (Caradocus of Lhancarvan), Conap ap Jago, who had married Ranulpha, Aulaffe’s daughter, fled to Ireland, to avoid the cruelties of Griffin ap Lewellin, who had usurped Venedotia or North Wales, which of right was Conan’s inheritance. Conan, by the assistance of his fathcr-in-law, raised a considerable body of forces in Dublin, and sailed over with them into Wales to assert his claim. With these he took Griffin prisoner by stratagem. But the Welsh hearing of it, assembled in great numbers, rescued Griffin, and drove Conan to his ships with considerable slaughter. **

A. D. 1050**. (a). Conan ap Jago made another attempt this year for the recovery of Venedotia; but with as bad fortune as before. For the greatest part of his fleet was wrecked by tempest, and he himself cast upon the Irish shore; and from thence forth he continued with his father-in-law Aulaffe in Dublin. **

A. D. 1066**. (Chron. of Man. At the end of the new edition of Camden in English). Godred-Crovan, king of Man, is said to have subdued Dublin this year, and a great part of Leinster, and to have made himself king of the parts he had brought under his power. Lanfrank, archbishop of Canterbury, in an epistle (Usher’s Sylloge Epist. p. 6. Baron. Anales, tom. 11) to this Godred, stiles him king of Ireland, but in a mistake; and at the same time he gives Tirdolvac (who really was king of Ireland) the same title. **

A. D. 1071**. (War. ibid.). Murrough Mac-Dermod, king of Leinster, died, and was buried by the Ostmen in Dublin, to whom they were tributary. He is called king of the Galls of Leinster, as well as of that province, in some of the Irish annals (Annals of the Prioty of All Saints in Lough Ree.). **

A*.* D. 1074**. (War. Antiq.). Donat, first bishop of the Ostmen of Dublin, died, and was buried in his own cathedral near the high altar. His successor Patrick was also an Easterling. **

A. D.1076**. (Ibid). Godred Crovan, king of Dublin, as also of the islands of Man and the Hebrides, died in the island of Ila (Chron. of Man), called by Ptolemy Epidium. Upon his death, the Ostmen of Dublin elected Godfrid Meranagh for their king. **

A. D. 1088**. (War. ibid.). The Ostmen of Dublin marched to Waterford, and took and burned it down to the ground. **

A. D. 1089**. (Ibid.). The Ostmen of Dublin, Waterford and Wicklow united, and with joint forces marched out, intending to plunder Cork. But they were met by the people of Oneach, and routed with considerable execution. **

A. D. 1095**. (War. Antiq) Mortogh O-Brien, king of Ireland, advanced to Dublin with an army, and from thence drove out king Godfrid Meranagh, who soon after died of grief or of the plague, which then ravaged all Europe, and to this, Mac-Geoghagan imputes his death. We read of no other king of the Ostmen of Dublin for 25 years after this period; and therefore probably king Mortogh governed it, with the rest of Ireland, until his death in 1120; to which the MS. annals of Connell Mac-Geoghagan give some countenance, which say, ” that Mortogh was constituted king of Dublin, and of the Danes of Ireland.” **

A. D. 1125**. (Ibid.) Torfin Mac-Torcall (who was advanced to the government of the Ostmen of Dublin in the year 1120) died this year a sudden death in the flower of his youth, and was succeeded by Donald Mac-Gilleholmock. **

A. D. 1134**. (Ibid.). Cornelius, son to Mortogh, king of Meath, was slain in battle by Donald Mac-Gilleholmock, and his Ostmen of Dublin. But by a sudden change of fortune Donald was slain in another battle: this same year the Dublinians were put to flight, and the subjects of Meath broke into Fingal, and wasted it with fire and sword. Donald was succeeded by Reginald Mac-Torcall. **

A. D. 1142**. (Carad Lhancar. War. ib)). About this time Cadwallader revolting from his allegiance to his brother Owen Guinoth, prince of North Wales, fled into Ireland, and agreed with the Ostmen of Dublin for 2,000 marks to raise a compleat army, and make war on his brother. The army was raised, and composed partly of Ostmen and partly of Irish, and went into Wales under the command of Octer, and the sons of Torcall and Cherulph. But soon after they had landed, hearing that the brothers had made peace, they detained Cadwallader prisoner, until he gave them 2,000 head of cattle for the 2,000 marks stipulated to be paid them for their wages. These things being so done, Owen Guineth unexpectedly fell on the Ostmen and Irish thus loaded with spoils before they could recover their fleet, slew a great number, and returned with the booty. The remains of this battered army got on ship-board, and returned home with shame and loss. **

A. D. 1147**. (War. Antiq.). Reginald Mac-Torcall, king of Dublin, being this year slain in battle by the people of Meath, Godfrid Mac-Olave, king of Man, was (according to the Manks chronicle) recognized king by the Ostmen of Dublin. But (according to the annals of Ireland) (Annals of Abbey-Boyle ad. an. 1148) Oiter or Octer is said to have succeeded Reginald; yet possibly he might have governed in subordination to the king of Man. However that may be, Octer was slain two years after by the sons of Torcall (as the said annals relate) upon which Brodar Mac-Torcall, brother to Reginald, obtained the principality of Dublin. **

A .D. 1161**. (War. Antiq.) Brodar Mac-Torcall. king of the Ostmen of Dublin, was slain in battle by the inhabitants of Meath, and his brother Asculph Mac-Torcall succeeded him. **

A. D. 1162**. The Ostmen of Dublin were over-run and spoiled by Dermod Mac-Murrough, king of Leinster, who bore a greater sway over them than any other king had done for a long time. **

A. D. 1165**. Henry II. king of England, being alarmed by the insurrections of the Welsh, who, under the conduct of David ap Owen, prince of North Wales had invaded and pillaged part of that king’s Country; he levied an army through all his dominions of England and France, and had succours from Flanders and Bretagne, resolving to chastize that people. Among these the Ostmen of Dublin, either as auxiliaries or allies, attended king Henry with a good body of forces, and continued half a year in his service. But partly from the difficulties of the passes, and partly through want of provisions, the king was obliged to break up his camp ingloriously, and the Ostmen, half starved for want of bread, returned home. **

A. D. 1167**. (War. Antiq.). Roderick O-Connor, king of Ireland, invaded Leinster, put Dermod Mac-Murrough, king of that province to flight, and obliged the Lagenians, and particularly the Ostmen of Dublin, to give him hostages. The cause of this war was not only the cruelty and oppression which king Dermod exercised over his subjects, but a rape committed by him on the wife of Tiernan O-Roirk, king of Breffiny, which in its consequences brought on the invasion of the English; of which so far as relates to Dublin in the next chapter.

To Chapter X. Harris Contents.