The Kingdom of Dublin () was a Norse kingdom in Ireland that lasted from roughly 853 AD to 1170 AD. It was the first and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland, founded by Vikings who invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin.

History

The first reference to the Vikings comes from the Annals of Ulster and the first entry for 841 AD reads: "Pagans still on Lough Neagh". It is from this date onward that historians get references to ship fortresses or longphorts being established in Ireland. The Vikings may have first over-wintered in 840–841 AD. The actual location of the longphort of Dublin is still a hotly debated issue. Norse rulers of Dublin were often co-kings, and occasionally also Kings of Jórvík in what is now Yorkshire. Under their rule, Dublin became a significant port in trading slaves. The hinterland of Dublin in the Norse period was named in .

Over time, the settlers in Dublin became increasingly Gaelicized. They began to exhibit a great deal of Gaelic and Norse cultural syncretism, and are often referred to as Norse-Gaels.

In 988, Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill led the initial Gaelic conquest of Dublin. As a result, the founding of Dublin is counted by some from the year 988, although a village had existed on the site of Dublin nearly a thousand years earlier.

Coins were minted in Dublin by about 995, and on Mann by about 1025.

In the mid-11th century, the Kingdom of Leinster began exerting influence over Dublin. The last king of Dublin was killed by the Norman conquerors of Dublin in 1171.

Geography

The extent of the kingdom varied, but in peaceful times it extended roughly as far as Wicklow () in the south, Glen Ding near Blessington, Leixlip () west of Dublin, and Skerries, County Dublin () to the north. The Fingal area north of Dublin was named after the Norse who lived there.

Kings of Dublin

{| class="wikitable"

! Ruler!!Irish name!!Reign!!Notes

|-

|align=center|Óláfr hvíti || ||align=center|c. 853–871|| Co-king; titled "King of the Foreigners" in 863

|-

|align=center| Ívarr || || align=center|c. 857–873 || Co-king; titled "King of the Foreigners" in 863; titled "King of the Northmen of all Ireland and Britain" in 873

|-

|align=center| Auðgísl || ||align=center|c. 863–867 || Co-king; titled "King of the Foreigners" in 863

|-

|align=center| Eysteinn Óláfsson* || ||align=center| 873–875 || Probable co-king; not explicitly named as king in the annals

|-

|align=center| Bárðr Ivarsson || ||align=center| 873–881 || Probable co-king; titled "head of the Northmen" in 881

|-

|align=center| Halfdan Ragnarsson^ || ||align=center| 875–877 || Claimed Dublin but never ruled

|-

|align=center| Sigfrøðr Ívarrsson || ||align=center| 881–888 ||

|-

|align=center| Sigtryggr Ívarrsson || || align=center| 888–893/896 || Rulership disputed by Sigtryggr Jarl in 893

|-

|align=center| Sigfrøðr Jarl^ || || align=center| 893-? || Claimed Dublin in 893 but unclear if ever ruled

|-

|align=center| Iárnkné* || || align=center| ? || Not explicitly named as king in the annals; speculated to have succeeded Sitriuc

|-

|align=center| Ívarr II || ||align=center| ?-902 || Driven from Dublin in 902 by native Irish

|-

|align=center colspan=4 | Dublin abandoned by the Norse from 902 to 917.

|-

|align=center| Sigtryggr || <br />alias ||align=center| 917–921 || defeated Niall Glundub; also king of York

|-

|align=center| Guðrøðr Sigtryggsson || || align=center| 921–934|| grandson of Ímar

|-

|align=center| Olaf Guthfrithson || || align=center| 934–941 || son of Gofraid ua Ímair

|-

|align=center| Blákári Guðrøðsson || || align=center|941–945 ||

|-

|align=center|Sigtrygg (Sitric) || || align=center|941–943 ||

|-

|align=center| Óláfr kváran || || align=center|945–947 ||

|-

|align=center| Blákári Guðrøðsson || || align=center|947–948 || restored

|-

|align=center | Guðrøðr Sigtryggsson || || align=center| 948–951 ||

|-

|align=center| Óláfr kváran || || align=center|952–980 || restored

|-

|align=center| Iárnkné || || align=center|980–989||

|-

|align=center| Ivar of Waterford<br />or Sigtrygg Silkbeard || || align=center|989–993||

|-

|align=center| Ivar of Waterford || || align=center|994–995||

|-

|align=center|Sigtrygg Silkbeard Olafsson || || align=center|995–1036 ||

|-

|align=center| Margaðr Rögnvaldsson || || align=center|1036–1038 ||

|-

|align=center| Ívar Haraldsson || ||align=center| 1038–1046 ||

|-

|align=center| Margaðr Rögnvaldsson || ||align=center| 1046–1052 ||

|-

|align=center| Murchad mac Diarmata || ||align=center|1052–1070 ||

|-

|align=center| Diarmait mac Mail na mBo || ||align=center| 1070–1072 ||

|-

|align=center| Toirdelbach Ua Briain || || align=center| 1072 || Member of the ; seized overlordship of Dublin following Diarmait's death; given kingship by the Dubliners in 1072; allowed Dublin to be locally ruled by Guðrøð Olafsson under his overlordship.

|-

|align=center| Guðrøð Olafsson || ||align=center| 1072–1075 || Member of the Meic Ragnaill (Uí Ímair); ruled under the overlordship of Toirdelbach; expelled from kingship by Toirdelbach in 1075; possibly identical to Gofraid mac Sitriuc, King of the Isles (died 1070).

|-

|align=center| Domnall mac Murchada || ||align=center| 1075 || Member of the (); gained kingship following the expulsion of ; may have seized Dublin without the consent of the , or else ruled under their overlordship; died within the year.

|-

|align=center| Muirchertach Ua Briain || ||align=center| 1075–1086 || Member of the ; installed king by his father, Toirdelbach.

|-

|align=center| Donnchad mac Domnaill Remair || ||align=center| 1086–1089 || Member of the ; seized kingship following death of Toirdelbach; killed in 1089; control of Dublin appears to have been gained by not long afterwards.

|-

|align=center| Guðröður Crovan || ||align=center| c. 1091–1094 || Possibly a close relative of Ímar mac Arailt and thus a member of the ; founder of the Crovan dynasty; ruler of the Isles; seized kingship in about 1091 and expulsed by Muirchertach in 1094.

|-

|align=center| Domnall mac Taidc || || align=center| || Member of the (); possibly installed king by his uncle, Muirchertach, after Gofraid Crobán's expulsion; certainly installed as ruler of the Isles at about this time.

|-

|align=center| Domnall Gerrlámhach || ||align=center| || Member of the ; possibly installed king by his father, Muirchertach, after Godred Crovan's expulsion; certainly held kingship at a later date.

|-

|align=center| Magnús berfœttr || ||align=center| 1102–1103 || Ruler of Norway; appears to have seized Dublin in the early twelfth century, having taken Orkney and the Isles before the turn of the century; seems to have intended for his son, Sigurðr, to rule as king of these newly won overseas Norse territories.

|-

|align=center| Domnall Gerrlámhach || ||align=center| || Defended Dublin from Leinster attack in 1115; possibly installed king by his father long before battle, immediately before, or immediately afterwards.

|-

|align=center| Diarmait mac Énna meic Murchada || ||align=center| ×1117. || Member of the (); died 1117.

|-

|align=center| Domnall Gerrlámhach || ||align=center| 1117–1118 || Seized kingship after Diarmait 's death.

|-

|align=center| Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair || ||align=center| ×1118 || Member of the ; drove Domnall Gerrlámhach from kingship.

|-

|align=center| Énna Mac Murchada || ||align=center| ×1122–1126 || Member of the (); either seized kingship or was installed king by Toirdelbach; reigned under overlordship.

|-

|align=center| Conchobar Ua Conchobair || ||align=center| 1126–1127 || Member of the ; installed king by his father, Toirdelbach; deposed in 1126.

|-

|align=center| Conchobar Ua Briain || ||align=center| 1141–1142|| Member of the ; gained kingship in 1141; died in 1142.

|-

|align=center| Óttar of Dublin || ||align=center| 1142–1148 || Member of the ; gained kingship in 1142; slain by the in 1148; may not have reigned continuously from 1142 to 1148.

|-

|align=center| Ragnvald Þorkellsson || ||align=center| 1144×1146 || Member of the ; styled king on his death in 1146, which could be evidence that his reign interrupted that of Ottar; another possibility is that he was merely a subordinate of Ottar.

|-

|align=center| Brodar Þorkellsson || ||align=center| ×1160 || Member of the ; killed in 1160.

|-

|align=center| Guðrøð Olafsson || ||align=center| 1150s or 1160s || Member of the Crovan dynasty; ruler of the Isles; held kingship of Dublin briefly at the behest of the Dubliners, although the chronology of his short reign is uncertain.

|-

|align=center| Hasculf Þorkellsson || ||align=center| ×1170 || Member of the ; deposed in 1170; killed attempting to regain kingship in 1171.

|-

|}

^ Disputed * Speculative

Timeline of Kings of Dublin

<timeline>

ImageSize = width:1300 height:auto barincrement:12

PlotArea = top:10 bottom:30 right:130 left:20

AlignBars = justify

DateFormat = yyyy

Period = from:850 till:1200

TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal

ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:50 start:850

ScaleMinor = unit:year increment:10 start:860

Colors =

id:canvas value:rgb(1,1,1)

id:w value:rgb(0.75,0.25,0.75)

id:d value:yellow

id:n value:green

id:a value:rgb(1,0.5,0.5)

id:l value:red

id:y value:rgb(0.75,0,0)

id:t value:rgb(0.5,0.5,1)

id:s value:orange

id:cw value:rgb(0.8,0.8,0.8)

id:eon value:Black

id:b value:blue

Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas

BarData =

barset:Rulers

bar:eon

PlotData=

align:center textcolor:black fontsize:8 mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(0,-5)

bar:eon color:eon

from: 853 till: 875 color: n text:pre-Uí Ímair

from: 875 till: 902 color: w text:Uí Ímair

from: 917 till: 1052 color: w text:Uí Ímair

from: 1052 till: 1072 color: s text:Uí C.

from: 1072 till: 1075 color: w text:

from: 1075 till: 1086 color: l text:Uí B.

from: 1086 till: 1089 color: s text:

from: 1089 till: 1094 color: a text:

from: 1094 till: 1102 color: l text:

from: 1102 till: 1103 color: y text:

from: 1103 till: 1115 color: l text:

from: 1115 till: 1117 color: s text:

from: 1117 till: 1118 color: l text:

from: 1118 till: 1122 color: b text:

from: 1122 till: 1126 color: s text:

from: 1126 till: 1127 color: b text:

from: 1141 till: 1142 color: l text:

from: 1142 till: 1148 color: t text:

from: 1148 till: 1160 color: d text:

from: 1160 till: 1165 color: a text:

from: 1165 till: 1170 color: d text:

width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till

barset:Rulers

from:853 till: 871 color:n text:"Amlaíb I Conung"

from:857 till: 873 color:n text:"Ímar I"

from:863 till: 867 color:n text:"Auisle"

from:873 till: 875 color:w text:"Oistin"

from:873 till: 881 color:w text:"Bárid"

from:875 till: 877 color:n text:"Albann"

from:881 till: 888 color:w text:"Sichfrith"

from:888 till: 896 color:w text:"Sitric I"

from:893 till: 893 color:l text:"Sichfrith Jarl"

from:896 till: 900 color:w text:"Glúniarann I"

from:900 till: 902 color:w text:"Ímar II"

from:917 till: 921 color:w text:"Sitric II Cáech"

from:921 till: 934 color:w text:"Gofraid I"

from:934 till: 941 color:w text:"Amlaíb II"

from:941 till: 945 color:w text:"Blácaire"

from:945 till: 947 color:w text:"Amlaíb III Cuarán"

from:947 till: 948 color:w text:"Blácaire"

from:948 till: 951 color:w text:"Gofraid II"

from:951 till: 980 color:w text:"Amlaíb III Cuarán"

from:980 till: 989 color:w text:"Glúniarann II"

from:989 till: 995 color:w text:"Ímar III"

from:995 till: 1036 color:w text:"Sitric III Silkbeard"

from:1036 till: 1038 color:w text:"Echmarcach"

from:1038 till: 1046 color:w text:"Ímar IV"

from:1046 till: 1052 color:w text:"Echmarcach"

from:1052 till: 1070 color:s text:"Murchad"

from:1070 till: 1072 color:s text:"Diarmait I"

from:1072 till: 1072 color:t text:"Toirdelbach I"

from:1072 till: 1075 color:w text:"Gofraid III"

from:1075 till: 1075 color:s text:"Domnall I"

from:1075 till: 1086 color:l text:"Muirchertach"

from:1086 till: 1089 color:s text:"Donnchad"

from:1091 till: 1094 color:a text:"Gofraid IV Crobán"

from:1094 till: 1094 color:l text:"Domnall II"

from:1094 till: 1102 color:l text:"Domnall III Gerrlámhach"

from:1102 till: 1103 color:y text:"Magnus Barefoot"

from:1103 till: 1115 color:l text:"Domnall III Gerrlámhach"

from:1115 till: 1117 color:s text:"Diarmait II"

from:1117 till: 1118 color:l text:"Domnall III Gerrlámhach"

from:1118 till: 1122 color:b text:"Toirdelbach II"

from:1122 till: 1126 color:s text:"Énna"

from:1126 till: 1127 color:b text:"Conchobar I"

from:1141 till: 1142 color:l text:"Conchobar II"

from:1142 till: 1148 color:t text:"Oitir"

from:1144 till: 1146 color:d text:"Ragnall"

from:1148 till: 1160 color:d text:"Brodar"

from:1160 till: 1165 color:a text:"Gofraid V"

from:1165 till: 1170 color:d text:"Ascall"

barset:skip

</timeline>

See also

  • Early Scandinavian Dublin
  • Irish nobility
  • The Pale
  • Uí Ímair

References

Notes

Sources

  • Downham, Clare, Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014. Edinburgh. 2007.
  • Forte, Angelo, Oram, Richard, & Pedersen, Frederik, Viking Empires. Cambridge University Press. 2005 .
  • Hudson, Benjamin T., Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the North Atlantic. Oxford. 2005 .
  • Larsen, Anne-Christine (ed.), The Vikings in Ireland. Roskilde: The Viking Ship Museum. 2001.
  • Todd, James Henthorn (ed. and tr.), Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaibh: The War of the Gaedhil with the Gaill. Longmans. 1867.
  • Woolf, Alex, "Age of Sea-Kings: 900–1300", in Donald Omand (ed.), The Argyll Book. Edinburgh. 2004. pp.&nbsp;94–109.