Kingdom of Breifne c. 1120.E2.80.931256 East Breifne

1 kingdom of breifne c. 1120–1256

1.1 norman invasion
1.2 o reilly rule 1230-1250
1.3 secession of east breifne

kingdom of breifne c. 1120–1256

machaire gailenga annexed after o reilly defeated o rourkes , became constituent clan within known kingdom of bréifne , conmaicne. king tigernán mór ua ruairc, reigned 1124-1172, conquering eastward , under tighernán mór kingdom of breifne reached greatest expanse, extending kells, county meath drumcliff, county sligo in late 12th century. tighernán mór consolidated eastern territories had conquered through marriage derbforgaill, daughter of king of meath.

there great animosity between subjugated o reillys , o rourke overlords. tighernán mór went war king diarmait mac murchada of leinster in 1152 following mac murchada s abduction of queen derbforgaill, , claim on land in brefnian possession. taking advantage of breifne s preoccupation, chief geofraidh o reilly launched unsuccessful rebellion in 1154 , banished kingdom following defeat. in 1155 when donnchad ua cerbaill king of airgíalla captured , imprisoned tighernán mór, geofraidh o reilly , supporters ambushed brefnian guards , rescued ua cerbaill. o reilly later captured , executed act of sedition.

norman invasion

the norman cloughoughter castle captured & completed o reillys in 1233

tighernán mór formed coalition high king, ruaidrí ua conchobair, ousted mac murchada in 1166. mac murchada fled england , sought henry ii aid him in reconquering kingdom. prompted norman invasion of ireland in 1169 forever alter history of island. norman aid mac murchada reconquered of leinster, , set kells, breifne s easternmost outpost, ablaze. in 1170 breifne invaded , in following years vast kingdom carved normans. o rourke power in ruin lost not territory, power , prestige well. o reilly submitted mac murchada , norman allies during conquest.

shortly after mac murchada s death in may 1171, of native irish kingdoms waged war on successor, richard de clare or strongbow . however, o reilly allied normans way of breaking free of o rourke. division between 2 clans apparent during siege of dublin, when o rourke king encamped outside city gaelic allies, , o reilly king inside aligned strongbow , council.

during parley in 1172 @ trim, tighernán mór betrayed , killed hugh de lacy, lord of meath, throwing o rourke dynasty chaos. instability , wars of succession between various branches of o rourke sept weakened hold on territory of breifne further. of de lacy, o rourkes driven , expelled o reilly land. relations between o reilly , normans persisted until 13th century when soured hugh s 2 sons, walter , william gorm.

the influence of normans in eastern breifne considerable , 1211 had established castles in belturbet , kilmore. king john of england took possession of lordship of meath de lacy family following hugh s death, returned hugh s son walter de lacy in 1215. walter, william gorm, , anglo-norman forces began expanding breifne in attempt increase influence western ulster. 1220 de lacy had taken control of of o reilly territory, including crannóg @ lough oughter, william gorm began construction of castle. cathal o connor, king of connacht, wrote henry iii in 1224 informing him de lacy family had not seized breifne o rourkes, earldom of ulster well. seeing walter had overstepped boundaries, henry iii sent english force led william marshal ireland put down de lacy. o reillys assisted marshal in campaign against de lacy and, following short siege, retook castle @ lough oughter, finished in 1233.

during marshal s punitive war in ireland, chief cathal o reilly, great-grandson of geofraidh, exploited power vacuum left de lacy secure control of breifne enemies. in 1226 captured , demolished de lacy s castle @ kilmore , raided western breifne, killing o rourke king s son aodh @ lough allen. cathal had set motion events on following 30 years culminate in dissolution of breifne.

o reilly rule 1230-1250

ireland in 1250 showing gaelic areas (green) , norman areas (blue). breifne shown in yellow.

for assistance in campaign against de lacy, henry iii issued royal grant king of connacht giving him overlordship of breifne, position delegated son aedh. naturally, position challenged o rourkes, overlords of breifne. keen usurp power of o rourkes, aedh entered alliance intractable enemy, o reillys. o rourkes had o reillys attacking east , connacht attacking west.

evidently alarmed prospect of lesser clan rising , seizing control of kingdom, domnhall o donnell, king of tyrconnell, sailed south across lough erne , lough oughter, destroyed cathal o reilly s home, abducting wife cacht, , killing favourite horse. cathal survived , able put traumatic event behind him, agreeing peace tyrconnell shortly afterwards.

with connacht s help, o reillys had usurped control of breifne 1230s. cathal o reilly ruled king east of kingdom , cúchonnacht o reilly, connacht s foremost general , close ally of king felim o conor, had militarily taken control of western breifne , expelled o rourke leaders. in 1233 william gorm de lacy, having received royal pardon overseas service, attempted retake breifne large force of english , anglo-irish soldiers. decisively defeated cathal , cúchonnacht @ moin crandchain near meath border, , died wounds.

following battle, eastern breifne emerged relatively stable, cúchonnacht mentioned numerous times in annals suppressing guerilla warfare campaign against usurpation of rule various o rourke nobles in western breifne. in 1237 richard mór de burgh ousted felim o conor turned cúchonnacht aid. cúchonnacht able raise army men of western breifne, illustrating grip on half of kingdom relatively strong point. cúchonnacht , felim had remarkable success against anglo-norman forces despite latter s superior technology, such chain armour.

however, 1239 , throughout 1240s, o reilly came conflict o conor. king of connacht severely diminished , ruled area of modern-day county roscommon, of province had fallen de burgh. o reilly powerful players in region , cúchonnacht attempted cement dominance. given actions, cúchonnacht perhaps more powerful cathal @ point, despite former holding no official office or title. conflict between 2 kingdoms came head when battered o conor sept attempted reassert primacy once had on breifne.

in response o conor s actions, chiefs of lesser clans of area such @ moylurg , muintir eolais, traditionally vassals of o conors , o rourkes, removed , replaced puppet leaders cúchonnacht. ruled decree , garnered reputation tyrant. 1 such instance provoked outrage across province unscrupulous deal in 1242 in cúchonnacht supported claim of tadhg o conor, rival claimant felim, on condition he, king of connacht, renounce claims breifne. autumn of 1242, when had become apparent tadhg had garnered little support claim , no longer of use cúchonnacht, seized , imprisoned. in spring of 1243, cúchonnacht ordered young prince blinded , castrated. drove felim throw more support behind o rourkes , claim breifne.

secession of east breifne

drumlane abbey razed o rourkes in 1261. sporadic fighting along border continued long after breakup.

the 1240s saw widespread conflict between native irish , normans, @ stage engaged in near constant war. de burgh s advance forced felim o conor flee tyrconnell in 1249. there met king brian ua néill of tyrone , deposed conchobar o rourke of breifne, , formed coalition against normans , allies. while o reilly joined maurice fitzgerald, justiciar of ireland in abortive march ulster, ua néill marched south , restored felim o conor throne in connacht.

from 1250 onwards western breifne wrested cúchonnacht. in 1255 breifne raided 3 times ua néill, , invaded west o conor , o rourke. connacht declared conchobar o rourke king of breifne, , gave conchobar o reilly, cathal s discontented son, lesser position of taoiseach. cúchonnacht , forces had been pushed out of west. in 1256 walter de burgh raided connacht devastate country , relieve pressure on o reillys further north had ventured western breifne retake control of territory.

the 2 armies meant rendezvous @ lough allen o reillys came under heavy attack , forced retreat. pursued east magh slécht, battle of magh slecht ensued. o reilly , o rourke suffered heavy losses, both cúchonnacht , cathal slain in battle, 14 other o reilly nobles. connacht , o rourke emerged victorious , o reilly power shattered.

relations between o conor , o reilly extremely hostile and, following victory @ magh slecht, aodh o conor, prince of connacht, determined continue conquer east , bring of breifne under connacht s control. briefly achieved following inauguration of conchobar o reilly, aodh s ally, head of o reilly clan. conchobar died following year , succeeded matha o reilly, broke ties connacht.

aodh s goal of re-establishing control of east never realized political chaos, largely of aodh s making, erupted amongst newly restored o rourke dynasty, went on have 7 kings in 3 years (1257-1260). potential invasion of eastern breifne made more unlikely when o conors , o rourkes went war in 1257. rivals @ home , conflict in west breifne occupied of aodh s time next decade or so. when died in 1274 successor had no interest in pursuing conflict o reilly. thus, division remained permanent. despite nominal claim o rourkes kingship of of breifne , kingdom had split west breifne , east breifne.