Ragnall mac Torcaill

Ragnall mac Torcaill
Died 1146
Dynasty Meic Torcaill
Father Torcall

Ragnall mac Torcaill (died 1146), also known as Ragnall mac Turcaill, was a mid-twelfth-century Norse-Gaelic magnate who may well have been a King of Dublin. He was a member of the Meic Torcaill, and possibly participated in campaigning off Wales in 1144. He was slain in 1146, with some sources styling him king. He was the father of at least one son, a man who certainly reigned as king.

Background

Ragnall's father, a significant figure named Torcall, is attested by the Annals of Loch Cé in 1133.[1] Although Torcall's ancestry is uncertain,[2] later sources suggest that his family—the Meic Torcaill—were a substantial landholding kindred in the region.[3][note 1] Torcall's rise to power may have occurred by 1133, at about a time when Dublin was closely aligned with Diarmait Mac Murchada, King of Leinster (died 1171).[3] The latter lost control of the Dublin in 1141, however, when the Annals of the Four Masters reveals that this coastal town was seized and held by Conchobar Ua Briain (died 1142), overlord of Munster.[7]

Dublin

Following Ua Briain's ousting, the Annals of the Four Masters further indicates that the Dubliner's installed a certain Islesman, Ottar mac meic Ottair (died 1148), as King of Dublin in 1142.[8] Two years later, Ottar, along with an unnamed member of the Meic Torcaill (who may well have been Ragnall himself), and an unnamed son of a certain Erulb, are noted in the context of mercenary operations in Wales by Annales Cambriæ, Brenhinoedd y Saeson, and Brut y Tywysogion.[9][note 2]

Death

In 1146, several sources record the slaying of Ragnall, styling him King of Dublin.[11][note 3] If these sources are to be believed, Ragnall's reign would appear to have begun no earlier than 1144, and interrupted Ottar's reign.[12] The Annals of the Four Masters, however, curiously accord Ragnall the title mórmáer, which could indicate that he was merely a subordinate within Ottar's regime.[13][note 4] Although Ottar may well have enjoyed the cooperation of the Meic Torcaill in the early part of his reign, the Annals of Tigernach and Chronicon Scotorum reveal that they were responsible for his slaying in 1148.[16]

Descendants

Ragnall had at least one son, Ascall, who ruled as king for a brief period.[17] Another son may be a certain Ragnall mac Ragnaill, styled tigerna Gall ("lord of the foreigners"), who is recorded by the Annals of the Four Masters to have attended the great assembly convened by Ua Conchobair in 1167.[18] The name and title of this Ragnall suggest that he was either an otherwise unattested son of Ragnaill mac Torcaill, or else an annalist's mistake for Ascall himself.[19]

Notes

  1. ↑ A possible family predecessor may have been a certain Torcall mac Éola, whose slaying in Wales in 1093 is recorded by the Annals of Inisfallen.[4] A son of his may have been the Torfind mac Torcaill whose death in 1124 is recorded in both the Annals of Ulster, and the Annals of Loch Cé.[5] Torcall mac Éola may have also been related to a certain twelfth-century Manx bishop, "Hamondus filius Iole", recorded by the Chronicle of Mann.[6]
  2. ↑ This episode concerns Dublin involvement in a Welsh factional dispute. At one point, the aforesaid sources report that the Dubliners were promised 2,000 captives for their assistance, a pay-off that evidences the Norse-Gaelic kingdom's interest in the continuing twelfth-century slave trade.[9] In fact, contemporary sources reveal that a desire to extinguish the Irish Sea slave trade was one of the reasons the English used to justify their twelfth-century conquests in Ireland.[10]
  3. ↑ Sources such as the Annals of Tigernach, Chronicon Scotorum, and Mac Carthaigh's Book.[11]
  4. ↑ This title is generally translated as "great steward".[14] It is generally only found in a Scottish context, although one instance of the title in an Irish context is preserved by Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib, in the form of a description of a follower of Brian Bóru mac Cennétig, High King of Ireland (died 1014). On the other hand, this particular occurrence may be merely an anachronism.[15]

Citations

  1. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 178; Annals of Loch Cé (2008) § 1133.2; Downham (2007) p. 43 illus. 1; Annals of Loch Cé (2005) § 1133.2; Duffy (1992) p. 120 n. 135.
  2. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 165; Downham (2007) p. 39; Duffy (1992) p. 122 n. 146.
  3. 1 2 Downham (2013) p. 165; Downham (2007) p. 39.
  4. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 168 n. 59; Annals of Inisfallen (2010) § 1093.5; Annals of Inisfallen (2008) § 1093.5; Downham (2007) p. 39; Duffy (1992) p. 122 n. 146.
  5. ↑ The Annals of Ulster (2012) § 1124.1; Annals of Loch Cé (2008) § 1124.1; The Annals of Ulster (2008) § 1124.1; Annals of Loch Cé (2005) § 1124.1; Duffy (1992) p. 122 n. 146.
  6. ↑ Byrne (2008a) pp. 871–872; Duffy (1992) p. 122 n. 146; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 114–115.
  7. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters (2013a) § 1141.8; Annals of the Four Masters (2013b) § 1141.8; Downham (2013) p. 165; Byrne (2008b) p. 26; Downham (2007) p. 39.
  8. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters (2013a) § 1142.13; Annals of the Four Masters (2013b) § 1142.13; Downham (2013) pp. 165–167; Downham (2007) p. 39.
  9. 1 2 Downham (2013) pp. 159 nn. 13–14, 166 n. 46, 173; Wyatt (2009) p. 366, 366 n. 124; Downham (2007) pp. 39, 45; Wyatt (1999) p. 615; Duffy (1992) p. 122, 122 n. 148; Jones; Williams (1870) p. 676; Williams Ab Ithel (1860a) p. 42 n. 13; Williams Ab Ithel (1860b) pp. 164–165.
  10. ↑ Wyatt (2009) pp. 388–389.
  11. 1 2 Downham (2013) p. 166 n. 46; Chronicon Scotorum (2012) § 1146; Chronicon Scotorum (2010) § 1146; Mac Carthaigh's Book (2010a) § 1145-7.1; Mac Carthaigh's Book (2010b) § 1145-7.1; The Annals of Tigernach (2010) § 1146.9; Byrne (2008a) p. 871; Annals of Tigernach (2005) § 1146.9; Duffy (1992) pp. 122–123, 122 n. 149.
  12. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 166 n. 46.
  13. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters (2013a) § 1146.3; Annals of the Four Masters (2013b) § 1146.3; Byrne (2008a) p. 871; Duffy (1992) pp. 122–123, 123 n. 150.
  14. ↑ Byrne (2008a) p. 871; Duffy (1992) p. 122.
  15. ↑ Duffy (1992) pp. 122–123, 123 n. 150; Todd (1867) pp. 146–147.
  16. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 166, 166 n. 47; Chronicon Scotorum (2012) § 1148; Chronicon Scotorum (2010) § 1148; The Annals of Tigernach (2010) § 1148.3; Downham (2007) p. 39; Annals of Tigernach (2005) § 1148.3.
  17. ↑ Downham (2013) p. 178; Downham (2007) p. 43 illus. 1.
  18. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters (2013a) § 1167.10; Annals of the Four Masters (2013b) § 1167.10; Flanagan (1997) p. 64; Duffy (1992) p. 131.
  19. ↑ Duffy (1992) p. 131, 131 n. 182.

References

Primary sources
Secondary sources
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