Summary Of Diarmait Mac Murchada

Diarmait Mac Murchada intended to seek a foreign alliance in order to regain his position in Leinster, and after he had achieved this, realised he gained the strength needed to make himself high king of all Ireland. His ultimate objective, after landing in Bristol, was to seek help from Henry II, since he had previously provided the king with fleets to support his unsuccessful campaigns in Wales. These motivations are expressed in The Song of Dermot and the Earl. According to this source, Murchada appealed for the King’s help to regain his position in Ireland, in return for becoming his ‘liege man’. The song does not suggest why Murchada travelled ‘up and down and back and forth’ in order to find Henry II, however, he would never have undertaken

Seán Duffy argues ‘Dublin became a treasure-trove for the Irish province-kings, who were engaged among themselves in a competitive race for power’. When Diarmait mac Mail na mBo gained control of Dublin in 1042, he gained a huge economic and military boost, and established a revolution in terms of Dublin’s role in the Irish politics in 1052. Consequently any claimant to the high-kingship must ensure control of Dublin to convincingly gain control over the entire island. Marie Therese Flanagan states ‘Diarmait inspired to the high-kingship himself’, however, he did not have the military strength before obtaining the support of the Anglo-Normans and ‘Ruaidrí gained a key advantage by securing acknowledgement from the citizens of Dublin’. As shown in the Annals of the Four Masters, ‘Ruaidrí Ua Conchobhair was there inaugurated king’, in reference to Dublin. This shows the political significance of Dublin during the time of Diarmait, since it was there, Ruaidrí established his kingship. The high point of Diarmait’s control in Dublin was in 1162, as the Norsemen of Dublin recognised him as full overlord. This shows before gaining the help of the Anglo-Normans, Diarmait aspired for the high kingship, however, he knew he did not have the support needed. With the advantages of his Anglo-Norman and

Diarmait exercised his power through political measures to extent his influence. For example, in 1132, the first recorded exploit of Diarmait was the rape of the abbess of Kildare by his soldiers. Successively he installed his own kinswoman Sadb. This was purely a political act, perhaps to introduce his reign according to F. J. Byrne. Diarmait obtained a measure of authority over Osraige in 1134, alongside beginning his interference in the affairs of Munster, in the hopes of increasing his authority outside of Leinster. Cormac Mac Carthy assumed the kingship of Munster and Osraige in 1136. However, Diarmait supported the weaker king, O’Brein against the stronger king to keep the divide. It was in his best interest for Munster to remain divided between the two kings, since it would occupy their attention away from interfering with Leinster. In 1152, Diarmait began to exert influence over Mide through the abduction of Tigernan Ua Ruaric’s wife. The annals of Tigernach record she left ‘with her wealth’, which expresses this was perhaps due to a political alliance formed between Diarmait and the king of Meath, Maeleachlainn, her brother. Diarmait had even shared briefly in one of the partitions of Meath in 1161. Alongside this, Diarmait also extended his influence before