Muircheartach Ua Briain

Muircheartach Ua Briain (stariji ispis: Muirchertach Ua Briain) (o. 1050 – o. 10. marta 1119), bio je kralj Munstera i samoproglašeni veliki kralj Irske.

Politička podjela Irske slična onoj u Muircheartachovo doba

Bio je sin Toirdelbach Ua Briaina i praunuk znamenitog vladara Briana Borume. Na prijestolje Munstera je došao nakon očeve smrti 1086. Odmah je protjerao dva brata kako bi otklonio eventualne suparnike. 1089. se proglasio kraljem Leinstera, a potom sklopio savez sa nordijskim Kraljevstvom Dublin. Njegovu dugu vladavinu je obilježila i ambiciozna diplomatska aktivnost izvan irskih granica. Prihvatio je poziv pobunjenih anglo-normanskih feudalaca Arnulfa od Montgomeryja i Geralda de Windsora da im ljudstvom pomogne protiv engleskog kralja Henryja I; kada je ustanak propao, pružio im je utočište, mada ih je poslije morao protjerati kada su pokušali ustanak protiv njega samog. Godine 1101. se osjetio dovoljno snažnim da sebe proglasi velikim kraljem. Također je nastojao stvoriti čvrst savez sa ratobornim norveškim kraljem Magnusom Bosonogim; godine 1102. je nakon Magnusovog dolaska u Irsku dao ruku svoje kćeri Blathmin Ní Briain za Magnusovog sina Sigurda. Magnusova pogibija u sukobu sa Ulaidima 1103. je međutim okončala i brak i taj savez. Taj diplomatski neuspjeh je bitno oslabio Muircheartachov autoritet među Ircima, a još više bolest zbog koje je, prema navodima, kroničara 1114. postao "živi skelet". To je iskoristio njegov prognani brat Diarmait da ga svrgne, ali je već sljedeće godine Muircvheartach ozdravio i povratio prijestolje. Iako nije uspio u planovima da od Irske učini jedinstvenu političku cjelinu po uzoru na kontinentalne monarhije, Muircheartach je među kasnijim generacijama zbog svojih ambicija pozitivno prikazivan kao irski patriot.

Literatura

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• Muirchertach Ua Briain, Politics and Naval Activity in the Irish Sea, 1075 to 119, Anthony Candon, in Keimelia:Studies in Medieval Archaeology and History in memory of Tom Delaney, pp. 397–415. ed Gearoid Mac Nicoill, Galway, 1979
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