Discover Medieval Warfare Vol VI.4 - The Norman Invasion of Ireland

Medieval Warfare Vol VI.4 - The Norman Invasion of Ireland

Topic: Katrina Ingram, an introduction to the topic - the Norman invasion of Ireland

In 1166, Dermot Mac Murragh, the defeated King of Leinster, traveled to England to ask for help from King Henry II, who in turn sent some of his nobles back with Dermot to help him reclaim his land. This request for help paved the way for Henry's invasion four years later, in 1171, and allowed him to proclaim himself overlord of Ireland without having to draw his sword. However, contrary to popular belief, this was not the first time the Normans considered an invasion of Ireland.

Topic: Murray Dahm, Gerald of Wales on the 'Conquest' of Ireland

Gerald of Wales - or Giraldus Cambrensis as he is known in scholarly volumes - wrote two works that have been immensely influential and are of utmost importance not only for the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland, but also for medieval Irish history in general. These two works, the Topographia Hibernica (Topography of Ireland) and the Expugnatio Hibernica (Conquest of Ireland), are flawed but essential reading and we will see a lot of them in these pages.

Topic: Paul V. Walsh, Irish warfare during the Norman invasion

The common view of the Anglo-Normans' Irish opponents is one of lightly armed and poorly organized forces, unable to resist a charge of knights due to an exclusive reliance on unconventional tactics of cattle raids and ambushes in the woods. However, a closer look at the Anglo-Norman and Irish sources presents a different picture, demonstrating a more sophisticated approach to warfare.

Topic: Alistair Black, a look at ringforts in Ireland

The ringfort is one of the most numerous archaeological monuments in Ireland, with over 60,000 examples identified throughout the island. They can be seen in the countryside, often only visible as a small, faint circular bank with an external ditch.

Topic: Erich B. Anderson, the High King strikes back - reclaiming the throne

For too long, the High King Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair did not adequately respond to the threat posed by the Norman troops as they helped Diarmait Mac Murchada regain his kingdom. However, after the sudden death of the ruler of Leinster in May 1171, Strongbow and the other foreign soldiers were left in an extremely vulnerable position, as most of the Irish chieftains turned against them; even many who were previously loyal to Diarmait.

Topic: Sidney E. Dean, the life and times of Richard de Clare

His name was greater than his means, his ancestry greater than his talents, and his rights of inheritance greater than his assets in hand. This description of Richard de Clare, former Earl of Pembroke, was written by the Anglo-Norman chronicler Gerald of Wales in his history of the conquest of Ireland. It captures the essence of de Clare on the eve of his meeting with Dermot McMurrough (Diarmait Mac Murchada), the deposed King of Leinster. It would be a fateful meeting for both men and for Ireland.

Topic: Konstantin Nossov, Anglo-Norman castles in Ireland

In 1169, the first Anglo-Norman detachment landed in Ireland. Success accompanied the English descendants of the Norman knights, who soon strengthened their position in eastern Ireland. The Irish heroes of the west and north. Having very few castles at the time of the invasion, the Irish were unable to hold their lands. The situation closely resembled the Norman conquest of England. To strengthen their position in the occupied lands, the Anglo-Normans built numerous castles and some towns.

Topic: Sean McGlynn, the massacre of Waterford, 1170 AD - massacre

The English invasion of Ireland was, like any other medieval colonial conquest, a brutal affair. Many Englishmen (as we should call the Anglo-Normans at this stage) were already acclimated to the extremes of warfare on the Celtic fringe of Wales and Scotland, but in Ireland they were still capable of suffering a shock.

Topic: Daniel Mersey, a picture from Topographia Hiberniae

Gerald of Wales' Topography of Ireland was written around 1186 to 1188. It is the most in-depth study we have of Ireland during this period, although later Irish writers questioned the veracity of his work. This is not surprising, given that some of Gerald's claims in the first two parts of the book suggest that Irish roosters crow differently than those elsewhere, that there is an island to the west of Connacht where corpses do not rot, and a story of a wolf speaking to a priest.

Special: Peter van Dop, the added value of battlefield archaeology - a skeleton does not make an army

It is not uncommon for the media to echo "archaeological" discoveries related to evidence of medieval battles. However, reports are often simplified, debatable, or even completely erroneous. With just a little historical research, the information can be improved significantly.

Special: Peter Konieczny, the medieval treasure of Ireland - The Book of Kells

Many consider it the most beautiful book created in the Middle Ages, perhaps the most beautiful book ever made. It is now called the Book of Kells, and if you want to see it you will have to join the thousands of visitors who flock each day to the old library at Trinity College Dublin.

Knights of Cinema: Murray Dahm, medieval Normans and the Irish in film - hidden cinema

Trying to stick to the theme of this issue, it quickly becomes apparent that films about medieval Irish history are almost non-existent. When it comes to the Normans in film, it seems we are on safer and more abundant ground, because there are many Normans in film. They all offer insights into medieval warfare and history but, as always, history is more complex than it appears at first glance.

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