Rí facts for kids
Rí, or sometimes ríg, is an old Gaelic word that means 'king'. People used this word in old stories and records to talk about the kings of Ireland and Scotland.
In Modern Irish, the word is still Rí. But in Scottish Gaelic, it's Rìgh. This word is similar to "Rex" in Latin, "rey" in Spanish, "roi" in French, and "raja" in Sanskrit.
Long ago, there were different levels of Rí or kings. It was like a ranking system for rulers!
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Different Kinds of Kings
In ancient Gaelic Ireland, there were three main types of Rí. Even though these ranks were important, sometimes a king with a lower rank could become just as powerful, or even more powerful, than a king with a higher rank.
Local Kings: Rí Benn
A rí benn (which means 'king of peaks') or rí tuaithe (meaning 'king of a single tribe') was usually a local ruler. They were the king of one small area called a túath. The size of these túath areas could be very different. Historians think there were about 100 to 150 of these local kings in Ireland.
It's important to know that even a higher-ranked king was also a rí benn in their own home area. Kings were connected to each other through promises of military help and by paying tribute (like taxes or gifts).
Some examples of these local kings include:
- Kings of Thira Dha Locha
- Kings of Umaill
Regional Kings: Rí Buiden
A rí buiden ('king of bands') was a more powerful regional king. They were also called rí tuath ('king of many tribes') or ruiri ('overking'). These kings ruled over several rí benn and their lands.
Even though they were still considered "petty kings" by some, they could become very important in a whole province. They were often fully independent rulers. There might have been around 20 true ruirí in Ireland at any one time.
Here are some examples of regional kings:
- Kings of Osraige
- Kings of Breifne
- Kings of Uí Maine
- Kings of Moylurg
- Kings of Iar Connacht
Provincial Kings: Rí Ruirech
A rí ruirech was a "king of over-kings." These were often kings of a whole province, and several ruiri kings would report to them. They were sometimes called the 'ultimate king of every individual'.
There were usually only three or four of these powerful kings at any one time, and never more than six. Long ago, there were said to be five main provinces in Ireland.
Examples of these powerful provincial kings include:
- Kings of Ulster
- Kings of Munster
- Kings of Mide
- Kings of Connacht
- Kings of Leinster
The High King: Ard Rí
The ard rí, or 'High King' of Ireland, was traditionally seen as the top ruler over all the Irish provinces. No one else in Ireland was supposed to be more powerful than the High King.
However, old Irish stories tell us that the High King's power changed a lot over time. Sometimes, they were just a symbol, and the lower kings were mostly independent.
Tradition says that the High King was crowned at a special stone called Lia Fáil on the Hill of Tara. If the right person stood on the stone, it was said to roar loudly with joy!
In Scotland, the Ard Rí also started with limited power. They were like a main leader who oversaw other smaller kingdoms. But over time, Scotland became more united. The High King gained more power over the regional kings. Eventually, the English started calling these regional kings "earls" instead of Rí.
- High King of Scotland
- Style of the monarchs of Scotland
Kings in Scotland
Scotland also had many rí besides the main monarch or High King. Even though these rulers are often called "lords" in English, they were still kings in their own right.
- Lord of the Isles
- Lords of Galloway
- Lords of Argyle
There were also the Kings of Moray. Later Scottish traditions called them mormaers, but in old Irish writings, they were correctly called rí. For example, the famous Macbeth of Scotland is believed to have started his career as a Ruiri (a regional king) of Moray.
Some Scottish monarchs used different versions of the term Ard Rí to show they were the High King, such as:
- Ard Ríg Toí
- Ardrí
- Aird-Rí
- Airdrígh
They also used Latin titles like:
- Scottorum Basileus (meaning 'King of the Scots')
- Rex omnium prouiciarum Pictorum (meaning 'King of All the Provinces of the Picts')
See also
