The High Kings of Ireland

he fragmentary nature of politics in ancient Ireland, wherein every village, tribal, or clan chief could call himself a king, necessitated that they establish a hierarchy, in which the authority of the Irish kings was determined by how much they ruled. Village chiefs were at the bottom, followed by clan chiefs, tribal chiefs, rulers of minor kingdoms, kings of the five provinces, and finally the High King over all Ireland.

The concept of High Kingship is not unique to Ireland, but as with everything else, the Irish put their own interpretation on it. The High Kings of ancient Ireland were figureheads; they didn't rule in the sense of being able to command the provincial kings, because among the warrior elite, the power of command was measured in the forces a king could array, and the provincial kings had larger armies than the High King. The High King ruled Tara, the nominal capital of Ireland and its single most important religious site, and the surrounding lands that were granted to him to support himself. Sometimes this included the whole of the province of Meath, and sometimes the province had its own king who followed his own counsel [1]. Regardless, even with the whole resources of a province behind him, the High King could never match the power of even Leinester, the smallest of the other four provinces, much less the combined strength of all four. The only High King who could rightly claim to be ruler of a united Ireland was Brian Boru, and even his power was based more alliances and agreements than naked force. But in the end, his power died with him, and no other High King was able to retrieve it.

So, the High King ruled by example and suggestion. He also commanded a certain amount of religious power, making him a kind of supreme pontiff. And theoretically, during times of national crisis, he could call upon resources and levies of troops from the provincial kings to protect the island. However, the provincial kings were never under any obligation to answer any such calls, nor were they obligated to follow any suggestion the High King made [2]. It wasn't until the invasion by the Anglo-Normans in the late twelfth century that European-style monarchy was introduced to Ireland.

Like other social concepts in Ireland, the High Kingship has its origins in Irish mythological history. The first rulers of Ireland were the Fomóraigh, and their High Kings ruled as overlords of the island until their defeat at the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh in 1447 B.C.E. Cíocal Gricenchos led the Fomóraigh to Ireland, but was killed by the Partholónians at the Battle of Magh Ithe. He was succeeded by Sengann and Gann, who ruled jointly, until Sengann was killed by the Nemedians at the Battle of Ros Fraechain. Gann survived him by only three years, when he was killed by the Nemedians at the Battle of Murbolg. They were succeeded by Conand and Morc, who ruled alternately — the former in summer, the latter in winter — until Conand was killed by the Nemedians when they razed his tower stronghold. Morc then ruled alone until his passing in the same year that the Tuatha Dé Danann arrived in Ireland. He was succeeded by Corb, who ruled only 60 years before he was deposed by Balor. In 1514 B.C.E., he allowed the Fir Bholg to set up their own High King, but he remained overlord of Ireland until his death at the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh. He was succeeded by Cromcruac, but he was forced to relinquish his overlordship of Ireland and ruled as king of the Fomóraigh only. He was later driven into exile when his chamberlain, Elatha, tried to unleash the Archons on Earth. At that point, Fomóraigh hegemony over Ireland was broken forever.

In the year 1514 B.C.E., the king of the Fir Bholg, Dela, convinced Balor to let him declare himself High King of Ireland, so as to better serve Fomóraigh interests. Before he could be officially confirmed, however, he died and was succeeded by his son, Sláinge Mac Dela. He only ruled for a year, however, when he died. He was then succeeded by his brother, Rudraige Mac Dela, who only ruled for two years before he, too, died. He was succeeded by two other brothers, Gann Mac Dela and Genann Mac Dela, but they both died in a plague after only four years. They were succeeded by their last brother, Sengann Mac Dela, but after only five years he was usurped and killed by Fiacha Cennfinnán Mac Starn, the grandson of Rudraige. His name meant "little white head", because he was born with white hair, and he also ruled for five years before he was usurped and killed by Rinnal Mac Genann. He was named for the fact that he was the first High King to fight with a spear instead of a sword, and he in turn ruled for six years before he was usurped and killed by Foidbgen Mac Sengann. His name meant "the Despoiler", because to prevent himself from being usurped, he tried to kill all his male relatives, but he was instead killed by Eochaid Mac Eirc, the grandson of Rinnal Mac Genann, after only four years. He put an end to the dynastic intrigue of his family, and ruled justly and wisely for ten years, before he was killed by his daughter Medb at the First Battle of Magh Tuiredh in 1477 B.C.E. For more information, see the Genealogy of the Fir Bholg High Kings.

As the only surviving child of Eochaid Mac Eirc, Medb could have claimed the High Kingship for herself, but she relinquished it instead to Eochaid Bres Mac Elatha. When he proved to be a despot, however, Medb replaced Nuada's severed arm with one of silver (hence his surname Airgetlám, "silver arm") and he led a revolt against Bres, eventually defeating him and usurping him after a seven-year rule. Bres escaped, however, and returned with a Fomóraigh army. Nuada surrendered, so he was allowed to retain the High Kingship, but Bres served as Overlord for the Fomóraigh. In the twenty-third year of his reign, however, Nuada led a second revolt against Bres. This time the Fomóraigh were defeated at the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh, but Nuada was killed by Balor. Lugh succeeded him and ruled for forty years, before he killed a son of the Daghda in a fit of jealous rage, and was himself killed by the Daghda's remaining sons. The Daghda then succeeded him as High King, and he ruled for seventy years, until he died of a wound received at the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh. He was succeeded by his grandson, Delbáeth Mac Aengus, who ruled for ten years, until killed by his son, Fiacha Mac Delbáeth. He in turn ruled for another ten years, until he was killed in battle. Afterwards, three brothers — Éthur Mac Cermait, called Mac Cuill; Téthur Mac Cermait, called Mac Cecht; and Céthur Mac Cermait, called Mac Gréine — grandsons of the Daghda, were elected to the High Kingship. They ruled alternatively, for a year each, beginning with Mac Gréine, for a total of thirty years, until they were killed at the Battle of Tailtiu in 1287 B.C.E.

For more information, read the page on the early years of Medb hErenn's life.

After the deaths of Mac Gréine, Mac Cuill, and Mac Cecht, Medb assumed the High Kingship, but she chose two Mileadh brothers, Eibhear Finn and Eremon, to rule with her. A year later, however, Eibhear Finn was dead and Medb exiled, so Eremon assumed the High Kingship for his own.

Medb had no contact with the successive High Kings of Ireland after Eremon until her return in 93 B.C.E. The then current High King, Eochaid Feidlech, made her ruler of Tara, and after that, until her "death" in 125 C.E., no man could rule as High King of Ireland without her consent, or without mating with her as part of a yearly ritual.

For more information, read the page on Medb's career as queen of Ireland.

Though Medb eventually returned from the Dreamlands, she chose not to involve herself with Irish politics, with the exception of the career of Brian Boru. Go here for a complete list of the pseudohistorical and historical High Kings of Ireland.

Back to Irish History.