Wars of the Irish Kings: A Thousand Years of Struggle, from the Age of Myth through the Reign of Queen Elizabeth IThe riveting true story of how Ireland came to be, told through eyewitness accounts from a thousand years of struggle “A fascinating mixture of mythology and actual historical events. . . . Lovers of Irish and medieval literature will relish this book.”—Booklist For the first thousand years of its history, Ireland was shaped by its wars. Beginning with the legends of ancient battles and warriors, Wars of the Irish Kings moves through a time when history and storytelling were equally prized, into the age when history was as much propaganda as fact. This remarkable book tells of tribal battles, foreign invasions, Viking raids, family feuds, wars between rival Irish kingdoms, and wars of rebellion against the English. While the battles formed the legends of the land, it was the people fighting the battles—Cuchulain, Finn MacCool, Brian Boru, Robert the Bruce, Elizabeth I, and Hugh O’Donnell—who shaped the destiny and identity of the Irish nation. Brought together for the first time in one volume, Wars of the Irish Kings is a surprisingly immediate and stunning portrait of an all-but-forgotten time that forged the Ireland of today. |
Contents
The Frenzy of Sweeney | 55 |
KINGS AND BATTLES | 65 |
THE VIKINGS | 79 |
Introduction | 85 |
BRIAN BORU AND THE BATTLE OF CLONTARF | 103 |
JOHN DE COURCY AND THE CONQUEST | 181 |
Introduction | 195 |
Ireland During the Bruce Invasion | 213 |
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Common terms and phrases
Armagh arms army arrived attack barons battalion battle brave Bres Brian Boru Brodir Bruce called camp Captaine Castle Cellachan champion chiefs Clare command Connacht Cormac Cuchulain Dagda Dál Cais Dermat Domhnall Don Jean Donnchadh Dublin Earl Richard earl Sigurd Elatha enemy English Erinn Fatha fell Fena Ficna fierce fight Finn Fir Bolg FitzStephen fleet Flosi Fomoire Fomorian foot force ford foreigners fought Gerald of Wales hand head heard heroes high king horse horsemen host hundred Ireland Irish kings island killed Kinsale land Leinster Lochlann Lochlannachs Lord Deputy Lord Justice Midac Munster Murchadh night noble Norris O'Donnell O'Neill Palace plundered provinces of Ireland Quicken Trees Scots sent ships shot side Sigtrygg Sir Edward Sir John Sitric slain slaughter soldiers Spaniards spear Suibne sword thee Thomond thou thousand took Towne trenches troops Tyrone Ulster valiant valour Viking warriors Waterford Wexford wounded