A New history of Ireland VOLume 2 Medieval Ireland 1169-1534

1067 Pages·1993·64.372 MB·English

by  Vaughan, William Edward;Moody, Theodore William;Byrne, Francis John;Martin, Francis X.;Cosgrove, Art;Hill, Jacqueline R

A NEW HISTORY OF IRELAND
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY
PLANNED AND ESTABLISHED BY THE LATE T. W. MOODY
BOARD OF EDITORS
F. J. BYRNE W. E. VAUGHAN
ART COSGROVE J. R. HILL
DÁIBHÍ Ó CRÓINÍN
II
MEDIEVAL IRELAND
1169-1534
A NEW HISTORY OF IRELAND
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY
PLANNED AND ESTABLISHED BY THE LATE T. W. MOODY
Vol. I Prehistoric and early Ireland
Vol. II Medieval Ireland (1169—1534)
Vol. Ill Early modern Ireland (1534—1691)
Vol. IV Eighteenth-century Ireland (1691—1800)
Vol. V Ireland under the union, I (1801—70)
Vol. VI Ireland under the union, II (1870—1921)
Vol. VII Ireland, 1921-84
Vol. VIII A chronology of Irish history to 1976: a companion to Irish
history, I
Vol. IX Maps, genealogies, lists: a companion to Irish history, II
A NEW HISTORY OF
I R E L A ND
II
MEDIEVAL IRELAND
1169-1534
EDITED BY
ART COSGROVE
OXFORD
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OXFORD
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Printed in Great Britain
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ISBN 978-0-19-821755-8 (Hbk.)
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1 3 5 79 10 8 6 42
PREFACE TO THE SECOND IMPRESSION
OUR confidence in this volume has been vindicated by the need to prepare a
second impression, and we have taken the opportunity to make a number of
minor amendments. The substantial bibliographical supplement, compiled by
Peter Asplin, indicates the extent of research and publication in the field of
medieval Irish history since this volume first appeared.
In deciding on forms of names we have followed the guidelines in volume vin
(PP 4"S)- A Middle Irish standard has been adopted for the period up to 1333,
but classical Modern Irish forms have been used thereafter, for example, Aed
Ó Conchobair (d. 1233) but Aodh Ó Conchobhair (d. 1363). Irish plurals or
collectives have been avoided in favour of anglicised plurals such as 'the
O'Neills' and 'the O'Briens' or circumlocutions such as 'the Mac Fir Bhisigh
family'. Place-names have been given in their current English form (as used by
the Ordnance Survey) except where obscure or unidentifiable.
Once again we thank Dr John A. Mulcahy, of New York, and the directors of
the American Irish Foundation, for the generous financial help that enabled us
to carry out much-needed research in the early stages of work on this volume.
In our original preface we recorded with sorrow the deaths of Françoise
Henry (10 February 1982), Michael Dolley (29 March 1983), and Alan Bliss
(24 November 1985); we have now, with great regret, to add the name of James
Carney (7 July 1989). All made unique contributions to their fields of study, and
we are grateful that their work appears in this volume. We again acknowledge
with gratitude the indispensable support of the late C. S. Andrews in setting
the New History project in motion.
F. X. MARTIN
F.J. BYRNE
W. E. VAUGHAN
ART COSGROVE
J. R. HILL
Royal Irish Academy
J7 October 7997
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CONTENTS
PREFACE V
CONTRIBUTORS XXÍV
MAPS XXVÍ
ILLUSTRATIONS XXVÜ
ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS XXXÍ
INTRODUCTION: MEDIEVAL IRELAND by F. X. Martin xlix
I THE TREMBLING SOD: IRELAND IN 1169 by F. J.Byrne
Disorder in early medieval Europe i
Tribal anarchy': Orpen, MacNeill, O'Grady 4
Kingship and authority 5
The high-kingship 6
The collapse of Meath 8
Provincial partitions 9
'Feudalisation' of Irish society: war, labour, land, and charters 10
Ulster and the North 14
The Irish Sea, Man, and the Isles 18
Meath 19
Leinster 21
Dublin 26
Munster 28
Connacht 33
Continuity and change 37
Northern conservatism 37
Nostalgia and change in literature 39
Dynastic marriage 41
Henry II as agent of reform 42
II DIARMAIT MAC MURCHADA AND THE COMING
OF THE ANGLO-NORMANS byF.X.Martin
Conventional misrepresentation 43
Nationalist tradition 43
False analogy with conquest in England 44
A revolution in writing: Gerald of Wales; The song of Dermot and the earl' 45
Irish Annals 47
Diarmait Mac Murchada: differing interpretations 48
viii CONTENTS
Church reform and Anglo-Norman influence 49
Norman secular influence before 1169 52
Indigenous religious reform: St Malachy, Flaithbertach Ua Brolchain, St
Lorcán Ua Tuathail 54
The Schottenklóster 55
Anglo-Norman intervention: the council of Winchester, 1155 56
John of Salisbury and the bull Laudabiliter 57
St Bernard of Clairvaux and Gerald of Wales: a dark picture of Ireland 59
Mac Murchada and the politics of the Irish Sea 61
Mac Murchada's zenith, 1162 62
Defeat and death of Somarlaide, 1164; of Mac Lochlainn, 1165; Mac Mur-
chada expelled from Ferns 62
Mac Murchada leaves for Bristol, August 1166 63
Contact with Henry II; permission to enlist help in 'Angevin empire' 64
Strongbow, the fitz Geralds, Rhys ap Grufíydd, and fitz Stephen 65
Mac Murchada returns to Ui Chennselaig, August 1167 66
III ALLIES AND AN OVERLORD, 1169-72 by F.X.Martin
Fitz Stephen to the relief of Mac Murchada, May 1169 67
Hervey de Montmorency and Strongbow's involvement 68
First landing; Wexford capitulates 69
Campaign against Mac Gilla Pátraic; Prendergast defects 69
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair intervenes 71
Mac Murchada in control of Leinster 72
Campaign in support of Domnall Mor Ua Briain 72
Raymond le Gros lands at Baginbun, August 1170 72
Defeat of the Waterford Norse and their allies 73
Strongbow's expedition; siege and capture of Waterford 74
Mac Murchada and Strongbow march on Dublin 76
Negotiations: Dublin captured 77
Campaign against Tigernan Ua Ruairc 78
Mac Murchada dies, c. May 1171 79
The MacCarthys attack Waterford 79
Henry II and the prospects for Anglo-Norman colonists 80
Unsuccessful Norse counter-attack on Dublin 82
Ua Conchobair and his allies invest Dublin 82
Ua Conchobair's ultimatum rejected; de Cogan's sortie; the siege raised 83
Fitz Stephen captured by Wexford Norse 85
Strongbow secures his position in Leinster; leaves Ireland 86
Agreement between Henry II and Strongbow at Pembroke 87
CONTENTS ix
Henry's expedition, October 1171 87
Fitz Stephen rescued 88
Submission of Irish rulers to Henry 89
The council of Cashel, 1172; the Irish hierarchy supports Henry 91
The papacy and Henry's Irish policy 92
Henry's charter and the Bristol connection with Dublin 94
Henry's return to England, spring 1172 96
Hugh de Lacy as Henry's representative 96
IV OVERLORD BECOMES FEUDAL LORD, 1172-85
by F. X. Martin
Henry's affairs in equilibrium 98
De Lacy and Strongbow in Ireland 98
Assistance from Ireland to Henry in the Angevin dominions; battle of Forn-
ham, August 1173; Scottish king captured, July 1174 99
Strongbow's agreement with Raymond le Gros, 1173; campaigns in Munster 102
Domnall Mor Ua Briain attacks Kilkenny, late 1173; Anglo-Norman reverses
at Thurles and Waterford 103
Ua Conchobair marches on Dublin; Raymond's counter-offensive 104
Anglo-Norman reprisals; Raymond's expedition to Limerick, October 1175;
city captured 105
Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair's negotiations with Henry; treaty of Windsor,
October 1175 106
Anglo-Normans at Limerick besieged by Ua Briain, 1176; relieved by Ray-
mond; death of Strongbow, May 1176; Limerick turned over to Ua Briain
and destroyed 109
Failure of treaty of Windsor; council of Oxford, May 1177 110
Ireland within the 'Angevin empire' 110
Arrangements for a lordship under John 111
Anglo-Norman takeover in Desmond, late 1177; failure in Thomond 112
John de Courcy in Ulster, 1177-81 114
Cardinal Vivian and the synod of Dublin, 1177 116
Royal representatives: Hugh de Lacy 117
Lorcán Ua Tuathail as archbishop of Dublin 118
Ua Tuathail dies, 14 November 1180; the way cleared for John's lordship 120
John's entourage and appurtenances 122
John's expedition to Ireland, April-December 1185 123
Hugh de Lacy and John; de Lacy's murder 125
A kingdom of Ireland? 126
V JOHN, LORD OF IRELAND, 1185-1216 byF.X.Martin
W. L. Warren's interpretation 127
Continuity of royal policy 128