Diarmait Mac Murchada, anglicized as Dermot MacMurrough (died January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ...1 January Events Saladin abolishes the Fatimid caliphate, restoring Sunni rule in Egypt. ...1171) is considered the most notorious traitor in A true colour image of Ireland, captured by a NASA satellite on January 4, 2003. ...Irish history. Ousted as king of Leinster (Irish: Laighin) is the eastern province of Ireland, comprising the counties of Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. ...Leinster, he invited King Henry II of England, depicted in Cassells History of England, Century Edition, published circa 1902 Henry II (March 25, 1133–July 6, 1189), ruled as Duke of Anjou and as King of England (1154–1189) and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland, eastern Ireland, and western France. ...Henry II of England to assist him in regaining the throne. The subsequent invasion led to Henry becoming Ireland in the century prior to the Anglo_Norman invasion of 1169 is probably best described as a national kingdom lacking a settled monarchy, the kingship being disputed by three regional dynasties. ...Lord of Ireland himself, and marked the beginning of eight centuries of English dominance.

Early Life and Family

Mac Murchada was born around 1100, a son of Donnchad, King of Leinster and Dublin; he was a descendant of Brian Boru born c. ...Brian Boru. His father was killed in battle in 1115.

Mac Murchada had many wives and concubines, the first of whom, Mór Ua Tuathaill, was mother of Aoife of Leinster and Conchobar Mac Murchada. By Sadb of Uí Faeláin, he had a daughter named Orlaith who married Domnall Mór, King of Munster. He had two illegitimate sons, Domnall Cáemánach (died 1175) and Énna Cennselach (blinded 1169).

King of Leinster

After the death of his older brother, Mac Murchada unexpectedly became King of Leinster. This was opposed by the then High King of Ireland, Tairrdelbach mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht, born 1088, died 1156. ...Tairrdelbach mac Ruaidri Ua Conchobair who feared rightly so that Mac Murchada would become a rival. King Tairrdelbach sent one of his allied Kings, the belligerent Tigernán Ua Ruairc to conquer Leinster and oust the young Mac Murchada. Ua Ruairc went on a brutal campaign slaughtering the livestock of Leinster and thereby trying to starve the province's residents. Mac Murchada was ousted from his throne, but was able to regain it with the help of Leinster clans in Events Geoffrey of Monmouth produces the Historia Regum Britanniae Durham Cathedral is completed Construction of Exeter Cathedral begun Births 25 March - Henry II of England Honen Shonin, who later established Pure Land Buddhism as an independent sect in Japan Deaths Categories: 1133 ...1133. Afterwards followed two decades of an uneasy peace between Ua Conchobair and Diarmait. In 1152 he even assisted the High King raid the land of Tigernán Ua Ruairc who had by then become a renegade. Mac Murchada also abducted Ua Ruairc's wife Derbforgaill along with all her furniture and goods, with the aid of Derbforgaill's brother, a future pretender to the kingship of Meath.

After the death of the famous High King Brian Boru born c. ...Brian Boru in Events February 14 - Germany July 29 - Battle of Kleidion: Basil II inflicts not only a decisive defeat on the Bulgarian army, but his subsequent savage treatment of 15,000 prisoners reportedly causes Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria to die of shock, and earns Basil II the title Voulgaroktonos (Bulgar-slayer). ...1014, Ireland was at almost constant A civil war is a war in which the competing parties are segments of the same country or empire. ...civil war for two centuries. After the fall of the O'Brien family (Brian Boru's descendants) from the Irish throne, the various families which ruled Ireland's four provinces were constantly fighting with one another for control of all of Ireland. At that time Ireland was like a This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...federal kingdom, with four provinces ( For other places and things named Ulster, see Ulster (disambiguation). ...Ulster, Leinster, Alternate uses: See Munster (disambiguation). ...Munster and Connaught redirects here. ...Connaught) each ruled by kings who were all supposed to be loyal to the High King of Ireland.

Exile, Return and Death

In Events Marko III succeeds Yoannis V as patriarch of Alexandria. ...1166, Ireland's new High King and Mac Murchada's only ally Muirchertach Ua Lochlainn had fallen, and a large coalition led by Tigernán Ua Ruairc (now Mac Murchada's arch enemy) marched on Leinster. Ua Ruairc and his allies took Leinster with ease, and Mac Murchada and his wife barely escaped with their lives. Mac Murchada escaped to England where he formed an alliance with King Henry II who helped him organize a mercenary army of Norman and Welsh soldiers to invade Ireland. Among them were Richard fits Gilbert de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke (c. ...Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, alias Strongbow, who married Mac Murchada's daughter, Aoife of Leinster, in 1170.

In his absence Ruaidri Ua Conchobair (d. ...Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair (son of Mac Murchada's former enemy, High King Tairrdelbach) had become the new High King of Ireland. Mac Murchada planned not only to retake Leinster, but to oust the Uí Conchobair clan and become the High King of Ireland himself. He quickly retook Dublins Hapenny Bridge. ...Dublin, Ossary and the former Viking (disambiguation). ...Viking settlement of This article is about the city in Ireland. ...Waterford, and within a short time had all of Leinster in his control again.

He then marched on Tara might mean: Place names Tara, Australia is a place in Queensland Tara, Ireland was the home of the Kings of Ireland. ...Tara (then Ireland's This article concerns places that serve as centers of government and politics. ...capital city) to oust Ruaidri. Mac Murchada gambled that Ruaidri would not hurt the Leinster hostages which he had (including Mac Murchada's eldest son, Conchobar Mac Murchada). However Ua Ruairc forced his hand and they were all killed.

Diarmait's army lost the battle and the Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a former country (a Duchy) situated in northern France occupying the lower Seine area (upper or Haute-Normandie) and the region to the west (lower or Basse-Normandie) as far as the Cotentin Peninsula. ...Norman and For alternate meanings, see Wales (disambiguation) National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Official languages: English and Welsh Capital: Cardiff First Minister: Rhodri Morgan AM Area  - Total:  - % water: Ranked 3rd UK 20,779 km² xx% Population  - Total (2001):  - Density: Ranked 3rd UK 2,903,085 140/km² NUTS...Welsh Mercenary (disambiguation). ...mercenaries whom he had hired soon aided an invasion by England's Rulers with the title Henry II include: Henry II of Castile Henry II of England Henry II of France Henry II of Germany, also Holy Roman Emperor Henry II of Navarre Henry II, Duke of Saxony Henry II of Jerusalem (also Henry II of Cyprus) Henry II, Duke of Bavaria...Henry II in 1169. Mac Murchada lost his will to fight after his son's death, retreated to Ferns is a small historic town in north County Wexford, Ireland with a population of about 900. ...Ferns and died a few months later.

Although in modern Irish history Diarmait Mac Murchada is often seen as a traitor, his intention was not to aid an English invasion of Ireland, but rather to use Henry's assistance to become the High King of Ireland himself. He had no way of knowing Henry II's ambitions on Ireland.

Giraldus Cambrensis (c. ...Gerald of Wales, an Anglo-Welsh historian who visited Ireland and whose uncles and cousins were prominent soldiers in the army of Strongbow, said of Mac Murchada:

"Now Dermot was a man tall of stature and stout of frame; a soldier whose heart was in the fray, and held valiant among his own nation. From often shouting his battle-cry his voice had become hoarse. A man who liked better to be feared by all than loved by any. One who would oppress his greater vassals, while he raised to high station men of lowly birth. A tyrant to his own subjects, he was hated by strangers; his hand was against every man, and every man's hand against him."

Death and Descendants

After the invasion the Normans conquered Ireland by playing one Irish family off against another. Ua Conchobair was soon ousted, first as High King and eventually as King of Connaught. Attempting to regain his provincial kingdom, he turned to the English as Mac Murchada had before him. By Events Saladin abolishes the Fatimid caliphate, restoring Sunni rule in Egypt. ...1171, Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Official language None; English is de facto Capital London Capitals coordinates 51° 30 N, 0° 10 W Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831...England directly controlled a small territory in Ireland surrounding the city of Dublin known as " The Pale refers to at least two geographic areas: The Pale of Settlement in which imperial Russia allowed Jews to live. ...the Pale", while the rest of Ireland was divided between Norman and Welsh barons sent by the English, and the various Irish Clans (like the Uí Conchobair who retained Connaught and the Uí Néill who retained Ulster).

Subsequently most of the ruling Norman families began to intermarry with the Irish. Eventually they allied with Irish clans against England, adopted the Irish language and as the English put it "became more Irish than the Irish themselves" prompting a second English invasion centuries later.

See also The following is a provisional list of the Kings of Leinster up to 1632. ...Kings of Lenister

Sources

• "Annals of the Four Masters", ed. J. O'Donovan; 1990 edition.
• "Expungntio Hibernica", by Geraldus Cambrensis. Martin & Moody, editors.
• "Irish Kings and High Kings", Francis J. Byrne, 1973.
• "The Norman Invasion of Ireland", by Richard Roache, 1998.
• "War, Politics and the Irish of Leinster 1156-1606", Emmett O'Byrne, 2004.
• Giraldus Cambrensis (c. ...Gerald of Wales

Source for Genealogy

• Uí Cheinnselaig Kings of Laigin, "Irish Kings and High Kings" by Francis J. Byrne, page 290, Dublin, 1973.
• The MacMurrough-Kavanagh kings of Leinster, "War, Politics and the Irish of Lenister", Emmett O'Byrne, Dublin, 2004, Outline Genealogys I, Ia, Ib,, pages 247-249.