accepted Harold as their king. This angered William, and he became determined to invade England and claim the throne, which he had been promised by Edward.
In October 1066, William landed with a great army in the south of England. King Harold, with his army, marched to meet him. They met in a great battle at Hastings on Saturday 15 October 1066. Harold’s army fought very bravely, but were defeated. Harold was killed at the end of the battle, one of only two English monarchs to die on the battlefield. Legend claims that he was accidentally shot through the eye by an arrow fired by one of his own men. He was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England and it was also the last time that England was conquered. William now declared himself king of England, and was crowned at Westminster on Christmas Day 1066. He fought many battles in France during his reign and was so successful at winning that he is known as William the Conqueror.
None of the Irish kings would have cared about this event, even if they had heard about it. At the time of the Battle of Hastings, they were, as usual, fighting among themselves over who should be High King to succeed Brian Boru, who had given himself the title Emperor of the Irish. Among those who wished to be High King were those from Brian’s own tribe, the O’Briens, along with the O’Neills of Ulster and the O’Connors of Connacht. But none of them emerged as a recognised High King until the O’Connors of Connacht claimed that title. The most famous member of the family was Rory O’Connor, who became the last High King of Ireland in 1166.
When Rory became High King, trouble was already brewing. This trouble was caused by the king of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough. He was an ambitious man and wanted to be High King. He was continually at war with his neighbouring kings, and his fiercest enemy was Tiernan O’Rourke, the one-eyed king of Breffni. In 1152 MacMurrough raided Breffni, stole cattle and abducted O’Rourke’s wife, whom he held prisoner for a year. MacMurrough, though, claimed that she wished to leave her husband, and he had simply helped her. Whichever story is true, O’Rourke hated MacMurrough, and wanted revenge. His chance came in 1166.
By then MacMurrough’s power had been weakened by constant fighting, and many of his supporters were dead. Aided by Rory O’Connor, O’Rourke and his allies marched against MacMurrough and defeated him in a number of battles. When his palace at Ferns in Wexford was captured, MacMurrough fled.
He sailed from Ireland to England to ask Henry II, who was then king of England, for help to regain his throne. Henry was away fighting in France and MacMurrough went there and met the king at Aquitane. Henry, like most kings, wanted more power and land, and had often considered conquering Ireland. But as his army was not large enough to fight in France and also invade Ireland, he had not done so. He didn’t have any soldiers to loan to MacMurrough, but gave him permission to seek help from the Norman knights in Wales.
MacMurrough travelled to Wales where some Norman knights agreed to fight for him, one of whom was Richard Fitzgilbert de Clare. He was an expert with the longbow, a powerful weapon at the time, and was also known by the nickname ‘Strongbow’. He had been the Earl of Pembroke, but had lost his lands when he took sides against King Henry II in one of the many disputes that arose over who should be king of England. Strongbow was anxious to regain land and power, and saw his opportunity. He was also an ambitious man who wanted to be a king in his own right. He made a bargain with Dermot that if he could marry Dermot’s eldest daughter, Aoife, and become king of Leinster on Dermot’s death, he would be willing to help.
Dermot, desperate to have revenge on his enemies and regain his kingdom, agreed to this. It was a terrible decision for Ireland and would lead to 800 years of strife in the country. Even yet the effects of that decision
In October 1066, William landed with a great army in the south of England. King Harold, with his army, marched to meet him. They met in a great battle at Hastings on Saturday 15 October 1066. Harold’s army fought very bravely, but were defeated. Harold was killed at the end of the battle, one of only two English monarchs to die on the battlefield. Legend claims that he was accidentally shot through the eye by an arrow fired by one of his own men. He was the last Anglo-Saxon king of England and it was also the last time that England was conquered. William now declared himself king of England, and was crowned at Westminster on Christmas Day 1066. He fought many battles in France during his reign and was so successful at winning that he is known as William the Conqueror.
None of the Irish kings would have cared about this event, even if they had heard about it. At the time of the Battle of Hastings, they were, as usual, fighting among themselves over who should be High King to succeed Brian Boru, who had given himself the title Emperor of the Irish. Among those who wished to be High King were those from Brian’s own tribe, the O’Briens, along with the O’Neills of Ulster and the O’Connors of Connacht. But none of them emerged as a recognised High King until the O’Connors of Connacht claimed that title. The most famous member of the family was Rory O’Connor, who became the last High King of Ireland in 1166.
When Rory became High King, trouble was already brewing. This trouble was caused by the king of Leinster, Dermot MacMurrough. He was an ambitious man and wanted to be High King. He was continually at war with his neighbouring kings, and his fiercest enemy was Tiernan O’Rourke, the one-eyed king of Breffni. In 1152 MacMurrough raided Breffni, stole cattle and abducted O’Rourke’s wife, whom he held prisoner for a year. MacMurrough, though, claimed that she wished to leave her husband, and he had simply helped her. Whichever story is true, O’Rourke hated MacMurrough, and wanted revenge. His chance came in 1166.
By then MacMurrough’s power had been weakened by constant fighting, and many of his supporters were dead. Aided by Rory O’Connor, O’Rourke and his allies marched against MacMurrough and defeated him in a number of battles. When his palace at Ferns in Wexford was captured, MacMurrough fled.
He sailed from Ireland to England to ask Henry II, who was then king of England, for help to regain his throne. Henry was away fighting in France and MacMurrough went there and met the king at Aquitane. Henry, like most kings, wanted more power and land, and had often considered conquering Ireland. But as his army was not large enough to fight in France and also invade Ireland, he had not done so. He didn’t have any soldiers to loan to MacMurrough, but gave him permission to seek help from the Norman knights in Wales.
MacMurrough travelled to Wales where some Norman knights agreed to fight for him, one of whom was Richard Fitzgilbert de Clare. He was an expert with the longbow, a powerful weapon at the time, and was also known by the nickname ‘Strongbow’. He had been the Earl of Pembroke, but had lost his lands when he took sides against King Henry II in one of the many disputes that arose over who should be king of England. Strongbow was anxious to regain land and power, and saw his opportunity. He was also an ambitious man who wanted to be a king in his own right. He made a bargain with Dermot that if he could marry Dermot’s eldest daughter, Aoife, and become king of Leinster on Dermot’s death, he would be willing to help.
Dermot, desperate to have revenge on his enemies and regain his kingdom, agreed to this. It was a terrible decision for Ireland and would lead to 800 years of strife in the country. Even yet the effects of that decision
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