Donnchad Donn
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Donnchad Donn mac Flainn (''Duncan of the Brown Hair, son of Flann'') (died 944) was
High King of Ireland High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
and King of Mide. He belonged to Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern
Uí Néill The Uí Néill (; meaning "descendants of Niall") are Irish dynasties that claim descent from Niall Noígíallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a historical King of Tara who is believed to have died around c. 405. They are generally divided ...
.


Origins

Donnchad was the son of High King Flann Sinna by his wife Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing. The date of his birth is not known, but he was apparently an adult in 904 when he is found as the leader, or figurehead, of a challenge to his father at Kells. The ''
Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' () are annals of History of Ireland, medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luin ...
'' state that many of Donnchad's associates were beheaded by Flann, and that the High King profaned the sanctuary at Kells to seize Donnchad. Donnchad again rebelled against his father in 915, with the support of his brother Conchobar, but this rebellion was suppressed by his sister Gormlaith's husband, and his father's heir, Niall Glúndub. When Flann died in 916, Niall Glúndub succeeded him as King of Tara, while Conchobar became King of Mide, the kingship of Clann Cholmáin. Niall and Conchobar were both killed on 14 September 919, in battle against the Foreigners—
Vikings Vikings were 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 settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9 ...
and Norse-Gaels—at
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
. Other Irish kings and princes among the dead were another of Donnchad's sister's husbands, Máel Mithig mac Flannacáin, Niall Glúndub's brother's son and heir-designate Flaithbertach mac Domnaill, "and many other nobles".Annals of Ulster, s.a. 919. Donnchad succeeded to the kingship of Mide, and to the high kingship of Ireland. He immediately had his brother Áed blinded. Two years later, Donnchad disposed of another brother, the annals saying: "Domnall grandson of Máel Sechnaill was deceitfully killed by his brother Donnchad, which was fitting." Some years later, Donnchad disposed of his nephew, Máel Ruanaid, Conchobar's son.


Reign

Donnchad's first venture was a campaign against armies of the Foreigners in modern
County Louth County Louth ( ; ) is a coastal Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of County Meath, Meath to the ...
, "in which a very large number f the Foreignerswere slaughtered." The majority of the reports of battles with the Foreigners thereafter in Donnchad's reign concern "the Hector of the western world", the indefatigable Muirchertach mac Néill—Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks—the
King of Ailech The Kings of Ailech were the over-kings of the Medieval Ireland, medieval Irish Provinces of Ireland, province of Ailech in north-western Ireland. It encompassed the territories of the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill. After the battle of Cl ...
and likely to have been Donnchad's successor had he not died in battle against the Foreigners on 26 February 943.The description of Muirchertach is from his obituary notice; Annals of Ulster, s.a. 943. Donnchad's relations with Muirchertach, his daughter's husband, were not good, and conflict between them is recorded in 927, 929, and 938. Muirchertach's wife died in 940, and in 941 he raided Mide,
Osraige 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 ...
, and
Munster Munster ( or ) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a "king of over-kings" (). Following the Nor ...
, taking the Munster king Cellachán Caisil hostage as a demonstration of his power, and Donnchad's limited authority. On Donnchad's death, he was succeeded as King of Tara by his sister's son, Congalach Cnogba, a member of the Síl nÁedo Sláine branch of the Uí Néill. Donnchad's son Óengus became King of Mide.


Family

Donnchad was married three times. His first wife was Cainnech ingen Canannán (died 929), daughter of the King of the northern Uí Néill sept of the
Cenél Conaill Cenél is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: *Cenél Conaill, the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history *Cenél nEógain (in English, Cenel Eogan) is ...
. His second wife was Órlaith íngen Cennétig, sister of
Brian Boru Brian Boru (; modern ; 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. He ended the domination of the High King of Ireland, High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill, and is likely responsible for ending Vikings, Viking invasio ...
of the
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ) are a Gaels, 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 from Tál ...
. Órlaith was killed in 941, apparently on Donnchad's order, perhaps due to a sexual relationship between her and her stepson Óengus. Donnchad's third wife, Dub Lémna ingen Tighearnáin (died in 943), was the daughter of the king of Bréifne. Charles Doherty notes that Donnchad's wives all came from rising families. The Ua Canannáin of Tír Ċonaill, the
Dál gCais The Dalcassians ( ) are a Gaels, 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 from Tál ...
of Thomond, and the Ua Ruairc of Bréifne were among the leading families of the 11th and 12th centuries. Donnchad's sons included Conn (died 944), Óengus his successor (died 945), and Domnall Donn (died 952), the father of the future King of Tara Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill. His daughters were Flann ingen Donnchadha (died 940), wife of Muirchertach mac Néill, and Óebfhinn ingen Donnchadha (died 952). His sister and only known full-sibling, Gormflaith ingen Flann Sinna (c.870–948), was
Queen Queen most commonly refers to: * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a kingdom * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen (band), a British rock band Queen or QUEEN may also refer to: Monarchy * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Q ...
of Tara.


Family tree


Notes


References

* * Byrne, Francis John, ''Irish Kings and High-Kings.'' Batsford, London, 1973. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Donn, Donnchad 9th-century births 944 deaths Kings of Mide Nobility from County Meath 10th-century High Kings of Ireland