Domnall mac Taidc facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Domnall mac Taidc
King of the Isles; King of Thomond
Domnall's name as it appears on folio 33v of British Library Cotton Julius A VII (the Chronicle of Mann): "Dompnaldum filium Tadc".
Died	1115
House	Meic Taidc (Uí Briain)
Father	Tadc mac Toirdelbaig
Mother	Mór ingen Echmarcacha

Domnall mac Taidc (died 1115) was an important ruler in early 12th-century Ireland and the Kingdom of the Isles. He was a member of the powerful Uí Briain family, a major group of kings in Ireland. Domnall ruled over the Kingdom of the Isles (which included the Isle of Man and many islands off Scotland), the Kingdom of Thomond in Ireland, and possibly even the Kingdom of Dublin. His family connections gave him a strong claim to these lands.

Domnall mac Taidc: A King's Story

Who Was Domnall mac Taidc?

Locations relating to Domnall's life and times.

Domnall was the son of Tadc, who was the son of Toirdelbach Ua Briain, King of Munster. This made Domnall part of a special branch of the Uí Briain family called the Meic Taidc. His mother was Mór, whose father, Echmarcach mac Ragnaill, King of Dublin and the Isles, had also been a king. This important family link gave Domnall a claim to rule the Isles.

Ruling the Isles and Dublin

In 1094, Domnall's uncle, Muirchertach Ua Briain, High King of Ireland, took control of Dublin from another king, Gofraid Crobán, King of Dublin and the Isles. It's possible that Muirchertach then put Domnall in charge of Dublin.

After Gofraid died in 1095, Muirchertach made Domnall the King of the Isles. However, Domnall's time as king there was short. He was forced out of the Isles before the King of Norway took over.

Challenges in the Isles

After Gofraid Crobán died, his son, Lagmann, became king of the Isles. But Lagmann faced challenges from his younger brothers. Some important people in the Isles asked Muirchertach Ua Briain for help. They wanted him to send a ruler from his own family to govern the kingdom until Lagmann's younger brother, Amlaíb mac Gofraid, was old enough to rule.

Muirchertach was a very powerful king in Ireland. He decided to send Domnall to rule the Isles. Domnall had strong family ties to the Isles through his mother's side. This made him a good choice to extend the Uí Briain family's power there.

In 1096, Domnall's brother, Amlaíb, died on the Isle of Man. This suggests that Domnall and his family faced strong opposition while trying to control the Isles. Records say Domnall's rule was difficult, and the people of the Isles eventually rebelled against him, forcing him back to Ireland.

Nineteenth-century depiction of Magnús Óláfsson's forces in Ireland.

Around 1097, Magnús Óláfsson, King of Norway, sent a leader named Ingimundr to take control of the Isles. Ingimundr tried to become king but was killed. This shows how unstable the region was.

Soon after, King Magnús himself arrived in the Isles. He captured Lagmann and conquered the kingdom. Magnús then went back to Norway but returned a few years later. He might have taken control of Dublin and even made an alliance with Muirchertach. This alliance was sealed when Magnús's son, Sigurðr, married Muirchertach's daughter, Bjaðmunjo.

However, Magnús was killed in 1103. His son Sigurðr immediately left his bride and returned to Norway. This left a power gap in the Isles that Muirchertach couldn't fully fill.

Domnall's Return and Final Years

Excerpt from folio 33r of Oxford Bodleian Library Rawlinson B 503 (the Annals of Inisfallen) concerning Domnall's invasion of the Isles in 1111.

In 1111, Domnall mac Taidc returned and took control of the kingship of the Isles by force. This was a significant event, showing his determination to regain power. It's not clear if his uncle Muirchertach supported this move. Some records suggest Muirchertach had even imprisoned Domnall a few years earlier, so Domnall might have acted on his own.

Domnall launched his campaign from northern Ireland. At the same time, Muirchertach occupied Dublin, possibly to stop Domnall from getting support from the people there. It's likely that Domnall was helped by Domnall Mac Lochlainn, King of Cenél nEógain, a powerful northern king who was Muirchertach's main rival.

The End of His Reign

Excerpt from folio 34r of Oxford Bodleian Library Rawlinson B 503 concerning Domnall's death at the hands of the Connachta in 1115.

Not long after his return to the Isles, perhaps in 1113 or 1114, Domnall either lost control or chose to go back to Ireland. He might have wanted to take advantage of his uncle Muirchertach's serious illness. Around this time, Amlaíb mac Gofraid began his long reign in the Isles.

Domnall died in 1115, before his uncle Muirchertach. He was killed by Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht. Earlier that year, Toirdelbach had invaded Thomond and made Domnall the King of Thomond. However, Domnall later turned against Toirdelbach, who then invaded Thomond again and had Domnall killed.

Images for kids

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  Excerpt from folio 458v of Royal Irish Academy C iii 3 (the Annals of the Four Masters) concerning the death of Domnall's brother, Amlaíb, in 1096.

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  Domnall's name as it appears on folio 48r of Oxford Bodleian Library Rawlinson B 489 (the Annals of Ulster).