By: Aisling Bronach of House Shadow Drake

The increase in Viking in Ireland during the ninth century resulted in the development of many forms of alliances, including: economic, military, political, and social. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 130) For the Norse, the establishment of the market at Dublin largely helped support the presence of a new settled Norse population. (Fitzhugh: 134). Dublin was a Norse trade center and a very strategic town for a widespread Viking networking of raiding and trading. (Fitzhugh: 14) Needless to say, Dublin was an international place of exchange. (ibid.) The ringed pins, which were traded as far away as Newfoundland, were distinctly Irish artifacts which were manufactured in Dublin. (ibid.) Later on, Dublin served as a mediator for relationships between Ireland and Iceland. (Fitzhugh: 135) Examples of these relationships can be viewed in literary works such as Brian's Saga which was preserved in Iceland but actually written in Dublin. (ibid.)

The Dublin Vikings became entangled in the politics of the neighboring kingdoms and even seized control of York at one time. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 135) In other instances, they participated in both dynastic and tribal politics of the chronological era. (ibid.) Irish kings fought as allies with the Dublin Vikings as well as striving against them. (Sawyer: 98)

References to the religion held by the Dublin Vikings is primarily Heathen during the first half of the ninth century, and during the second half any religious references are rarely found. (Sawyer: 138) But, beginning in the tenth century we again begin to find references to the Dublin leaders holding Heathen beliefs and there were even Heathen motifs on coins they struck during that time period. (ibid.) Olaf Cuaran, king of Dublin from 941 to 980, was originally Heathen and then converted to Catholicism and even died at the monastery at Iona. (ibid.) The Vikings built a temple in Dublin which was known as 'the golden castle' or the Temple of the Black Thor. (Jones/Pennick: 121) In 994, the temple was sacked by the Irish king Mael Seachlainn who looted all of its treasures. (ibid.) Mael Seachlainn took from the temple two of its most prized possessions: the sword of Charles which was reputedly owned by Charlemagne himself, and the holy golden ring of Thor. (Jones/Pennick: 147)

Within Dublin, there was a larger selection of higher quality and more varied artifacts as opposed to other Viking towns. (Roesdahl: 231) Excavations of these artifacts help to demonstrate the powerful economic position held by Dublin, especially during the tenth century. (ibid.) Written sources help to establish Dublin as a trading center for slaves, hides, and textiles. (ibid.) Dublin was able to import a number of quality goods from many locations, both far and near. (ibid.)

There were also a number of trades which were established within Dublin for the export of goods manufactured there. (ibid.) These included: amber and jet work, bone carving, bronze casting, carpentry, comb making (red deer antler), coopering, iron work, leather work, shoe making, ship building, and wood carving. (ibid.) Artisans were capable of producing items which catered to both the tastes of the Scandinavian and Irish peoples, and even developed their own hybrid styles of art. (ibid.) The Ringerike and Urnes styles were considered to be the most fashionable and popular in the Dublin area. (ibid.)

Dublin actively engaged in trade with Chester, which was another Norse settlement located in Northern Wales near the border. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 134) Many of the activities of Dublin were largely influenced by the Danelaw. (ibid.)

Vikings began to overwinter in Dublin for the very first time in the late 840's. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 129). The Vikings formed defended ship harbors called longphorts. (ibid.) During the nineteenth century, the construction of a railway lead to the discovery of a large ninth century cemetery. (Roesdahl: 225) The cemetery at Kilmainham-Islandbridge contain residents from the Dublin longphort which include 80 burials and date from the second half of the ninth century. (Fitzhugh: 129-130) The burials primarily contained men with weapons, and a few of the graves even had equipment necessary for trade such as weights and balance scales. (Fitzhugh: 129) Overall, there were 40 swords and 35 spearheads. (Roesdahl: 225) To note, there were a few select graves which also contained women with oval brooches. (ibid.) It is thought that these graves might have been reserved for the military elite of the Dublin longphort. (Fitzhugh: 130) The exact location of the first Dublin longphort has not yet been located, and the only thing known is that it was definitely not located in the excavated areas in the midst of modern Dublin. (Roesdahl: 225) The most probably location would have placed it within the local vicinity of the Kilmainham-Islandbridge district near the cemetery which was located further up the Liffey River. (ibid.)

During the ninth century, there was a woman from the Hebrides known as Aud the Deep-minded who married the king of Dublin. (Jones/Pennick: 133) Eventually, she became widowed and continued to rule with her son - Thorstein the Red. It is after her son's death that she set sail for Iceland with a crew of 20 men and settled. (ibid.)

Dublin was raided in 849. (Sawyer: 85) The Danes besieged the Norwegian base at Dublin and looted both women and treasure. Jones: 207). The Norwegians retaliated and attacked the Danish fleet in 852 at Carlingford and lost. (ibid.) Only three of the Norwegians survived and the Danes were said to have rewarded St. Patrick for their victory. (ibid.)

In 853, a Norwegian named Olaf the White and a Dane named Ivar became kings of Dublin. (Roesdahl: 226) Olaf (Amlaibh) was said to have been the son of the king of Norway (Lochlann). (Jones: 207) The Irish recognized Olaf for who he was and even paid him the wergeld for the death of Turgeis. (ibid.) Olaf settled in Dublin, but returned to Norway for unknown reason and left his brother Ivar to rule in his place. (ibid.) From his deathbed, Ivar was originally recorded in the Annals of Ulster as being the 'King of all the Scandinavians in Ireland and Britain.'(Sawyer: 93) Olaf returned to Dublin sometime in 856 or 857, and ruled until 871 when he was again recalled to Norway and died in a battle there. (Jones: 207) At that time, Ivar succeeded his brother as the rex Nordmannorum Tatius Hiberniae et Britanniae. (Jones: 208) Then, death of Ivar in 873 created strife in Dublin and opened the way for invasion. (Roesdahl: 226) Halfdan attacked Dublin in 877, but it was a failed attempt and he died at Strangford Lough. (Jones: 208)

Alt Clut, otherwise known as Dumbarton Castle, was sacked in 870 and produced many slaves of Briton and Pictish stock which arrived in Dublin in 871. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 14) Slaves were an integral asset to building and maintaining Dublin. (ibid.)

In 902, the Dublin longphort was destroyed by the Irish. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 129) King Cearbhall of Leinster, an ally of Ivar, was able to seize Dublin back from the Irish onslaught, but died shortly thereafter. (Jones: 208) Many survivors of the Irish attack on Dublin are thought to have migrated to Northwest England and later returned in 915 to re-found Dublin. (Fitzhugh: 134)

By 914, Viking fleets were reported to have been seen on the Irish coast. (Sawyer: 92) Men claiming to be the descendants of the Dublin king Ivar came to reclaim Dublin and continue his dynasty, which they successfully did. (Sawyer: 93) Sigtrygg Gale, from the progeny of Ragnar and thus a descendant of Ivar, recovered Dublin and killed the Irish high king Njall and became the king of the Liffey Norsemen. (Jones: 235) However, Sigtrygg also held claim to Northumbria because of his relationship to Ragnar. (ibid.) The descendants of Ivar spent much of their time attempting to gain control of York, but the successes never lasted for any considerable length of time and by 945 they ceased their pursuit. (Sawyer: 93) Some of the more prominent kings which were able to capture York included: Olaf Godfreddson, Rognvald, and Olaf Cuaran. (Roesdahl: 227)

Sigtrygg was married to the sister of Athelstan in order to maintain an alliance with Northumbria. (Jones: 236) A year after their marriage, Sigtrygg Gale died and his son Olaf inherited his position. (ibid.) Olaf was the son of Sigtrygg by a previous marriage, but the Northumbrians accepted him, and his uncle Guthfrith served as regent. (ibid.) Athelstan was able to drive both of them out of Northumbria: Guthfrith fled to Scotland, and Olaf back to Ireland. (ibid.) By 934, Guthfrith died, but his son was able to mobilize the naval forces of Dublin to regain York in the Battle of Brunaburh. (Jones: 237) Athelstan and Edmund stood with the forces of Wessex and Mercia against Olaf of Ireland and Constantine of Scotland. The Egils Saga includes Egenius of Wales with the forces of Ireland Scotland, but the Welsh actually took no part in the battle. (ibid.) Finally, the Northern and Western armies broke and in the end many lay dead on the battlefield, including: Constantine's son, five young kings, seven of Olaf's jarls, and numerous Scots and Vikings. (Jones: 228)

Athelstan died in 939, and with his death Olaf, son of Sygtrygg Gale, returned to York with a host of Irish Norsemen and was successfully reading the Midlands by the following year. (ibid.) However, by 954, York was firmly under English sovereignty and the Dublin kings were halted in their pursuit. (Roesdahl: 227)

This second Dublin settlement was located near the tributary conjunction of the River Liffey on a hillside adjacent to the southern bank. (Roesdahl: 229) The Dublin settlement contained many wooden buildings which included fenced plots of land which faced outward into the streets. (Fitzhugh/Ward: 135) These buildings included a central hearth and benches within their structure. (ibid.) The land which comprises the settlement was divided into plots, the plots were enclosed with wattle fences, and the whole settlement was encircled by an earthen rampart. (Roesdahl: 230) As time progressed, the town and its fortifications began to extend further north toward the Liffey. (ibid.) The construction of the buildings were Irish in nature and were of wattle with a rectangular floor plan with rounded corners. (ibid.) Each building contained internal roof-bearing posts, a divided interior floor plan, a central hearth, a door in each gable, and two low narrow benches on each side of the hearth. (Roesdahl: 231) The very largest building was 8.5 meters long by 4.75 meters wide. (Roesdael: 230) Some houses were used for living and others served as workshops. (ibid.) The workshop buildings manufactured such crafts as: amber working, leatherworking, smithing, and the creation of ringed pins. (Fitzhugh: 135) Interestingly, no stables or byres were ever found within the Dublin settlement, and animals bones indicated that meat was procured from outside of the town itself. (Roesdahl: 230)

In the 930's, the Vikings recaptured Dublin, and Ota the wife of Turgeis was reputed to have taken the Christian altar at Clonmaise and proclaimed her prophecies upon it. (Jones/Pennick: 141)

The Battle of Tara took place in 980 during the reign of Olaf Sigtryggson, also written as Olaf Cuaran, who was the reigning king of Dublin. (Roesdahl: 227) Olaf was defeated by the Irish king of Meath, Mael Sechaneill II, and forced to pay tribute to the Irish. (ibid.)

The Cogadh Gaedhel re Gallaubh, or War of the Irish With the Foreigners, was written during the twelfth century on behalf of the O'Brien kings of Ireland as a form of dynastic propaganda. (Sawyer: 21) It included as annual account of Viking assaults which occurred during the ninth and tenth centuries, and culminated in a saga about two Munster kings, Mathgamain and Brian Boru, and the Battle of Clontarf outside of Dublin in 1014. (ibid.) This battle was fought for the unity of Ireland and as a stand against the Norsemen, but yet it was actually fought with Norsemen on both sides of the battle. (Hayes-McCoy: 12) Another account of the battle occurs in the tenth century Saga of Njal. (Sawyer: 22)

The two key players in the Battle of Clontarf were the Leinstermen and their recruited Norse allies from the British Isles which fought against Brain Boru and his men. (Sawyer: 12) The Battle took place between the Liffey and the Tolka within a couple of miles of Dublin Bay. (Jones: 897) A breakdown of the two sides of the battle are as follows:

Although the Battle of Clontarf took place just outside of Dublin, Sigtrygg Silkenbeard, the king of Dublin, did not take part in the Battle. (Roesdahl: 228) However, there were still Vikings which participated on both sides of the war. (Roesdhl: 227)

To make things more interesting, Gormflaith (Kormlod), complete with the dowry of the kingdom of Dublin, was promised to both Sigurd and Brodir as the victory prize. (ibid.) According to the Norse, Gormflaith was 'fairest of women' but also 'did all things ill over which she had any power.' (Hayes-McCoy: 13) In the Saga of Njal, it is Gormflaith who instigates the battle between Brian and the Leinstermen, as she holds close relationships to the key players of this battle. (Hayes-McCoy: 14)

Brian Boru was an old man at the time of the Battle of Clontarf, and a leader of the Dal Chas which was located at the mouth of the Shannon River. (Hayes-McCoy: 13) Brian had successfully defeated the Vikings in Limerick and obtained the kingship of Munster, and sought to overthrow the Dublin Norse who ruled over a quite extensive area of land from the Boyne to Arklow. (ibid.)

In the end, Brian Boru was reputedly killed in his tent at the moment of his victory by Norsemen fleeing the battle scene. (Sawyer: 21) Brodar had emerged from the woods and saw that there were only a few men by the shieldberg where Brian was, and so he broke through and 'hewed at the king.' (Hayes-McCoy: 20) However, Munster supremacy over Ireland was later re-established by the actions of Brian's grandson, Turlough. (Sawyer: 21) But, Diarmuid of Leinster was able seize Dublin in 1052. (Jones: 387)

Dublin remained fairly independent until the twelfth century Norman invasion. (Sawyer: 99) Then in 1170, Dublin was overcome during an English conquest. (Roesdahl: 228). Until that invasion, the Scandinavian language was in common use as opposed to Irish. (Roesdahl: 229) Strangely, the name Dublin is actually from the Irish words dubh and linne, and literally means black pool - in reference to the estuary of the River Liffey. (ibid.)

Resources

Fitzhugh, William. W. and Ward, Elisabeth I., eds. Vikings: The North Atlantic Saga. (WA: Smithsonian Institute Press, 2000.)

Hayes-McCoy, G. H. Irish Battles: A Military History of Ireland. (NY: Barnes and Noble, 1969.)

Jones, Gwyn. A History of the Vikings. 2nd ed. (NY: Oxford University Press, 1984.)

Jones, Prudence, and Pennick, Nigel. A History of Pagan Europe. (NY: Routledge: 1995.)

Roesdahl, Else. Margeson, Susan M. and Williams, Kirsten, trans. The Vikings. (Great Britain: Penguin Books, 1991.)

Sawyer, P. H. Kings and Vikings: Scandinavia and Europe AD 700-1100. (NY: Routledge, 1987.)