Flaithbertach Ua Néill – Wikipédia

Flaithbertach Ua Neill (Born before 978 died in 1036) is a king of Ailech, a kingdom located in northwestern Ireland. He abdicated in 1030 and undertook a pilgrimage to Rome, hence his nickname Flaithberts of the Trostan (I.E: Flathberting you pursuler ). Following the death of his son Áed in 1033, Flaithbertach abandoned his retirement and resumed the command of the North Néill. According to the baile in scáil it is even considered to be a “rig erenn co fressabra” (i.e: High king in opposition ) ^{[ first ]} .

Flaithbertach, a grandson of Domnall Mac Muircartach, reigns over the Cenél Neógain one of the families of the Néill. The sub-northern neill families, kings of Tír eógain and then count of Tyrone, descend from the line of Flaithbertach one of the families of Cenél Neógain, and their name derives from that of its great-great-grandfather Niall Glúndub. The rival line of Mac Lochlainn, another branch of Cenl Neógain, whose importance will grow in the generations after that of Flaithbertach probably descends from Niall Glúndub Domnall Mac Áeda’s brother ^{[ 2 ]}

Most of the province of Ulster, the River Bann to the east to the Foyle River in the West constitutes the domain of Cenél Neógain and its many vassals like the most important Airgíalla. Their proper domain is included in the current county of Tyrone, which bears their name extends from loudh Neagh to lough foyle and north in Inishowen.

In the East is the kingdom of Ulster, reduced hardly more than the modern county of Down and south of that of Antrim; To the west the Tír Conaill in the current county of Donegal) is divided between the branches of another family of the Uí Néill, the Cenél Conaill. And further south are the kingdom of Breifne and the kingdom of Mide ^{[ 3 ]} .

The kings of Ailech du Cenél Neógain take their name from Grianan d’Aileach, a stone fortress from the Iron Age which served as a site for the enthronement of the ancient kings. At IX ^{It is} Century The power of Cenél Neógain extended to the east in the fields of the kingdom of Ulster and the Airgíalla, and the kings are now elected to Tulach óg (tullyhogue strong in the county of Tyrone) and buried in Armagh ^{[ 4 ]} .

Armagh is not directly under the control of the kings of Ailech but remains under their influence and it is specified the sovereigns had a house there. Although the ecclesiastical province of Armagh was divided during the Synod of Kells-Mellifont in 1152, its authority on the churches of the North and the center of Ireland at the time of Flaithbertach was very large as shown by the first limits Fixed between the provinces established by the Synod of Ráth Breasail in 1111, which had divided Ireland between Armagh and Cashel in the county of Tipperary. Armagh was not only the city of Saint Patrick but also to a certain extent that of Cenél Neógain ^{[ 5 ]} .

The date of birth of Flaithbertach is not precisely known but his father Muichertach was killed in 977 by Amlaíb Cuarán ^{[ 6 ]} . A complementary entry of the Annals of Ulster specifies that Flaithbertach was born that same year ^{[ 7 ]} . His mother is cres cumal des uí maine ^{[ 8 ]} . His paternal grandfather Domnall Ua Néill, Ard Ri erenn, died in 980, and the kingdom of Ailech first dropped to Fergal Mac Domnaill Meic Conaing, who perhaps abdicated in 989 and dies in 1001. Fergal has as successor After a year interrelane the uncle of Flaithbertach; Áed Mac Domnaill, who is deemed to be in his 29 year during his death ten ^{It is} year of his reign in 1004 ^{[ 9 ]} .

The first mention relating to Flaithbertach is 1005 when he directs an expedition against the Leth Cathail, one of the components of the Kingdom of Ulster including King Áed Mac Tommltaig, is killed. Flaithbertach again plunders the Leth Cathail in 1007 and kills the successor of Áed Cú Ulad, which determines the situation taken into account when in 1005bian Bóruma comes to Armagh with a large army and receives the submission of Flaithbertach.

Brian returns in 1006 and again in 1007, on this occasion he takes with him some of the hostages that Flaithbertach had obtained from the Ulster, by force according to the Annals of Innisfallen ^{[ ten ]} . It was perhaps at that time that Flaithbertach married for the sake of appeasement be binn a daughter of Brian whose at least two sons came from Áed and Domnall ^{[ 8 ]} .

Flaithbertach continues to demonstrate his aggressiveness towards his neighbors. He blinds a king of Cenél Conaill then put him to death in 1009, he then plundered the central plain to the lower course of the Boyne river later in the year. This activity encourages Brian Boru to return to the north in 1010, to receive the submission of Flaithbertach again and to take hostages from Cenél Neógain before returning to Kincora.

The Cenél Conaill is invaded in 1011, this time Flaithbertach acts as an ally of Brian, and his army accompanies that of the sons of Brian Domnall and Murchad. A second expedition led by Brian himself later in the year leads to the submission of Cenél Conaill. Flaithbertach, however returns to its old demons and attacks Ulster again, taking Dún Echdach (Duneight, south of Lisburn) and receives the submission of the main king of Ulster Niall Mac Duib Tuinne. He again attacks Ulster and Cenél Conaill in 1012 ^{[ 11 ]} .

In 1013 Flaithbertach made a raid against the kingdom of Mide, to which reigns the former Ard Ri erenn Mael Seachnaill II Mór. The two armies meet near Kells, but Máel Sechnaill withdraws without fighting. This minor incident encourages Máel Sechnaill’s neighbors and competitors to consider it weakened and vulnerable and a war with Leinster and Dublin follows. The conflict is generalized and ends with the battle of Clontarf the April 23, 1014 , during which Brian Bóruma is killed although his armies allied with that of Máel Sechnaill crushed those of Leinster and Dublin ^{[ twelfth ]} .

After the death of Brian, Máel Sechnaill and Flaithbertach undertake a series of campaigns which lead to the recovery of Mael Seachnaill II Mór as Ard Ri erenn. According to Gallaib gáedel gallaib , a propaganda work composed at the time of the grandson of Brian, Murieritach, in 1002, shortly after Brian replaced Mael Seachnaill II Mór like Ard Ri erenn, Máel Sechnaill would have offered to abandon his sovereignty on the ‘Ireland in favor of Áed Mac Domnaill, the uncle of Flaithbertach and his predecessor as King Ailech in exchange for his aid against Brian. THE War argue that Áed would have refused and that no help has reached Máel Sechnaill on the part of Cenél Neógain and northern Ireland but only of the Connacht. We do not know why Flaithbertach grants Máel Sechnaill the support that his uncle had refused him ^{[ 13 ]} .

Mael Seachnaill II Mór died in 1022. Flaithbertach undertook a campaign in the MIDE in 1025 and received the submission of the Kingdom of Dublin, but Donnchad Mac BRIAN did the same in 1026, and Flaithbertach also the same year. The dublin seems to have also been a tempting prey for Niall Mac Eochada, the King of Ulster, who also made a raid in 1026. That same year the Ulster was pillaged and the Cenél Conaill the following year ^{[ 14 ]} .

Flaithbertach had almost 50 years at that time. His son Domnall died in 1027 and in 1030 he went on pilgrimage to Rome from where he returned in 1031. It was at this time that he received the nickname of Flaithbertach an trostáin, that is to say Flaithbertach of the pilgrimage (textually pilgrim staff) ^{[ 15 ]} . That same year Niall Mac Eochada launched an expedition against Telach óg while the son of Flaithbertach Aed undertakes a reprisal raid. In 1031 Flaithbertach and Aed attack the southern part of Cénel Conaill ^{[ 16 ]} .

At that time Flaithbertach abdicated and the succession as king of Ailech was ensured by Áed, but the latter dies from the November 30, 1033 . Flaithbertach comes out of his retirement and becomes King again the Annales d’Innisfallen note: “Flaithbertach Ua Néill takes Ailech again and northern Ireland is submitted to him because of his seniority.”

However, it is not the death of AED which is the cause of the recovery of Flaithbertach and the Annals of Innisfallen composed in southern Ireland places this event after the death of Domnall Ua Maíl Doraid of Cenél Conaill ^{[ 17 ]} . The second reign of Flaithbertach leaves no trace. He died in 1036 as king of Ailech ^{[ 18 ]} .

Flaithbertach is not included in the modern lists of Ard Ri erenn ^{[ 19 ]} .

Nevertheless several medieval authors identify him with a king included in the list of adr ri erenn baile in scáil, and he is perhaps mentioned in the text in verse on the history of the kings of Ireland and Scotland composed in A prophetic style called the prophecy of Berchán.

These two sources are problematic and are generally not considered as lists of king of Ireland, unlike the very previous baile chuinn chétchathaig, on which they took model ^{[ 20 ]} . Undoubtedly more conclusive is the fact that the historical poem of the contemporary of Flaithbertach Flann Mainistrech and the pro-Uí compilers of the Chronicle of Armagh do not recognize it as Ard Ri erenn ^{[ 21 ]} .

Following the death of Flaithbertach the UA Néill are excluded for several generations of the royalty of Ailech by the Mac Lochlainn and the other family branches. In 1167 Áed in Macáem Tóinlesc finally receives part of the kingdom when Ruaidrí ua conchobair divides the cenel neógain between the Mac Lochlain and the Ua Néill ^{[ 22 ]} .

The entries of the Annals of Ulster mention the names of several sons of Flaithbertach.

• Áed, son of Flaithbertaig Ua Néill ou Thalelaman, died of mort en 1033.
• Domnhall Mort in 1027
• Muireadach Tué en 1039

• (in) This article is partially or entirely from the Wikipedia article in English entitled ‘ Flaithbertach Ua Neill » ( See the list of authors ) , edition of April 18, 2012 .
• Byrne, Francis John, Irish Kings and High-Kings , Four Courts Press, Dublin 2011 reissue (ISBN  1851821961 ) .
• Byrne, Francis John (2005), Ireland and her neighbours, c.1014–1072 , In Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí, Prehistoric and Ireland Ireland, New History of Ireland, I, Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 862–898, (ISBN  978-0-19-922665-8 ) .
• Duffy, Seán (2004), Brian Boruma (Brian Bor) (C.941–1014) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, retrieved 2007-10-22
• Duffy, Seán (2004), Ua Neill, Flaithbertach (d. 1036) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, retrieved 2008-03-06
• Flanogan, M. T. (2004), Ua Conchobhair, Ruaidrí (Rory O’Connor) (c.1116–1198) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, retrieved 2008-03-06
• Hudson, Benjamin (2004), Máel Sechnaill Mac Domnaill (948–1022) , Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford: Oxford University Press, retrieved 2008-03-06
• Hudson, Benjamin (2005), Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion and Empire in the North Atlantic , Oxford: Oxford University Press, (ISBN  0-19-516237-4 )
• Ó Cróinín, Dáibhí (1995), Early Medieval Ireland: 400–1200 , The Longman History of Ireland, London: Longman, (ISBN  0-582-01565-0 )

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