General Notes

Alias:<ALIA> Brian /Boro/
REFN: 3449AN
Alias:<ALIA> Brian /Boru/
REFN: P3450
Brian became chief of Dal Cais (north M unster) on the death his brothe
r, and rose rapidly to become king of all Muns ter, attacking both riva
ls and Vikings.  Progess was checked by the high-king Mael Sechnaill, w
ho also wished to control Leinster, and a truce was declare d in 997; th
is lasted only until 1002, when Mael Sechnaill was forced to subm it. Poli
tically astute and a skilled military strategist, Brian continued to enfor
ce his authority over much of the country (acknowledged as imperator Scoto
rum, 1005) but was slain in the victory over the rebellious Leinstermen a
nd their Norse allies at the battle of Clontarf.  He had demonstrated th
at the high-kingship was open to the most powerful claimant rather th
an an hereditary right of the Ui Neill, and has become the best known of a
ll Irish kings. The O'Briens take their name from him. King of Munster 976
-1014, High King o f Ireland 1002 - 1014
Soucre:  Oxford The Kings & Queens of Britian by John Cannon and Anne Harg
reaves pages 86 & 87
Brian Boru
Born in 940 AD,
Brian Boru was one of Ireland's greatest leaders who is credited with dire
cting Ireland's future - for both good and bad. Brian Boru (Brian mac Cenn
etig or Brian Boroimhe in Gaelic) was born in Munster, Ireland. A memb
er of the Dal Cais (Del cassians) tribe, he was the brother of Mahon, w
ho became King of Munster foll owing the death of their father, Cenn-ti
g. At this point in Ireland's history, Viking invaders (or Norsemen) h
ad a stranglehold on the island, while the native Irish either sided wi
th the Norse out of fear or belonged to small kingdoms that fought among t
hemselves. Mahon desired peace with the Vikings and attempted to attain i
t, but his younger brother Brian shared no such desire. In fact, after hav
ing witnessed the death of his mother and much of the Dal Cais tri
be in a Norse raid while he was a child, Brian was a proponent of war fa
re with Vikings.
When he was old enough, Boru broke away from his brother to wage guerril
la warfare on the Norse. A skilled tactician, he won many decisive victori
es that instilled fear in the enemy as well as their Irish allies. His att
acks also helped to fuel rumours that there was a large, secret Dal cassi
an army. Boru's campaign gained much popular support and many Irishmen joi
ned his cause, including his Brother Mahon, who renounced his truce with t
he Vikings. The combined forces were able to drive most of the Norse fr
om Southern Ireland, including their leader Ivar (also known as Imar). Eag
er for revenge, Ivar returned ten years later, capturing and killing Maho
n. Brian succeeded his brother to the throne of Munster, bringing with h
im a re-fueled hat red of the enemy Norsemen. Soon after, his forces met w
ith those of Ivar and Brian challenged him to personal combat. Ivar was ki
lled and the Viking influence in Southern Ireland was struckanother blow.
Boru's influence continued to grow throughout Southern Ireland and he beca
me known for rebuilding many of the churches and other monuments that h
ad been destroyed by the Norse. In North Ireland, Malachy the Second follo
wed Boru's lead when his forces defeated a Norse army to take Dublin in 9
80 and Malachy became King of Meath. The two kings met in 998 and agre
ed to divide Ireland between them, with Boru recieving the South and Malac
hy the North. Boru, however, had too much support - even in Northern Irela
nd - and Malachy eventually ended up allowing Boru to peacefully take ov
er his lands. Boru was granted the title "Ard Ri", meaning " High King". T
his made him one of the first - and last - kings to effectively unite Irel
and under one monarch. The rivals to Brian Boru's rule were numerous, howe
ver, both among the native Irish and the remaining Norse. In 1013, Maelmor
dha, King of Leinster, revolted and allied with the Vikings. They summon