BATTLE OF CLONTARF 1014
RE-ENACTED IN DUBLIN:
Over 60,000 people attended the re-enacted Battle of Clontarf on the actual site
in Dublin over the Easter weekend which marked the 1000th Anniversary of the famous Battle which was a pivotal point in Irish History.
The Battle of Clontarf is a key event in the history of the
Vikings in Ireland, as well as the final chapter in the dramatic career of
Brian Boru. Brian belonged to the Dál gCais of north Munster. This
people had risen to local prominence during the reign of Brian’s father,
Cennétig, and his brother, Mathgamain. From the beginning of his reign Brian
vigorously pursued his ambition to become the over-king of Munster; having
succeeded in that, he then sought to extend his sway over neighbouring
provinces. Ironically, one factor that aided Brian’s rise to power was the
support of Viking fleets and fighting men. In 977 Brian had killed Ívarr, king
of Limerick, and his two sons in the monastery of Scattery Island. This
effectively brought Limerick under his control. In 984 Brian then allied
himself with Waterford and the Vikings of the Isle of Man against Dublin. Thus
he benefited from rivalries between different Viking groups.
Vikings fought alongside the men of Munster in Brian’s campaigns to extend his
influence across southern Ireland. In 997 Maelsechlainn, the Uí Néill over-king
of Mide (Meath), was forced to concede Brian’s authority in the south. Until
this time the Uí Néill dynasties had been the dominant force in Irish politics,
but their position was now under threat. Brian’s victory over the troops of Dublin
and Leinster at the Battle of Glenmama in 999 gave him the confidence to tackle
the power of Maelsechlainn head-on. He led a series of campaigns aimed at
getting his authority recognised across the whole of Ireland. He had barely
achieved this aim when the forces of Dublin and Leinster renewed their war
against him, and this led directly to the Battle of Clontarf.
In traditional accounts, Vikings are viewed as bloodthirsty pagan
raiders. More recently they tend to be cast in a more positive light, as
entrepreneurs who brought a new element to Irish cultural life. Both
perspectives contain elements of truth. Vikings had plagued the Irish coasts
since the end of the eighth century, and they began settling shortly after. By
the late tenth century their power was restricted to a handful of ports, of
which Dublin, Waterford and Limerick figure most prominently in the sources.
These towns were ruled by kings whose squabbles with each other figure as
prominently as their battles with Irish neighbours. By the time of the Battle
of Clontarf, there was a long history of intermarriage between Viking and Irish
dynasties that facilitated cultural exchange, alliances and trade across
political boundaries. Viking kings in Ireland had converted to Christianity and
gave patronage to some churches while raiding others under the control of their
enemies. Despite the limited nature of their political power in Ireland,
Vikings maintained a distinctive identity. Their fleets and armies were still
effective in war, and merchants from the Viking ports maintained a network of
trading contacts overseas. Perhaps it is not surprising that some of the most
powerful Irish kings were anxious to control the economic and military
resources of Viking ports to forward their wider political ambitions.
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| Political divisions of Ireland in 1014 |
On one side of the field stood Brian’s army, which consisted
of the men of Munster, some troops from Connacht (including Uí Maine and Uí
Fhiachrach) and a contingent led by the mormaer of Marr in Scotland. The
Munster armies may have included Vikings from Waterford and Limerick. It is a matter
of contention whether Maelsechlainn and the men of Mide also participated in
the conflict, but on balance I think it likely that they did (more on this
below). On the other side of the field were arrayed the Viking troops of
Dublin, under the leadership of Sigtrygg Oláfsson, and the Irish of the
hinterland to the south, under Maelmorda mac Murchada. They were supported by
Sigurd, earl of Orkney, and his men, a contingent of warriors from the
Hebrides, and a mercenary fleet (which may have included Scandinavian warriors)
led by Brodir. The battle was of long duration, with heavy casualties on both sides. Brian’s
side was victorious, but Brodir killed him. The story that Brian was slain
while at prayer first appears in the chronicle that Marianus Scotus wrote in
Germany over half a century after the battle. It may or may not be true.
The wide range of records of the Battle of Clontarf is one index of its
significance, but what was the impact of this struggle? The power of Dublin had
been on the wane from the late tenth century, and Clontarf was one of a series
of major defeats. In 980 Maelsechlainn had defeated the Vikings of Dublin at
Tara, and in 999 Brian crushed their forces at Glenmama. While the Vikings of
Dublin continued to be politically active after the Battle of Clontarf (they
attacked Kells in 1019, for example), Brian’s reign heralded greater
exploitation of Viking towns by Irish rulers. During the eleventh and twelfth
centuries Viking rulers increasingly became the minions of powerful Irish
kings. Clontarf may be perceived as a stage in the decline of Viking power in
Ireland.
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| A replica of the type of Viking ship which would have been present at Clontarf 1014 |
In terms of power-struggles between Irish rulers, Clontarf did not secure the
future of Brian’s descendants as over-kings of Ireland. After Brian’s death
Maelsechlainn once again became the most important over-king in Ireland, and
after his death there was a struggle for supremacy among the provincial
over-kings. When the descendants of Brian rose to eminence again at the end of
the eleventh century, they celebrated their famous ancestor in literature to
help justify their claims to dominate Ireland.
And now, Hollywood is getting in on the act with a major movie to start shooting in Ireland later this year on the life of King Brian. Judging by the artwork though, Brian's age has been substantially reduced, for artistic purposes, no doubt.
