Editing Monarchy of Ireland (section)

==Gaelic kingdoms==
Gaelic Ireland consisted of as few as five and as many as nine Primary kingdoms (Cúicide/Cóicide 'fifths') which were often subdivided into many minor smaller kingdoms (Tuatha, 'folkdoms'). The primary kingdoms were [[Ailech]], [[Airgíalla]], [[Connacht]], [[Leinster]], [[Mide]], [[Osraige]], [[Munster]], [[Thomond]] and [[Ulster]]. Until the end of Gaelic Ireland they continued to fluctuate, expand and contract in size, as well as dissolving entirely or being amalgamated into new entities. The role of [[High King of Ireland]] was primarily titular and rarely (if ever) absolute. Gaelic Ireland was not ruled as a [[unitary state]].

[[File:Ireland900.png|thumb|Map of Ireland (900 AD)]]

The names of Connacht, Ulster, Leinster and Munster are still in use, now applied to the four modern provinces of Ireland. The following is a list of the main Irish kingdoms and their kings: 
*[[Kings of Ailech]] (5th century to 1185)
*[[Kings of Airgíalla]] (?-1590)
*[[Kings of Connacht]] (406–1474)
*[[Kings of Leinster]] (634 to 1603 or 1632 (de facto))
*[[Kings of Mide]] (8th–12th centuries)
*[[Kings of Osraige]] (to 12th century)
*[[Kings of Munster]] (4th century to 1138 or 1194 (claimant))
*[[Kings of Thomond]] (1118–1543)
*[[Kings of Ulster]] (5th–12th centuries)

===''Ard Rí co Fresabra'': High Kings with opposition===
{{main|High King of Ireland}}
[[Máire Herbert]] has noted that "Annal evidence from the late eighth century in Ireland suggests that the larger provincial kingships were already accruing power at the expense of smaller political units. Leading kings appear in public roles at church-state proclamations&nbsp;... and at royal conferences with their peers." (2000, p.&nbsp;62). Responding to the assumption of the title ''ri hErenn uile'' ("king of all Ireland") by Mael Sechlainn I in 862, she furthermore states that

{{Blockquote|the ninth-century assumption of the title of "ri Erenn" was a first step towards the definition of a national kingship and a territorially-based Irish realm. Yet change only gained ground after the stranglehold of Uí Néill power-structures was broken in the eleventh century.&nbsp;... The renaming of a kingship&nbsp;... engendered a new self-perception which shaped the future definition of a kingdom and of its subjects.|Herbert, 2000, p. 72}}

Nevertheless, the achievements of [[Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid|Máel Sechlainn I]] and his successors were purely personal, and open to destruction upon their deaths. Between 846 and 1022, and again from 1042 to 1166, kings from the leading Irish kingdoms made greater attempts to compel the rest of the island's populace to their rule, with varying degrees of success, until the inauguration of [[Ruaidri Ua Conchobair]] (Rory O'Connor) in 1166,

====High Kings of Ireland, 800–1198====

*[[Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid]], 846–860
*[[Áed Findliath]], 861–876
*[[Flann Sinna]], 877–914
*[[Niall Glúndub]], 915–917
*[[Donnchad Donn]], 918–942
*[[Congalach Cnogba]], 943–954
*[[Domnall ua Néill]], 955–978
*[[Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill]], 979–1002 and 1014–1022
*[[Brian Boru]], 1002–1014
*[[Donnchad mac Briain]], died 1064
*[[Diarmait mac Máel na mBó]], died 1072
*[[Toirdelbach Ua Briain]], died 1086
*[[Muirchertach Ua Briain]], died 1119
*[[Domnall Ua Lochlainn]], died 1121
*[[Toirdelbach Ua Conchobair]], c.1119–1156
*[[Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn]], c.1156–1166
*[[Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair]], 1166–1198

====Ruaidrí, King of Ireland====
[[File:Rory O'Connor Stone Carving.jpg|thumb|[[Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair]]]]
Upon the death of [[Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn]] in early 1166, Ruaidrí, [[King of Connacht]], proceeded to [[Dublin]] where he was inaugurated ''King of Ireland'' without opposition. He was arguably the first undisputed full king of Ireland. He was also the last Gaelic one, as the events of the Norman invasion of 1169–1171 brought about the destruction of the high-kingship, and the direct involvement of the [[Kings of England]] in Irish politics.

One of Ruaidrí's first acts as king was the subduing of [[Leinster]], which resulted in the exile of its king, [[Diarmait Mac Murchada]]. Ruaidrí then obtained terms and hostages from all the notable kings and lords. He then celebrated the ''Oenach Tailteann'', a recognised prerogative of the High Kings, and made a number of notable charitable gifts and donations. However, his ''[[caput]]'' remained in his home territory in central Connacht ([[County Galway]]). Ireland's recognised capital, [[Dublin]], was ruled by [[Ascall mac Ragnaill]], who had submitted to Ruaidri.

Only with the arrival of MacMurrough's [[Anglo-Normans|Anglo-Norman]] benefactors in May 1169 did Ruaidrí's position begin to weaken. A series of disastrous defeats and ill-judged treaties lost him much of [[Leinster]], and encouraged uprisings by rebel lords. By the time of the arrival of [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] in 1171, Ruaidrí's position as king of Ireland was increasingly untenable.

Ruaidrí at first remained aloof from engagement with King Henry, though many of the lesser kings and lords welcomed his arrival as they wished to see him curb the territorial gains made by his vassals. Through the intercession of [[Lorcán Ua Tuathail]] (Laurence O'Toole), the [[Archbishop of Dublin]], Ruaidrí and Henry came to terms with the [[Treaty of Windsor 1175|Treaty of Windsor]] in 1175. Ruaidrí agreed to recognise Henry as his lord; in return, Ruaidrí was allowed to keep all Ireland as his personal kingdom outside the petty kingdoms of [[Laigin]] (Leinster) and [[Kingdom of Mide|Mide]] as well as the city of [[Waterford]].

Henry was unwilling or unable to enforce the terms of the treaty on his barons in Ireland, who continued to gain territory in Ireland. A low point came in 1177 with a successful raid into the heart of [[Connacht]] by a party of [[Anglo-Normans]], led by one of Ruaidrí's sons, Prince Muirchertach. They were expelled, Ruaidhrí ordering the blinding of Muirchertach, but over the next six years his rule was increasingly diminished by internal dynastic conflict and external attacks. Finally, in 1183, he abdicated.

He was twice briefly returned to power in 1185 and 1189, but even within his home kingdom of Connacht he had become politically marginalized. He lived quietly on his estates, died at the [[Cong Abbey|monastery of Cong]] in 1198 and was buried at [[Clonmacnoise]]. With the possible exception of the short reign of [[Brian Ua Néill]] (Brian O'Neill) in 1258–1260, no other [[Gaelic people|Gaelic]] king was ever again recognised as king or high king of Ireland.