Brian Boru

Brian Boru is one of Ireland’s great historical figures. Renowned for his victories over the Vikings and his conquest of supreme power on the island of Ireland, this man distinguished himself throughout his life in a battle pitting the great Scandinavian families against the Celtic families. Ambitious and a fine strategist, his talent for the art of war enabled him to achieve his goals. Here’s how…

Biography of the King of Ireland, Brian Boru

A king in search of supreme power

Brian Boru – J.-H. Janßen – cc

A powerful king of Ireland (Ard ri Érenn) in the early 11th century, Brian Boru (known as Brian Mac Cenneidigh in Irish Gaelic) was born in Killaloe, County Clare, in 941.

Son of King Cenneidigh of Dal Cais (co. de Clare) and Bé Binn, he officially became king of the region of Clare in 976, following the assassination of his elder brother. But Brian Boru is ambitious and dreams of power… He wants to become the Supreme King of Ireland, and thus control all the Irish regions previously ruled by the Scandinavian kings (due to the Viking invasions)…

To this end, he waged several wars to conquer the various regions of Ireland and put an end to the domination of the other kings over the other counties. Among these warlike deeds, the following dates were the most significant in the stages of his conquest of the island:

978: Brian Boru declares war on the Scandinavian king Ivar of Limerick, a war he wins without difficulty and has him crowned King of Munster.
997: he then attacked the King of Tara, Mael Seachlainn II Mór, who fought for 6 years before abdicating at Clonfert in 1003, ceding the whole of southern Ireland to him.
999: in this year, the warrior witnesses the birth of a revolt, fomented by Vikings and warriors sent by the Kings of Leinster. Brian Boru is disturbing and worrisome: the surrounding Kings seem worried and question his authority. But King Boru crushed this revolt at the battle of Glenn Màma.
1003 was a crucial date for Brian Boru: the abdication of the King of Tara, Mael Seachlainn II Mór, made him the “Supreme King” of Ireland (Ard ri Érenn in Gaelic). From now on, he has all the power on the island of Ireland.

He promoted cultural and religious knowledge through the construction of numerous monasteries.

Now supreme king, Boru is determined to make the most of the knowledge of his time. He then ordered the construction of monasteries and libraries (the old places of learning had been destroyed by the Vikings). Its aim is to promote Gaelic culture and spread its cultural and religious knowledge beyond Ireland’s borders.

This did not go down well with Mael Morda, King of Leinster, who decided to organize a revolt with the help of Sigurd’s Danes.

The battle of Clontarf on April 23, 1014 was decisive: Brian Boru’s warriors succeeded in defeating the Danes. However, a warrior managed to assassinate Brian Boru at the scene of the battle, while he was praying in his tent on Good Friday.

In the history of Ireland, Brian Boru remains the most emblematic king of the Irish past. His conquests and courage made him a heroic figure, often depicted in historical and mythological accounts.

In the Irish subconscious, it symbolizes strength, resilience and victory. A sort of ancestor of the famous “force irish spirit”, a state of mind dear to the Irish, proud and conquering! That’s why you’ll often find portraits and sculptures of the warrior in Ireland. Now a veritable icon, the man is even told to Irish children… alternating historical facts and legends!