Gone Medieval - The Battle of Clontarf

Episode Date: August 20, 2024

On Gone Medieval we like to celebrate the best stories - and storytellers - of history, so today Dr.Eleanor Janega showcases the brilliant podcast History Daily. Host Lindsay Graham takes listeners back in time to explore a momentous event that happened ‘on this day’ in history and to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world—one day at a time. This episode is all about the events that took place in April 1014: King Brian of Ireland is killed by Vikings during the Battle of Clontarf, leading Ireland to fall into anarchy.Listen to more History Daily episodes here: www.historydaily.comGone Medieval is a History Hit podcast.Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original History Hit TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘MEDIEVAL’ https://historyhit.com/subscription Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From long-loss Viking ships and kings buried in unexpected places to tales of murder, power, faith, and the lives of ordinary people across medieval Europe and beyond. Join me, Matt Lewis, Dr. Eleanor Jarniger, and some of the world's leading historians as we bring history's most fascinating stories to life, only on history hit. With your subscription, you'll unlock hundreds of hours of exclusive documentaries

with a brand-new release every week exploring everything from the ancient world, to World War II. Just visit historyhit.com forward slash subscribe. Hello, I'm Dr. Eleanorianaga and welcome to Gone Medieval from History Hit, the podcast that delves into the greatest millennium in human history. We uncover the greatest mysteries, the gobsmacking details, and the latest groundbreaking research from the Vikings to the Normans, from kings to popes, to the Crusades.

We delve into the rebellions, plots, and murders that tell us who we really were and how we got here. Well, hello. This is Dr. Eleanor Yanaga and yes, this has gone medieval. But today we have something a little bit different for you. We like to celebrate the best stories and storytellers of history. So today we're showcasing a brilliant podcast called History Daily. Every weekday, host Lindsay Graham takes us back in time to explore a momentous event that happened on this day in history. and to tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world, one day at a time. This episode is all about the events that took place on the 14th of April 1014,

the Battle of Clontarf. It's got everything. Political intrigue, revenge, so many Vikings, and probably best of all, if you're me, a concerted effort to unite the kingdoms of Ireland. Look, I'm an Irish citizen. This stuff is never going to stop being fascinating to me. Now, don't worry, Matt will return with another gone medieval episode at the end of the week, but in the meantime, take it away, Lindsay. It's the summer of 976 CE, and in the muddy fields outside Munster, Ireland, the battle is about to begin. Brian Baru, a broad-chested, bearded Irish clan leader, strides out onto the field.

The 35-year-old's heavy armor makes every moment a strain, and his weapons only add to the weight. In one hand, Brian carries a spear, and the other a battleout. Brian is all too aware that both will be stained with blood before the day is out. He turns to face his soldiers. Rather than address his men with words, Brian simply lifts his giant axe above his head and roars like a beast. His warriors respond in kind. And moments after Brian's battle cry, the two armies charge at each other,

sliding in an explosion of metal on metal. Ireland in the 10th century is a hotbed of infighting bloodshed. Competing clans and princes vie for power, and these rivalries have been further complicated by the growing influence of outsiders, most notably Norsemen, or the Vikings who have established permanent settlements of their own in Ireland. Just a few months ago, Brian's brother was murdered on the orders of a Norse leader in Ireland, Evar of Limerick. But this killing would not have been possible without the help of Irish allies, including Malmud, the king of Munster. It is Malmoud, who who Brian desperately wants to find on the battlefield today.

And as the fighting begins, Brian forgets the weight of his armor and weapons. With each swipe of his mighty axe, Brian's enemies lose limbs, heads, and lives. And it doesn't take long for Brian to find his foe in the midst of the carnage. Brian screams again as he races toward Malmud. After months of waiting, Brian is almost blind with the desire for revenge. He draws his short sword and lunges. Namud is smaller and stature than Brian, but he is still a seasoned fighter,

and at first he skillfully parries Brian's blade. But Brian's anger is something Malmud cannot resist. With a vicious blow, Brian knocks Malmoud to the ground. He pushes his sword into the man's stomach and then twists the blade. Brian's vengeance is taken. Once the battle is over, Brian Boru uses this victory to proclaim himself the ruler of Munster. But he doesn't want to stop.

there. Brian has a mission to rid Ireland of all the Vikings, and he knows that if the country can unite around one leader, it will have a better chance of combating these foreign invaders. But it's a goal that will take years to achieve, and Brian will be an old man by the time he faces his Viking enemy at the decisive Battle of Kontarf on April 23, 1014. From Noisor and Airship, I'm Lindsay Graham, and this is History Daily. History is made every day. On this podcast, every day, we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is April 23, 1014, the Battle of Clontarf.

It's fall in the year 2002 at Cashel in Ireland, 26 years after Brian Boru killed Mayle Maude in battle. Now, in a chapel perched on a rocky hilltop, the 60-year-old Brian kneels before an altar. The stone walls of the chapel echo is a chance. Chanting priest steps up with a golden crown in his hands and places it slowly on Brian's head. Cheers erupt as Brian thinks back over the years of bloodshed that have led him to this moment. He's won many battles and lost many men. He's put down rebellions and seen off betrayals. But it's all been worth it for this, because now Brian Boru has finally claimed the title of High King of Ireland.

Once the coronation ceremony draws to a close, Brian turns to address his countrymen. He tells them that he will unite the people of Ireland under his leadership and halt the infighting that has weakened them for so long. The crowd again erupts into cheers. But as the new High King of Ireland, Brian has achieved only half of his plan. Now that he seized ultimate power in Ireland, he intends to use it to seek revenge. In Brian's younger years, Ireland had over 150 kings,

each in charge of a small territory. That made it all too easy for Viking invaders to attack the country, region by region. Some of the larger and more powerful Irish towns were able to make deals with Vikings, becoming thriving trading hubs and growing their economies. But the smaller kingdoms were not so lucky. They couldn't call on great armies to protect them or offer the invaders' bribes to ward them off. And it was in one such smaller region that Brian's thirst for revenge was born. His father was the local king. And as the youngest of 12 boys, there seemed little chance that little Brian would follow in his father's footsteps and become leader of his people. But tragedy struck Brian at a young age.

First, his father was killed in battle against the Vikings. Then his mother, and many of his brothers were slain in a Viking raid, one in which the young Brian watched from the mountainside near his village. He could do nothing to stop the assault, but the memory never left him. So as soon as he was of age, Brian picked up the sword and axe to fight alongside his last remaining brothers. But no matter how many battles he fought in, Brian swore. he would never rest until he had forced all the Vikings from his land. And now he has the chance to finally take this revenge. But not everyone in Ireland supports its new leader. Some clans back another dynasty with a claim of their own to the crown. And other houses have married into

Norse families, forming Norse Gaelic alliances that have no interest in ending the Viking influence in Ireland. So in the years after his coronation, Brian's rule comes under constant threat. everywhere he looks, it seems that some enemy is staring back. Despite these challenges, Brian is able to hold onto his crown for many years and steadily consolidates his power over the country. He succeeds in pushing the Norse out of some areas and weakens their grip elsewhere. But as he ages, Brian realizes that not all victories have to come by sword or axe. Brian has six sons and three daughters, and he marries his children into powerful families across the country.

These new marital alliances make Brian's position only stronger. And using such diplomatic tactics, Brian is even able to exert some political control over remaining Viking strongholds like the important coastal city of Dublin. But time is not on Brian's side. By the year 1013, he is 72 years old and has been on the throne for more than a decade. Sensing weakness, his enemies, both Irish and Viking, re-emerged to challenge Brian's grip on power.

This time they combine their efforts to overthrow him, and after years of fighting to rid Ireland of his enemies, Brian now faces the very thing he has spent his life trying to build a united force. And among those joining the fight against Brian are members of his own family. His brother-in-law, male Morda, and his stepson Cetric, will both take up arms against Brian and become leading members of the alliance with the Norsemen. The stage will be set for a battle that will decide the fate of King Brian and shape the history of Ireland for centuries to come.

It's April 23, 1014, at Clontarf near Dublin, two years after Mail Morda and his allies rose up against Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland. In a large, heavily guarded tent nestled in the woods, the 73-year-old Brian stirs warily from sleep. His body is frail now, and his mind is often troubled. He rises slowly to his feet. Next to his bed, on a ceremonial stand, is his old sword. Brian runs his hands over its hilt.

He can't resist picking the weapon up. And when he does, memories flood through him of the battles he's fought and the victories he's won. Even though it's been years since Brian was strong enough to wield this sword in battle, the blade is still sharp. So it's only with great sorrow that Brian puts the weapon back on its stand. He knows that his days of fighting are long since over. Now Brian must rely on others to win his battles for him. He pulls on a thick, richly embroidered robe.

It's meant to make Brian look broader, stronger, and more virile. But it hangs loosely off his narrow frame and only seems to highlight Brian's aging body. Brian sits on the side of his bed and calls for his bodyguards, telling them to summon his son and grandson to the tent. The younger men sweep inside, dressed for battle. They bow before their king. Beckoning them close, Brian whispers of the great legacy that victory today will have. Brian tells them that the coming battle is sure to be bloody, but it is, it will finally see the defeat of Viking forces in Ireland and the death of the traitors who evaded them.

The two younger men then leave the royal tent and join their army in the field. King Brian kneels to pray. Brian has marched with this army to the gates of Dublin to confront his rebellious stepson Cetrick and his brother-in-law, Mail Morda, who together rule this region from behind the city's walls. If Brian's forces can defeat them in battle today, he can quell the uprising against him once and for all. And once it begins, the fight is just as devastating as Brian predicted. The combat is chaotic and bloody. Wind and rain blow in from the Irish Sea.

Men slip and soggy ground as they grapple, stab, and slash. Both forces plow on with little ground given or taken. Brian has around 10,000 men who fight mostly with axes and spears. The 7,000 warriors facing them are predominantly Norsemen who favor daggers and shorts. Brian has the advantage in numbers, but with the coast nearby, the threat of Norse ships arriving with reinforcements is one Brian can't ignore. So he tells his men to continue their assault, hoping to break the ranks of the enemy and achieve victory before any reinforcements can reach the field. The fighting rages back and forth well into the evening, and it's only at sunset that the balance tips in Brian's favor. His advantage in numbers finally begins to make a difference, and at his tent, deep in the forest, Brian's

is told his men are close to victory, and soon the day will be theirs. But it's not all good news. Brian is also told that his grandson has been killed in the fighting. On hearing this, Brian sinks to his knees in sorrow. His steward tries to console him, telling Brian that the loss is part of a greater victory. The Vikings who sided with Mail Morda are now on the run, fleeing to their boats to cross the Irish Sea, and Mell Morda himself was soon shortly be captured. But Brian won't be consoled by his. his steward's words or by the great victory his men seem to have won. He can only think about his beloved and now dead grandson. Seeing Brian in such pain, the king's bodyguards swear revenge.

They leave the camp in the forest to join Brian's army in its route of the fleeing Vikings. A grieving Brian and his steward are left alone in the tent. It's this decision that will have devastating consequences and lead to the most pivotal moment in the Battle of Clontarf. A band of Viking soldiers will soon find the royal tent. and discover Brian Burru, the High King of Ireland, unarmed and unguarded. It's April 23rd, 1014, at Clontarf near Dublin, just moments after the High King of Ireland, Brian Baru was left unprotected by his bodyguards. Stalking through the forest near the battlefield is the Viking mercenary Broder and three of his men.

They are fresh from the fight, their faces splattered with gore and their weapons dripping with blood. When it became clear that the rebellion of male mortar has failed, and the Vikings had been defeated, Broder decided to leave the battlefield and make one desperate last attempt to end the rule of Brian Boru by finding and killing Brian himself. Broder has little clue as to where he's heading, so it's by more luck than judgment than Broder and his band stumble across Brian's tent. And when they do, they are amazed to find it unguarded.

They slip through the canvas doorway into the richly decorated royal bedchamber. Brian is on his knees, praying for the soul of his dead grandson. And when he sees the Vikings enter the tent, the steward flees for his life through a back exit. But Brian is too old to run. Seeing Broder, he rises to his feet, his old instincts kicking in. He reaches for his sword and attempts to swing at the Viking. But Brian is no match for the younger warrior. Broder easily deflects Brian's sword and using a battle axe taken from an Irish soldier,

Broder strikes Brian down with one mighty swing. There is little time for Broder and his men to revel in. in their victory, though. Almost immediately after the fatal blow, Ryan's bodyguards return. Finding their king dead and Vikings standing over his body, the enraged bodyguards fly forward with their weapons drawn. Roder and his men are outnumbered and soon each fall. With this, the battle of Clontarf is over. Male Morda is dead. But his rebellion has now succeeded in one respect. It is claimed the life of the High King of Ireland, Brian Boreau. Brian's body is taken to the city of Armagh and laid to rest. His son, Duncan, is one of the few family members to survive the battle,

and he tries to take his father's place as ruler, but he'll never be as powerful, and Ireland will fall back into its old ways of infighting and intrigue. But one major legacy of Brian's rule and the Battle of Clontarf will remain, the Vikings will never regain their former influence in Ireland. And in the centuries to come, Brian's story of resisting outside forces will become an Irish legend. During the long years of British domination over Ireland, Brian's story will grow in power and meaning. Until 1,000 years after the Battle of Clontarf,

the people of Ireland will remember their famous King Brian in a series of commemorative events. These millennium festivities will include the largest historical reenactment than Ireland has ever seen, with 500 actors bringing to life the epic tale of Brian Boru, the High King of Ireland, whose reign came to an end at the Battle of Clonstons. Tarf on April 23rd, 1014.

Next, on History Daily, April 24th, 1915, police and Constantinople sees hundreds of Armenian leaders and intellectuals beginning the Armenian genocide. From Noisor and Airship, this is History Daily, hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsay Graham, audio editing by Mohamed Shazid, sound designed by Matthew Filler, music by Thrum. This episode is written and researched by Owen Paul Nichols. edited by Joel Callan. Managing producer Emily Burke. Executive producers are William Simpson for airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser. Thanks, Lindsay. You can find more History Daily podcasts on Spotify, as well as all of our episodes of Gone Medieval. Matt is back exploring medieval mysteries later this week. Please remember to follow and subscribe to us on Spotify so you don't miss in addition.

Until then, bye.