Ivar of Limerick
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Ivar of Limerick ( ga, Ímar Luimnich,
Rí, or commonly ríg ( genitive), is an ancient Gaelic word meaning 'king'. It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings, and those of similar rank. While the Modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottis ...
Gall; Ímar ua Ímair; Ímar Ua hÍmair, Ard Rí Gall Muman ocus Gáedel; Íomhar Mór; non, Ívarr ; died 977), was the last Norse king of the
city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
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 penultimate ''King of the Foreigners of Munster'', reigning during the rise to power of the
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...
and the fall of the
Eóganachta The Eóganachta or Eoghanachta () were an Irish dynasty centred on Cashel which dominated southern Ireland (namely the Kingdom of Munster) from the 6/7th to the 10th centuries, and following that, in a restricted form, the Kingdom of Desmond, an ...
. His repeated attempts to assert his authority in Limerick and the surrounding region and possibly over even the greater province of Munster itself earned him the most prominent role as antagonist in the first part of the early 12th century saga and political tract ''
Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib ''Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib'' ("The War of the Irish with the Foreigners") is a medieval Irish text that tells of the depredations of the Vikings and Uí Ímair dynasty in Ireland and the Irish king Brian Boru's great war against them, beginnin ...
'', as an enemy of
Mathgamain mac Cennétig Mathgamain mac Cennétig (also known as Mahon) was King of Munster from around 970 to his death in 976. He was the elder brother of Brian Bóruma. Mathgamain was the son of Cennétig mac Lorcáin of the Dál gCais. His father died in 951 and ...
, claimant to the title
King of Munster The kings of Munster ( ga, Rí Mumhan), ruled from the establishment of Munster during the Irish Iron Age, until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the '' Book of Invasions'', the earliest ...
, and his more famous younger brother and successor Brian Bóruma. According to the author of the ''Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib'', Ivar succeeded in establishing himself as King of Munster for a period in the 960s,Todd, ''Cogadh'', pp. 48–9 until routed in the
Battle of Sulcoit The Battle of Sulcoit was fought in the year 968 between the Gaelic Ireland, Irish of the Dál gCais, led by Brian Boru, and the Vikings of Limerick, led by Ivar of Limerick. It was a victory for the Dál gCais and marked the end of Norse expan ...
in 968, but this claim has long been doubted by scholars. He then appears to have returned only a year or two later and established himself in the region again in some capacity.


The sources

The two main sources for the career of Ivar are the early 12th century ''
Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib ''Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib'' ("The War of the Irish with the Foreigners") is a medieval Irish text that tells of the depredations of the Vikings and Uí Ímair dynasty in Ireland and the Irish king Brian Boru's great war against them, beginnin ...
'' itself and what support it receives from the ''
Annals of Inisfallen Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...
''. Both are believed to have used as their primary source a now lost collection of annals of ultimately '' Chronicle of Ireland'' descent to which were added material of Munster concern. Unfortunately, however, though the ''Cogad'' author made extensive use of these annals, as well as local sources also now lost, and also some contemporary poetry, his purpose was political and intended to glorify
Brian Boru Brian Boru ( mga, Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig; modern ga, Brian Bóramha; 23 April 1014) was an Irish king who ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill and probably ended Viking invasion/domi ...
and the
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ga, Dál gCais ) are a Gaelic Irish clan, generally accepted by contemporary scholarship as being a branch of the Déisi Muman, that became very powerful in Ireland during the 10th century. Their genealogies claimed descent fr ...
for the benefit of his descendant Muirchertach Ua Briain, so although in part annalistic it is also full of exaggerations, flowery language, and dubious passages of various origin. The major problem with the ''Annals of Inisfallen'', on the other hand, is that they are a substantially abbreviated and otherwise edited redaction of the original and so actually preserve less ultimately reliable or contemporary coverage of Ivar in total than does the ''Cogad'', with all its faults. The ''Annals of Inisfallen'' also suffer from a considerable
lacuna Lacuna (plural lacunas or lacunae) may refer to: Related to the meaning "gap" * Lacuna (manuscripts), a gap in a manuscript, inscription, text, painting, or musical work ** Great Lacuna, a lacuna of eight leaves where there was heroic Old Norse p ...
or simply an empty gap containing no entries at all, for whatever reason, of two and a half critical years in Ivar's career, from mid-969 to the beginning of 972. The third most important source for this period of Munster history are 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 medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,24 ...
'', but they were compiled much later and are occasionally of doubtful reliability, suffering in some cases from interpolations, misplaced entries, and so on. They also cover little of Ivar himself and serve mostly for the major sources above to be checked against in places. A few other sources briefly mentioning Ivar survive but altogether these do not contribute much if anything to our knowledge of him. The ''
Annals of Tigernach The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (abbr. AT, ga, Annála Tiarnaigh) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish. Many of the pre-historic entries come from the 12th-centur ...
'' might have been of assistance but they no longer survive for over two centuries between 766 and 974.


Pedigree

Ivar's patronym is not given in the Irish annals,Downham, p. 190 which as mentioned above have survived very incomplete, but he is generally accepted as a member of the prolific Norse dynasty known to historians as 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 ...
or House of Ivar. In the ''Cogad'' and related texts he is called Ímar ua (h)Ímair or ''Ímar, grandson of Ímar'', but this can also be read Ímar Ua hÍmair, the capitalization producing the surname meaning "Descendant of Ímar", not unique to him and apparently used by other members of the dynasty as well. His precise relation to the previous rulers of Limerick is uncertain, the last member of the dynasty in the city state and its last known king before him being
Aralt mac Sitric Harald Sigtryggsson ( sga, Aralt mac Sitric; non, Haraldr Sigtryggsson , died 940) was a Viking leader who ruled Limerick in the early 10th century. He was the son of Sitric Cáech and great-grandson of Ímar, making him one of the Uí Ímair. H ...
, who died in 940 and is generally believed to have been a third son of the great
Sihtric Cáech Sihtric or Sitric is an anglo-Saxon personal name. It is cognate with the Old Norse Sigtrygg. People called Sihtric or Sitric, include: * Sitric Cáech (died 927), ruler of Dublin and then Viking Northumbria in the early 10th century * Sitric II ...
(died 927),
king of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The Norse refe ...
and later
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 ...
. The problem with Ivar being a literal grandson of
Ímar I (died 873) 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 Iri ...
is that he would simply have been incredibly old by the time of his death in 977. A previous namesake of Ímar I, namely
Ímar ua Ímair Ímar mac Bárid ( non, Ívarr , died 904); also known as Ivar II, was a Norse-Gaelic King of Dublin. He was a grandson of Ivar Gudrödrødsson and a member of the powerful Uí Ímair. Biography Ímar ua Ímair became King of Dublin sometim ...
, killed in Scotland in 904, might be an alternative grandfather, in which case no correction of the form ''ua Ímair'' in the ''Cogad'' would be needed. At least two generations between the king of Limerick and the founder of the dynasty are required regardless. These assumptions made, Ivar of Limerick can be placed in the pedigree below. The following list contains only members mentioned in the
Irish annals A number of Irish annals, of which the earliest was the Chronicle of Ireland, were compiled up to and shortly after the end of the 17th century. Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days. Over t ...
and other reliable and semi-reliable sources, and among those only the ones who can be placed in the pedigree with relative confidence. Thus it is by no means complete. After various authors. Birthdates are unknown. ''mac'' = son of; ''ingen'' = daughter of; ''ua'' = grandchild of; ''Ua (h)Ímair'' = surname (descendant of Ímar). * Ímar/Ívar/Ivar/Ívarr (died 873) **
Bárid mac Ímair Bárid mac Ímar (also referred to as Baraid or Bardur Ivarsson); non, Bárðr or ; d. 881) was a ninth-century King of Dublin. He was a son of Ivar (Ímar) Ragnarsson and a member of the Uí Ímair. Biography The earliest mention of Bárid ...
(died 881) **
Sichfrith mac Ímair Sichfrith mac Ímair ( non, Sigfrøðr Ívarrsson ; died 888), also known as Sigfred Ivarsson and Sigfrodo, was a ninth-century King of Dublin. He was a son of Ímar and a member of the Uí Ímair. Biography Sichfrith succeeded his brother B ...
(died 888) **
Sitric mac Ímair Sitric may refer to: * Sigtrygg, an Old Norse given name, or Sitric in Norse-Gaelic Ireland (9th to 11th centuries) * Sitric Cáech (died 927), a Viking leader and ruler * Sitric II of Northumbria (fl. c. 942), a Viking leader See also * Sitrick ...
(died 896) ** ? mac/ingen Ímair, and/or among the above sons *** Amlaíb ua Ímair (died 896) ***
Ímar ua Ímair Ímar mac Bárid ( non, Ívarr , died 904); also known as Ivar II, was a Norse-Gaelic King of Dublin. He was a grandson of Ivar Gudrödrødsson and a member of the powerful Uí Ímair. Biography Ímar ua Ímair became King of Dublin sometim ...
(died 904) ***
Ragnall ua Ímair Ragnall mac Bárid ua Ímair ( non, Rǫgnvaldr , died 921) or Rægnald was a Viking leader who ruled Northumbria and the Isle of Man in the early 10th century. He was a grandson of Ímar and a member of the Uí Ímair. Ragnall was most probably ...
(died 920/1) **** ? mac Ragnaill (died 942) **** Ímar (died 950)? ***** probably Ímar of Waterford (died 1000) ****** Gilla Pátraic mac Ímair (died 983) ****** Ragnall mac Ímair (died 995) ****** Donndubán mac Ímair (died 996) ****** Ragnall mac Ímair II (died 1018) ******* ? mac Ragnaill (died 1015) ******* Ragnall mac Ragnaill (died 1035) ****** Sihtric mac Ímair (died 1022) ***
Sihtric Cáech Sihtric or Sitric is an anglo-Saxon personal name. It is cognate with the Old Norse Sigtrygg. People called Sihtric or Sitric, include: * Sitric Cáech (died 927), ruler of Dublin and then Viking Northumbria in the early 10th century * Sitric II ...
(died 927) **** Sichfrith mac Sitric (died 937) **** Ausle mac Sitric (died 937) ****
Aralt mac Sitric Harald Sigtryggsson ( sga, Aralt mac Sitric; non, Haraldr Sigtryggsson , died 940) was a Viking leader who ruled Limerick in the early 10th century. He was the son of Sitric Cáech and great-grandson of Ímar, making him one of the Uí Ímair. H ...
(died 940) ***** probably
Maccus mac Arailt Maccus mac Arailt ( fl. 971–974), or Maccus Haraldsson, was a tenth-century King of the Isles. Although his parentage is uncertain, surviving evidence suggests that he was the son of Harald Sigtryggson, also known as Aralt mac Sitriuc, the Hib ...
(died 984/7) ***** probably Gofraid mac Arailt (died 989) ****** Ragnall mac Gofraid (died 1005) ****** Lagmann mac Gofraid (died ?) ******* Amlaíb mac Lagmann (died 1014) ******** ? Donnchadh mac Amlaíb (died 1014) ****** Máel Muire ingen Gofraid (died ?) ****
Gofraid mac Sitriuc Gofraid mac Sitriuc (died 951), in Old Norse Guðrøðr Sigtryggsson , was King of Dublin. He was the son of Sihtric ua Ímair and a great-grandson of Ímar, founder of the Uí Ímair kindred which dominated much of the Norse-Gael and Scandinavi ...
(died 951) **** Amlaíb Cuarán (died 981) ***** Ragnall mac Amlaíb (died 980) *****
Glúniairn Glúniairn (died 989), in Old Norse Járnkné (, "Iron-knee"), was a Norse-Gael king of Dublin of the Uí Ímair kindred which ruled over much of the Scandinavianised and Norse-Gael parts of Great Britain and Ireland in the tenth century. Glúni ...
(died 989) ****** Gilla Ciaráin mac Glúniairn (died 1014) ****** Sitric? mac Glúniairn (''fl''. 1036) ***** Aralt mac Amlaíb (died 999) ******
Ímar mac Arailt Ímar mac Arailt (died 1054) was an eleventh-century ruler of the Kingdom of Dublin and perhaps the Kingdom of the Isles. He was the son of a man named Aralt, and appears to have been a grandson of Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Northumbria and Dubli ...
(died 1054) ***** Dubgall mac Amlaíb (died 1014) ***** Ragnailt ingen Amlaíb (died ?) *****
Máel Muire ingen Amlaíb Máel Muire (died 1021) was Queen of Ireland, being actually styled so in the Annals of Clonmacnoise. 1014021 p. 170 The wife of Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill, High King of Ireland, she was a daughter of Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Dublin until 980/ ...
(died 1021) ***** Gytha ingen Amlaíb (died ?) *****
Sigtrygg Silkbeard Sigtrygg II Silkbeard Olafsson (also Sihtric, SitricÓ Corráin, p. 123 and Sitrick in Irish texts; or SigtrygWinn, p. 46 and SigtryggrMac Manus, p. 278 in Scandinavian texts) was a Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin (possibly AD 989–994; restored ...
(died 1042) ****** Artalach mac Sitric (died 999) ****** Amlaíb mac Sitric I/II (died 1013) ****** Glúniairn mac Sitric (died 1031) ****** Amlaíb mac Sitriuc II/I (died 1034) ******* Ragnailt ingen Amlaíb (died ?) ****** Gofraid mac Sitric (died 1036) ****** Cellach ingen Sitric (died 1042) ***
Gofraid ua Ímair 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 leader who ruled Dublin and briefly Vik ...
(died 934) **** Alpdann mac Gofraid (died 927) ****
Amlaíb mac Gofraid (died 941) Olaf Guthfrithson or Anlaf Guthfrithson ( non, Óláfr Guðrøðsson ; oe, Ánláf; sga, Amlaíb mac Gofraid; died 941) was a Hiberno-Scandinavian (Irish-Viking) leader who ruled Dublin and Viking Northumbria in the 10th century. He was th ...
***** Cammán mac Amlaíb (''fl''. 962) **** Ragnall mac Gofraid (''fl''. 943) **** Blácaire mac Gofraid (died 948) *** ? ua Ímair (or among the above grandsons?) **** Ímar of Limerick (died 977) ***** Amlaíb mac Ímair (died 977) ***** Dubcenn mac Ímair (died 977) ****** Osli mac Dubceinn (died 1012) ****** Amond mac Dubceinn (died 1014) ***** Aralt mac Ímair (died 978)


Tyrant of Muman

The passage in the ''Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib'' describing Ivar's arrival and kingship in Munster: The author goes on to describe the system of government which Ivar imposed on Munster, but doing so in a way which reflects the "structure of assessment and control in the territories of the Uí Briain at the time of composition of the text": There does, however, survive a very similar passage, found not in any surviving version of the ''Cogad'' but in another tract entirely, preserved by
Duald Mac Firbis Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius (fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, historia ...
in the 17th century. Its date is uncertain, and it may or may not come from a lost version of the ''Cogad''. Most of the following is also mentioned in the epic, following the above passages, but there is much expanded. The following account at least gives the appearance of being a summary, but this is probably not what it is: That Ivar or the Norse in general may have been attempting the actual takeover of some part of Munster possibly finds support in the Annals of Inisfallen: The term used here for the Norse soldiers is ''súaitrech'' "mercenary" and so the passage has been taken by Charles Doherty to refer to the practice of billetting the hired contingents of a standing army, as was common in later times. What is peculiar about this passage is the extent of cooperation between the Gaelic kings. Here the sworn rivals Mathgamain and Máel Muad (the son of Bran) are actually found working together, the only known occasion in their careers. They are joined by one Faelán of uncertain identity, whose mention may either refer to a king of the
Déisi Muman The ''Déisi'' were a socially powerful class of peoples from Ireland that settled in Wales and western England between the ancient and early medieval period. The various peoples listed under the heading ''déis'' shared the same status in Gaeli ...
who actually died in 966, and who the ''Cogad'' alleges Ivar actually killed, or to an abbot of Emly later mentioned dying in 980. Notably Emly was attacked by Ivar or his relations in 968 not long after the Norse loss in the
Battle of Sulcoit The Battle of Sulcoit was fought in the year 968 between the Gaelic Ireland, Irish of the Dál gCais, led by Brian Boru, and the Vikings of Limerick, led by Ivar of Limerick. It was a victory for the Dál gCais and marked the end of Norse expan ...
in 967, and possibly in retaliation for the Dál gCais plundering of Limerick. The above account, however, is dated five years after Sulcoit in the Annals of Inisfallen, and is in fact the first entry following the lacuna beginning in mid 969, so we do not know what events have preceded it in the past two and a half years, assuming it is correctly placed. Ivar is first mentioned by name in the surviving annals in early-mid 969, which record that "Beólán Litil and his son were killed by Ímar of Luimnech." The identity of this person is not completely certain but he is assumed to be identical with the
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 the ...
king of
Lagore Loch Gabhair (Lagore), meaning "Lake of the Goats", is an area in the barony of Ratoath, County Meath, Ireland. It is located between the villages of Ratoath and Dunshaughlin and is the namesake of the townlands of Lagore Big (Loch Gabhar Mór) an ...
(Loch Gabor) or Southern Brega whose death, without cause given, is recorded in several other annals in the same year. Clare Downham notes that this puts Ivar and the Limerick Norse active all the way out in the neighborhood of
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
and says that Beolán was an ally of the
King of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The Norse refe ...
, namely
Olaf Cuaran Olaf or Olav (, , or British ; Old Norse: ''Áleifr'', ''Ólafr'', ''Óleifr'', ''Anleifr'') is a Scandinavian and German given name. It is presumably of Proto-Norse origin, reconstructed as ''*Anu-laibaz'', from ''anu'' "ancestor, grand-father" a ...
. The ''Cogad'' also records this killing but provides no motive, simply mentioning it immediately after Ivar's return to Limerick, allegedly from Britain, with a second great fleet.Todd, ''Cogadh'', pp. 84–5 After his alleged expulsion sometime following Sulcoit the author of the ''Cogad'' states Ivar and a certain "Amlaíb, son of Amlaíb" attempted the conquest of Britain, but without success, with Amlaib being killed by the king of Britain (unnamed). Having returned to Limerick and killed Beolán (or vice versa), Ivar is said to have then "made many spoils and battles." No other record of these survives, if this properly counts as one, and we must wait til 972 for the Annals of Inisfallen to pick up again.


Economics and the city-state

The sources have recently been reexamined by the scholar Mary Valante, who has taken an economic approach. Accepting Mac Airt's translation of ''súaitrech'' not as ''soldiers'' but ''officials'', she interprets this as Ivar and Norse Limerick's dominance of
international trade International trade is the exchange of capital, goods, and services across international borders or territories because there is a need or want of goods or services. (see: World economy) In most countries, such trade represents a significant ...
within its region, sphere of influence, or "periphery" in Ireland. She notes that the poll tax described in the ''Cogad'' "is very similar to that listed in the Book of Rights and the Book of the Uí Maine from Dublin ic, referring to that collected for the
Kings of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norsemen, Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The N ...
, and furthermore finds a possible reference to Norse Limerick's royal "officials" in two versions of the Book of Rights itself. However, whether this tribute from Limerick's
hinterland Hinterland is a German word meaning "the land behind" (a city, a port, or similar). Its use in English was first documented by the geographer George Chisholm in his ''Handbook of Commercial Geography'' (1888). Originally the term was associated ...
(as with Dublin's) was extracted in "a sort of protectionism racket, or as tolls on trade, or as something else entirely is unclear." In any case the Norse economy in Munster, judging from silver finds, appears to have operated somewhat differently from that of the Dublin region. Trade with France, and from there southern Europe and the Mediterranean, can be assumed, but that with elsewhere in the Anglo-Celtic Isles and the wider Norse world may have been more limited by Limerick's location. Poul Holm has recently argued that Norse
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, Limerick, and
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 ...
, can all three be classed as genuine
city-state A city-state is an independent sovereign city which serves as the center of political, economic, and cultural life over its contiguous territory. They have existed in many parts of the world since the dawn of history, including cities such as ...
s as such an entity is defined by
Mogens Herman Hansen Mogens Herman Hansen FBA (born 20 August 1940, Frederiksberg) is a Danish classical philologist and classical demographer who is one of the leading scholars in Athenian Democracy and the Polis. Academic career Hansen finished his masters at U ...
and the Copenhagen Polis Centre. However only Dublin and Limerick can be considered major "central places" and all the remaining Norse settlements and bases were related to one or the other of these two. Limerick had streets in Ivar's time, as reported in the ''Cogad'' when Mathgamain and the Dál gCais storm the great fortress or
dún A dun is an ancient or medieval fort. In Ireland and Britain it is mainly a kind of hillfort and also a kind of Atlantic roundhouse. Etymology The term comes from Irish ''dún'' or Scottish Gaelic ''dùn'' (meaning "fort"), and is cognate ...
following their victory at Sulcoit.
Scattery Island Inis Cathaigh or Scattery Island is an island in the Shannon Estuary, Ireland, off the coast of Kilrush, County Clare. The island is home to a lighthouse, a ruined monastery associated with Saint Senan, an Irish round tower and the remains of a ...
, or Inis Cathaig, is believed to have been a part of the kingdom of Limerick. Its Norse name has been suggested by
Donnchadh Ó Corráin Donnchadh Ó Corráin (28 February 1942 – 25 October 2017) was an Irish historian and Professor Emeritus of Medieval History at University College Cork. He earned his BA in history and Irish from that institution, graduating in 1964. He was ...
to be composed of the elements ''skattar'' + ''øy'' to mean "tribute island". Ivar is reported here twice in the annals, for which read below.


Maccus

Depending on whether or not Mathgamain and Máel Muad were successful in achieving anything following their resolution in 972, Ivar may or may not have found himself in a very weakened position. Curiously neither of our major primary sources has anything clear to say about the state of affairs at this time. But in 974 Ivar met with misforture, the Annals of Inisfallen reporting that "The son of Aralt made a circuit of Ireland with a great company, and plundered Inis Cathaig, and brought Ímar from it into captivity.", and the Annals of the Four Masters "The plundering of Inis-Cathaigh by Maghnus accus son of Aralt, with the Lag-manns awmenof the islands along with him; and Imhar, lord of the foreigners of Luimneach, was carried off from the island, and the violation of Seanan thereby." His captor is easily identified as
Maccus mac Arailt Maccus mac Arailt ( fl. 971–974), or Maccus Haraldsson, was a tenth-century King of the Isles. Although his parentage is uncertain, surviving evidence suggests that he was the son of Harald Sigtryggson, also known as Aralt mac Sitriuc, the Hib ...
,
King of Mann and the Isles The Kingdom of the Isles consisted of the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Firth of Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. The islands were known to the Norse as the , or "Southern Isles" as distinct from the or Nort ...
, but what are unknown are the circumstances. Ivar may have gone to Scattery because he had been driven out of Limerick proper, or it could have been for some other reason, and whether or not he and Maccus were already associated is unknown.
Benjamin Hudson Benjamin T. Hudson is an American medievalist based at Pennsylvania State University in State College, Pennsylvania. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree at Pennsylvania State University, received his Masters at University College, Dublin, an ...
has offered the explanation that this event can be related to Ivar's earlier adventure in Britain as reported in the ''Cogad'', arguing that the "King of Britain" reported slaying his comrade Amlaíb mac Amlaíb should be understood as either Maccus or his brother Gofraid mac Arailt and not some king of the Welsh, otherwise "it probably would have been mentioned in the insular records". (Assuming Hudson is referring only to the Welsh and English records.) Elaborating, he reads this sequence beginning with "a battle over the exploitation of the Welsh" which the sons of Aralt won, and eventually ending with Maccus following Ivar all the way around Ireland to finish it. However, Maccus and Gofraid are usually assumed to be sons of the
Aralt mac Sitric Harald Sigtryggsson ( sga, Aralt mac Sitric; non, Haraldr Sigtryggsson , died 940) was a Viking leader who ruled Limerick in the early 10th century. He was the son of Sitric Cáech and great-grandson of Ímar, making him one of the Uí Ímair. H ...
(died 940) mentioned above, the last known king of Limerick before Ivar, thus easily explaining Maccus' interest in the kingdom. Hence dynastic ties and rivalry could have existed. Uniquely Maccus brings the "lawmen" of the Isles with him and instead of being slain Ivar is captured, presumably for some offence in the opinion of Colmán Etchingham,Etchingham, p. 172 and perhaps related to his earlier expedition to Britain as argued by Hudson for another context. A year later in 975 the Annals of Inisfallen report "Ímar escaped over sea, and Inis Ubdan was captured again.", which has also been variously read as him simply being "released" somewhere in the Isles by Maccus. Alternatively, Alex Woolf suggests Ivar may have been ransomed for a sum, noting that the Norse cities "were rapidly becoming the repositories of silver bullion in the western world." In any event who was doing the capturing of Inis Ubdan again, whether Ivar or Mathgamain, is uncertain. This was one of the islands of the Hiberno-Norse city-state but not the one, Inis Sibtonn, on which the capital was located. Mathgamain is earlier reported driving the Norse from it c. 971 in the not entirely reliable Annals of the Four Masters, but this still assumes the Norse has previously captured it themselves. Notably none of the above, Maccus' capture of Ivar in 974 or his return from anywhere in 975, is reported in the ''Cogad''. The author had the Annals of Inisfallen entries available to him because they come from the same sources he used.


Instigator

In a debated passage, the author of the ''Cogad'' reports Ivar instigating his ally
Donnubán mac Cathail Donnubán ('donuva:n), Donndubán ('donðuva:n), or Donnabán mac Cathail, anglicised Donovan, son of Cahall (died 980), was a tenth-century ruler of the Irish regional kingdom of Uí Fidgenti, and possibly also of the smaller overkingdom of Uí C ...
(Donovan, the son of Cathal) to meet in his house (commonly said to be hosting a conference or feast) and betray Mathgamain up to
Máel Muad mac Brain Máel Muad mac Brain (died 978), commonly anglicised Molloy, was King of Munster, first possibly from 959 Green, p. 362 or alternatively 963 to around 970, when he may have been deposed (usurped) by Mathgamain mac Cennétig of the Dál gCais, and ...
in 976. Said by the author to be after the confederates, with the addition of Ivar's son Dubcenn, had gone into revolt against Mathgamain, the Dalcassian prince was regardless in a precarious situation, and according to
Alice Stopford Green __NOTOC__ Alice Stopford Green (30 May 1847 – 28 May 1929) was an Irish historian and nationalist. She was born Alice Sophia Amelia Stopford in Kells, County Meath. Her father Edward Adderley Stopford was Rector of Kells and Archdeacon of ...
this act of going into an enemy's house was "the formal sign of submission and renouncing supremacy", from where he soon might have proceeded to submit to Máel Muad, although Mathgamain alternatively may have been attempting to detach Donnubán from the alliance. But it has also been argued that this was entirely the product of Ivar's interference with Donnubán and that Máel Muad, a considerably distance away at the time, was in essence the natural and convenient beneficiary, a theory supported by the account in the ''Cogad''. The annals make no mention of Ivar's involvement, simply reporting Mathgamain's seizure in treachery by Donnubán and the killing of the live prisoner by Máel Muad, but at the same time do not exclude it.


Death, sons and descendants

Possibly in retaliation for instigating the betrayal and killing of Mathgamain the year before, Ivar and two of his sons, Amlaíb/Olaf (Cuallaid or "Wild Dog") and Dubcenn ("Dark Head"), were killed, apparently after being surprised, by Brian in 977 on Scattery Island, marking the end of an independent Norse Limerick, which lasted only a surprising fifty five years from the arrival of
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 ...
in 922. At his death in 977, the generally reliable Annals of Inisfallen actually style Ivar ''
Rí, or commonly ríg ( genitive), is an ancient Gaelic word meaning 'king'. It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings, and those of similar rank. While the Modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottis ...
Gall'' or simply ''King of the Foreigners'', a fairly rare style otherwise reserved for the
Kings of Dublin Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norsemen, Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The N ...
, thus perhaps lending at least some weight to the claims of the author of the ''Cogad'' that this was a person of special authority in some domain. This political saga gives him another son, Aralt, elected ''King of the Foreigners of Munster'' soon after Ivar's slaying. He is said to have perished, slain by Brian's army, along with Donnubán in the
Battle of Cathair Cuan The Battle of Cathair Cuan refers to a perhaps extended conflict fought in or between 977 and 978, or simply to a single battle in one or the other year, in Munster in Ireland. Attacking were Brian Bóruma and the Dál gCais, while defending ...
, probably somewhere in
Uí Fidgenti The Uí Fidgenti, Fidgeinti, Fidgheinte, Fidugeinte, Fidgente, or Fidgeinte ( or ;In the pronunciation, the -d- is silent, and the -g- becomes a glide, producing what might be anglicized ''Feeyenti'' or ''Feeyenta''. "descendants of, or of the ...
. A son of Dubcenn, namely Osli (
Auisle Auisle or Óisle ( non, Ásl or ; died c. 867) was a Viking leader in Ireland and Scotland in the mid-late ninth century. He was the son of the king of Lochlann, identified in the non-contemporary ''Fragmentary Annals of Ireland'' as Gofraid, ...
< Ásl/Auðgísl), is named later in the saga actually as a "high steward" of Brian, who possibly placed him in control of
Mide Meath (; Old Irish: ''Mide'' ; spelt ''Mí'' in Modern Irish) was a kingdom in Ireland from the 1st to the 12th century AD. Its name means "middle," denoting its location in the middle of the island. At its greatest extent, it included all ...
, when killed by
Flaithbertach Ua Néill Flaithbertach Ua Néill (before 978–1036) was king of Ailech, a kingdom of north-west Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, for which reason he was known as Flaithbertach an Trostáin (Flaithbertach of the Pilgr ...
c. 1012. Another son of Dubcenn may have been Amond, possibly killed fighting on Brian's side in the
Battle of Clontarf The Battle of Clontarf ( ga, Cath Chluain Tarbh) took place on 23 April 1014 at Clontarf, near Dublin, on the east coast of Ireland. It pitted an army led by Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, against a Norse-Irish alliance comprising the for ...
in 1014. Ivar is claimed to be survived, through a daughter, by the modern
O'Donovan family The O'Donovans are an Irish family. Their patronymic surname derives from Irish ''Ó Donnabháin'', meaning the grandsons or descendants of Donnubán, referring to the 10th century ruler of the Uí Fidgenti, Donnubán mac Cathail. During the 1 ...
. This daughter, whose name may or may not survive,The O'Donovan pedigree printed by O'Hart in the 19th century is a synthetic one based in part on much older materials, historical as well as genealogical. Some of O'Hart's sources, including detailed O'Donovan pedigrees in MS, can still be found in the
National Library of Ireland The National Library of Ireland (NLI; ga, Leabharlann Náisiúnta na hÉireann) is the Republic of Ireland's national library located in Dublin, in a building designed by Thomas Newenham Deane. The mission of the National Library of Ireland is ...
, and so it is possible that the name of this daughter is somewhere preserved.
is said to have married his ally Donnubán, their eponymous ancestor, although alternatively she may actually have been the daughter of Ivar's son Olaf, a possibility allowed by the pedigrees. But in any case a daughter of this princess and Donnubán is believed to have married
Ivar of Waterford Ivar of Waterford ( ga, Ímar, rí Puirt Láirgi; non, Ívarr ; died 1000) was the Norse king of Waterford from at least 969 until his death in the year 1000, and also reigned as King of Dublin, possibly from 989 to 993, and certainly again fo ...
and had by him several children.


Notes


References

;Primary sources ;Chronicles * ''
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 ...
'', translated by Connell MacGeoghagen (1627), ed. Denis Murphy (1896),
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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 medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Deluge, dated as 2,24 ...
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Annals of Inisfallen Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record. Scope The nature of the distinction between ann ...
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Annals of Tigernach The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (abbr. AT, ga, Annála Tiarnaigh) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish. Many of the pre-historic entries come from the 12th-centur ...
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Whitley Stokes Whitley Stokes, CSI, CIE, FBA (28 February 1830 – 13 April 1909) was an Irish lawyer and Celtic scholar. Background He was a son of William Stokes (1804–1878), and a grandson of Whitley Stokes the physician and anti-Malthusian (1763 ...
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Gearóid Mac Niocaill Gearóid Mac Niocaill (1932–2004) was one of the foremost twentieth-century scholars and interpreters of late medieval Irish tracts. Life Gearóid was born in Hull, England in 1932 to an Irish mother. His lifelong work in the Irish language bu ...
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Chronicon Scotorum ''Chronicon Scotorum'', also known as ''Chronicum Scotorum'', is a medieval Irish chronicle. Overview According to Nollaig Ó Muraíle, it is "a collection of annals belonging to the ' Clonmacnoise group', covering the period from prehistoric tim ...
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Gearóid Mac Niocaill Gearóid Mac Niocaill (1932–2004) was one of the foremost twentieth-century scholars and interpreters of late medieval Irish tracts. Life Gearóid was born in Hull, England in 1932 to an Irish mother. His lifelong work in the Irish language bu ...
(2003). ''Chronicon Scotorum''. Unpublished manuscript made available to
UCC The initialism UCC may stand for: Law * Uniform civil code of India, referring to proposed Civil code in the legal system of India, which would apply equally to all irrespective of their religion * Uniform Commercial Code, a 1952 uniform act to ...
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James Henthorn Todd James Henthorn Todd (23 April 1805 – 28 June 1869) was a biblical scholar, educator, and Irish historian. He is noted for his efforts to place religious disagreements on a rational historical footing, for his advocacy of a liberal form of Prote ...
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Dublin Annals of Inisfallen The ''Dublin Annals of Inisfallen'' refer to a mid 18th century (c. 1765) compilation of medieval Irish annals reworked and augmented with material from later traditions in the form of interpolations, made by John O'Brien, Bishop of Cloyne and ...
'', John O'Brien and John Conry (c. 1765). Edition and Latin translation by
Charles O'Conor Charles O'Conor may refer to: * Charles O'Conor (historian) (1710–1791), Irish writer, historian, and antiquarian * Charles O'Conor (priest) (1764–1828), Irish priest and historian, grandson of the above * Charles O'Conor (American politician) ( ...
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Foras Feasa ar Éirinn ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' – literally 'Foundation of Knowledge on Ireland', but most often known in English as 'The History of Ireland' – is a narrative history of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating, written in Irish and completed .Bernadette Cunnin ...
'', by
Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and a ...
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Duald Mac Firbis Dubhaltach Mac Fhirbhisigh (), also known as Dubhaltach Óg mac Giolla Íosa Mór mac Dubhaltach Mór Mac Fhirbhisigh, Duald Mac Firbis, Dudly Ferbisie, and Dualdus Firbissius (fl. 1643 – January 1671) was an Irish scribe, translator, historia ...
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Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS) ( ga, Institiúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a statutory independent research institute in Ireland. It was established in 1940 on the initiative of the Taoiseach, Éamon de Valera, in Dub ...
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Mogens Herman Hansen Mogens Herman Hansen FBA (born 20 August 1940, Frederiksberg) is a Danish classical philologist and classical demographer who is one of the leading scholars in Athenian Democracy and the Polis. Academic career Hansen finished his masters at U ...
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Ériu In Irish mythology, Ériu (; modern ga, Éire ), daughter of Delbáeth and Ernmas of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was the eponymous matron goddess of Ireland. The English name for Ireland comes from the name Ériu and the Germanic languages, Germani ...
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UCC The initialism UCC may stand for: Law * Uniform civil code of India, referring to proposed Civil code in the legal system of India, which would apply equally to all irrespective of their religion * Uniform Commercial Code, a 1952 uniform act to ...

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ivar of Limerick O'Donovan family Uí Ímair 977 deaths Kings of Limerick 10th-century Irish monarchs Year of birth unknown