Gofraid ua Ímair or Guthfrith of Ivar ( non, Guðrøðr , la, Guthfridus,
fl. from AD 918 until death in 934) was a Hiberno-Scandinavian (people of Gaelic and Scandinavian birth and Culture) and
Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
leader who ruled
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
and briefly
Viking Northumbria in the early 10th century. He was a grandson of
Ímar
Ímar ( non, Ívarr ; died c. 873), who may be synonymous with Ivar the Boneless, was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century who founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Ir ...
and a member of the
Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair (; meaning ‘''scions of Ivar’''), also known as the Ivar Dynasty or Ivarids was a royal Norse-Gael dynasty which ruled much of the Irish Sea region, the Kingdom of Dublin, the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides ...
. Gofraid was most probably among those Vikings expelled from
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
in 902, whereafter he helped his kinsman
Ragnall
Ragnall is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 102, increasing to 146 at the 2011 census. It is located on the A57 road one mile west of the River Trent. The parish churc ...
conquer Northumbria. Another kinsman,
Sitric Cáech, became ruler of Dublin around the same time. Ragnall died in 920, and so the following year Sitric left Dublin to rule in Northumbria, and Gofraid succeeded Sitric as ruler of Dublin. Sitric's early reign was marked by raids he conducted against the Gaelic (Native-Irish), including one at
Armagh.
Sitric Cáech died in 927 and Gofraid left for Northumbria, delegating authority in Dublin to his sons. This upset the sons of Sitric, who allied with a "son of Helgi", possibly
Tomrair mac Ailchi
Tomrair mac Ailchi, or Thormod/Thorir Helgason, was the Viking jarl and prince who reestablished the preexisting small Norse base or settlement at Limerick as a powerful kingdom in 922 overnight when he is recorded arriving there with a huge fl ...
of
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, and seized the city. This act began a period of conflict between the Hiberno-Scandinavian of Dublin and Limerick which would last until 937. Gofraid's attempt to rule in Northumbria was unsuccessful and he was driven out by
Æthelstan of England
Æthelstan or Athelstan (; ang, Æðelstān ; on, Aðalsteinn; ; – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first ...
within six months. He returned to Dublin to eject the sons of Sitric and continued to rule as king there. Following his return he led further raids, including attacks on
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
and
Dunmore Cave. In 931 he led an attack on a camp established by the Hiberno-Scandinavian of Limerick at Mag Raigne, near the borders of Gofraid's kingdom, with the intent of containing Gofraid's power. Gofraid died of a sickness in 934 and he was succeeded as king by his son
Amlaíb mac Gofraid.
Background
The ruling
Vikings
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and ...
of
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
were expelled from the city in 902 by a joint force led by Máel Finnia mac Flannacán, overking of
Brega and
Cerball mac Muirecáin
Cerball mac Muirecáin (died 909) was king of Leinster. He was the son of Muirecán mac Diarmata and a member of the Uí Fáeláin, the descendants of Fáelán mac Murchado (died 738), of one of three septs of the Uí Dúnlainge of modern County ...
, overking of
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...
. Those Vikings that survived the capture of the city split into different groups; some went to
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, some to
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, and some to
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
. Archaeological evidence suggests Dublin remained occupied in the years immediately following this expulsion, perhaps indicating only the ruling elite were forced to leave. However, Viking raids on Irish settlements continued, and in 914, a large Viking fleet travelled to
Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
. The arrival of this fleet marked the re-establishment of Viking rule over parts of Ireland, and was followed by more Vikings settling in
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
the following year.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, p. 31
The main historical sources for this period are the Norse
sagas and the
Irish annals. Some of the annals, such as the ''
Annals of Ulster'', are believed to be contemporary accounts, whereas the sagas were written down at dates much later than the events they describe and are considered far less reliable. A few of the annals such as the ''
Fragmentary Annals of Ireland
The ''Fragmentary Annals of Ireland'' or ''Three Fragments'' are a Middle Irish combination of chronicles from various Irish annals and narrative history. They were compiled in the kingdom of Osraige, probably in the lifetime of Donnchad mac Gil ...
'' and the ''
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' ( ga, Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' (''Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'') are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Flood myt ...
'' were also compiled at later dates, in part from more contemporary material and in part from fragments of sagas. According to
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, "apart from these additions
f saga fragments Irish chronicles are considered by scholars to be largely accurate records, albeit partisan in their presentation of events".
Biography
Gofraid is presumed to have left Dublin with the rest of the ruling Vikings in 902.
Hart
Hart often refers to:
* Hart (deer)
Hart may also refer to:
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* Hart Racing Engines, a former Formula One engine manufacturer
* Hart Skis, US ski manufacturer
* Hart Stores, a Canadian chain of department stores
* Hart's Reptile Wo ...
In 917 the
Irish Annals describe two grandsons of
Ímar
Ímar ( non, Ívarr ; died c. 873), who may be synonymous with Ivar the Boneless, was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century who founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Ir ...
,
Sitric Cáech and
Ragnall
Ragnall is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 102, increasing to 146 at the 2011 census. It is located on the A57 road one mile west of the River Trent. The parish churc ...
, leading their fleets to Ireland.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, pp. 31, 273–274 Sitric sailed his fleet to Cenn Fuait in
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...
, and Ragnall sailed his fleet to
Waterford
"Waterford remains the untaken city"
, mapsize = 220px
, pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe
, pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe
, pushpin_relief = 1
, coordinates ...
.
Niall Glúndub
Niall Glúndub mac Áeda (Modern Irish: ''Niall Glúndubh mac Aodha'', "Niall Black-Knee, son of Áed"; died 14 September 919) was a 10th-century Irish king of the Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland. Many Irish kin groups were members of th ...
, overking of the Northern
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill (Irish pronunciation: ; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who died c. 405. They are generally divided into t ...
, saw these Vikings as a threat, and he marched an army south to repel them. Sitric and his army fought against the men of the Uí Néill at Mag Femen in
County Tipperary
County Tipperary ( ga, Contae Thiobraid Árann) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. The county is named after the town of Tipperary, and was established in the early 13th century, shortly after t ...
and claimed victory, though only through timely reinforcement by Ragnall and his army. This was followed by another at the
Battle of Confey (also known as the Battle of Cenn Fuait), against
Augaire mac Ailella, overking of Leinster, who died in the battle. Augaire's death marked the end of effective opposition to the Vikings' return to Ireland. Sitric led his men on a triumphant return to
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, where he established himself as king, while Ragnall returned to England and soon became
King of Northumbria
Northumbria, a kingdom of Angles, in what is now northern England and south-east Scotland, was initially divided into two kingdoms: Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by king Æthelfrith around the year 604, and except for occasional ...
.
Gofraid is first mentioned in the annals by the ''Annals of Ulster'' in 918, which describe him leading a battalion of troops at the
Battle of Corbridge
The Battle of Corbridge took place on the banks of the River Tyne near the village of Corbridge in Northumberland in the year 918.
The battle was referenced in the ''Annals of Ulster'' and the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba''. The battle was ...
in northern England. This battle was fought between Ragnall and
Constantín son of Áed, the
king of Scotland, and although it was indecisive it allowed Ragnall to establish himself as king at York. In the annals' account Gofraid is fully titled Gofraid ua Ímair (Gofraid, grandson of Ímar), making him brother or cousin of Ragnall and Sitric Cáech.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, pp. 254–255 Ragnall died in 921 with Sitric Cáech succeeding him as
King of Northumbria
Northumbria, a kingdom of Angles, in what is now northern England and south-east Scotland, was initially divided into two kingdoms: Bernicia and Deira. The two were first united by king Æthelfrith around the year 604, and except for occasional ...
.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, p. 34 Gofraid is mentioned by the annals that same year as taking control of Dublin.
One of his first acts as King of Dublin was to lead a raid on Armagh. According to the ''Annals of Ulster'' and the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' the Dubliners ravaged a wide area, though the monastery and the prayer-houses with their
culdees
The Culdees ( ga, Céilí Dé, "Spouses of God") were members of ascetic Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England in the Middle Ages. Appearing first in Ireland and subsequently in Scotland, att ...
and the sick were spared. A portion of the raiders who headed northwards to Mag Ilesen were defeated by Aignert mac Murchada and
Muirchertach mac Néill
Muirchertach mac Néill (died 26 February 943), called Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks ( sga, Muirchertach na Cochall Craicinn), was a King of Ailech.
Family
Muirchertach belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was ...
, later
King of Ailech
The Kings of Ailech were the over-kings of the medieval Irish province of Ailech in north-western Ireland. It encompassed the territories of the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill. After the battle of Cloítech in 789 its kings were exclusively ...
, and were forced to flee leaving many dead behind.
Another raid was led by Gofraid in 924, this time sailing to the south of Ireland, taking many hostages. He took them to
Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery () is a village and census town in County Cork, Ireland. The village is on a shallow estuary, which opens onto Rosscarbery Bay. Rosscarbery is in the Cork South-West (Dáil Éireann) constituency, which has three seats.
History
The ...
, and according to the ''Annals of Ulster'' he also sailed to
Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
where he lost a large number of his followers in battle against the son of Ailchi, presumably
Tomrair mac Ailchi
Tomrair mac Ailchi, or Thormod/Thorir Helgason, was the Viking jarl and prince who reestablished the preexisting small Norse base or settlement at Limerick as a powerful kingdom in 922 overnight when he is recorded arriving there with a huge fl ...
. Two years later his son Albann led a raiding force north, landing at
Linn Duachaill
Linn Duachaill (; "Duachall's pool") is the name of a Viking longphort near the village of Annagassan, County Louth, Ireland. The settlement was built in 841 CE, the same time as the settlement of ''Dubh Linn'', or Dublin. In contrast to Dublin, t ...
on 4 September. The raiders were attacked by the army of
Muirchertach mac Néill
Muirchertach mac Néill (died 26 February 943), called Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks ( sga, Muirchertach na Cochall Craicinn), was a King of Ailech.
Family
Muirchertach belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill. He was ...
, overking of the Northern Uí Néill, at the bridge of Cluain na Cruimther on 28 December and were routed. Albann and a large part of the force was killed, and around half of the army were besieged by the Uí Néill at Athcrathin in
County Down for a week, until a force led by Gofraid relieved them.
In 927 Gofraid's kinsman Sitric Cáech, King of Northumbria, died. The Irish annals record the Gofraid left Ireland that year, along with a great many others from Dublin and Linns to claim Sitric's throne. During his absence it seems Gofraid delegated authority to his sons, thus (according to the ''
Annals of Clonmacnoise
The ''Annals of Clonmacnoise'' ( ga, Annála Chluain Mhic Nóis) are an early 17th-century Early Modern English translation of a lost Irish chronicle, which covered events in Ireland from prehistory to 1408. The work is sometimes known as ''Mag ...
'') drawing the ire of the sons of Sitric. Sitric's sons allied with a "son of Helgi", probably Tomrair mac Ailchi of Limerick or a kinsman, and conquered Dublin, though this success was short-lived as Gofraid returned after only six months abroad.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, pp. 34–41 Gofraid's attempt to rule in Northumbria was unsuccessful, and he was driven out by King
Æthelstan
Æthelstan or Athelstan (; ang, Æðelstān ; on, Aðalsteinn; ; – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his fir ...
. The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' makes no mention of Gofraid, simply stating that Æthelstan succeeded Sitric as King in Northumbria, and thereafter held a meeting with the other kings in Britain, establishing peace. A later account by
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury ( la, Willelmus Malmesbiriensis; ) was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. He has been ranked among the most talented English historians since Bede. Modern historian C. Warren Hollister described him as " ...
tells a different story. In his version, Gofraid goes to "Scotia" following Sitric's death, to attend a meeting at
Dacre with Æthelstan,
Constantine II of Scotland, and
Owen I of Strathclyde. Instead, he and a Viking ally called Thurfrith lead a force to York and besiege the city. Æthelstan turns on the Vikings and Gofraid is captured. The city is looted by the Anglo-Saxons and Gofraid is allowed to return to Ireland under oath. It is not certain how much of William's account is based on truthful historical sources and how much is made up.
Following his return to Dublin, the next mention of Gofraid in contemporary accounts is with regards to raids he led. In 929 he plundered
Kildare
Kildare () is a town in County Kildare, Ireland. , its population was 8,634 making it the 7th largest town in County Kildare. The town lies on the R445, some west of Dublin – near enough for it to have become, despite being a regional ce ...
, and the following year he plundered
Dunmore Cave, killing 1000 people in the attack.
Expert opinion is divided, but it is believed that Dunmore Cave was perhaps being used as a temporary dwelling place, or perhaps as a place of burial for the native Irish. In 931 Gofraid left Dublin for Mag Raigne in
Ossory
Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of ...
, where the rival Vikings of Limerick had set up a camp following a failed attack on
Connaught
Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms (Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Delbhn ...
the previous year. The annals report that Gofraid's aim was to expel a grandson (or great-grandson) of Ímar from Mag Raigne, perhaps one of the sons of Sitric who had seized Dublin in 927 probably allied with the Limerick-based Tomrair mac Ailchi.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
suggests that the establishment of the camp at Mag Raigne was an attempt by the Vikings of Limerick to limit the ability of Gofraid and his kin to project their power through Ireland.
Chronicle evidence suggests the conflict between Dublin and Limerick lasted until 937 when Gofraid's son
Amlaíb won a victory at Lough Ree where he captured the Limerick king Olaf Scabbyhead and destroyed his ships. Gofraid did not live to see this victory, having died in 934, with Amlaíb succeeding him as king of Dublin.
The Annals of Ulster describe him as "a most cruel king of the Norsemen", and say he died of a sickness.
Family
In the annals Gofraid is identified by the use of "ua Ímair", meaning "grandson of Ímar", but never with a patronymic. As such, it is not possible to identify which of the three known sons of Ímar (
Bárid,
Sichfrith or
Sitriuc) - if any - was the father of Gofraid. One possible reason for the lack of a patronym might be that Gofraid was the child of a son of Ímar who never ruled Dublin, or who spent most of his time outside Ireland, thus making Gofraid's legitimacy to rule Dublin dependent on the identity of his grandfather, not his father. Another possibility is that Gofraid was a grandson of Ímar through a daughter, again with his right to rule dependent on his grandfather.
Gofraid's kinsmen
Ímar
Ímar ( non, Ívarr ; died c. 873), who may be synonymous with Ivar the Boneless, was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century who founded the Uí Ímair dynasty, and whose descendants would go on to dominate the Ir ...
, Sitric, Amlaíb and Ragnall are the other known grandsons of Ímar identified by the use of "ua Ímair". All except for Amlaíb ruled as either King of Dublin or King of Northumbria at one time or another.
Four individuals are identifiable as sons of Gofraid. His son Amlaíb succeeded Gofraid as King of Dublin, and eventually reclaimed Northumbria for the Vikings too. Another son, Albann, was killed in battle against Muirchertach mac Néill in 926.
Blácaire mac Gofraid, King of Dublin from 940–945, was another son, as was
Ragnall mac Gofraid who ruled Northumbria in 943 and 944, probably along with his cousin
Amlaíb Cuarán, until they were driven out by
Edmund I of England
Edmund I or Eadmund I (920/921 – 26 May 946) was King of the English from 27 October 939 until his death in 946. He was the elder son of King Edward the Elder and his third wife, Queen Eadgifu, and a grandson of King Alfred the Great. After ...
. Later descendants include
Cammán mac Amlaíb, son of Gofraid's son Amlaíb, who is recorded as being defeated in battle in 960, and also in 962 if he is identical to the individual recorded as "Sitriuc Cam". Gofraid mac Amlaíb, recorded by the annals as dying in 963, may have been a brother of Cammán, or he may have been a son of Amlaíb Cuarán.
Downham
Downham is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Lewisham. It borders the London Borough of Bromley, and is located north of Bromley and south of Catford.
Downham was named in honour of Lord Downham, who was ...
, p. 249, 253
Family tree
See also
*
Gofraid mac Fergusa
Gofraid mac Fergusa is an alleged ninth-century figure attested by the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' and various pedigrees concerning the ancestors of Clann Somhairle and Clann Domhnaill. If the pedigrees are to be believed, he was a son of Fer ...
, a genealogical figure partly based upon fabricated annal entries concerning Gofraid ua Ímair
Notes
References
Citations
Primary sources
* Accessed via
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
*
*
*
*
* Accessed via
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.
*
*
Secondary sources
*
*
*
* Subscription o
UK public library membership required.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
at
University College Cork
University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork.
The university was founded in 1845 as one ...
. The Corpus of Electronic Texts includes the ''Annals of Ulster'' and ''the Four Masters'', the ''Chronicon Scotorum'' and the ''Book of Leinster'' as well as Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gofraid ua Imair
934 deaths
10th-century English monarchs
10th-century Irish monarchs
10th-century rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles
Monarchs of Dublin
Monarchs of Jorvik
Northumbrian monarchs
Viking rulers
Uí Ímair
Year of birth unknown
10th-century Vikings