Gormflaith ingen Flann Sinna
Encyclopedia
Gormflaith ingen Flann Sinna, Queen
of Tara, c. 870-948.
, High King of Ireland
from 879 to 916. Her mother was Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing
of Brega
. Her known siblings were:
of Munster
, Leinster
and Tara.
Gormflaith was married first to King Cormac mac Cuilennáin
of Munster
, who had taken vows of celibacy as a bishop. The marriage was not said to be cosumated. MacShamhran (p. 203) writes "Difficulties relating to this marriage leave it probable that it is a fiction - created when memory of Gormlaith became assimilated to the "sovereignty goddess" who had three husbands."
, King of Leinster
. Flann afterwards married Gormflaith to Cerball, who is alleged (according to a text in the Book of Leinster
) to have abused her so much that she was forced to return to her father at least once.
, which also presents a different view of their relationship, implying that she was involved in intrigue on his behalf. She is blamed for the deaths of Cellach Carmain, who was an Ui Muirdaig dynast, and his wife Aillenn - apparently rivals of her husband. This circumstance, along with the fact that Cerball had the support of Flann Sinna at Belach Mugna, fits well with a Clan Cholmain-Ui Faelain alliance in the years prior to that battle."
Ó Cróinín (pp.219), citing the poem Cell Chorbbáin (composed shortly after 909), writes: "It states quite categorically that Gormlaith was responsible for the death of Cellach of Carmun and his wife Aillend - 'she laid them in the church ground' (dos-fuc i talmain cilli) and by these actions 'she wrought terrible deeds' (do-ringni gnimu grana). This is clearly referring to a double-murder, and equally clearly, it is implicit that Gormlaith - and, by extension, her husband Cerball? - were involved together in a conspiracy to remove the reigning king of Leinster (here named as Cellach Carmun) and presumably replace him with Cerball." Ó Cróinín goes on to compare the data in the poem with that of Cóic ríg tríchat to show that "there is something wrong with the Ui Dunlainge succession at precisely this point. ... It looks very much as though the struggle for succession ... saw several of the Ui Muiredaig line eliminated in the first half of the ninth century, and their names were simply expunged from the record:"
, who died in 919. By him she had Muirchertach mac Néill
, ancestor to the O'Neill dynasty
of the north of Ireland.
have her becoming poverty-striken after the death of Niall, reduced to wandering from place to place as a poet to survive. This literary tradition, which appears over a century after her death, may be based upon a misreading of her obit in the Annals of Ulster
, which instead indicate she died in a convent
.
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Gormflaith, d. 948. Donnchad Donn Cerball Máel Ruanaid Óengus Áed Conchobar Donnell Lígach Muirgel
=Niall Glúndub |
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Muirchertach mac Néill Donnall, King of Tara
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Domnall ua Neill Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill
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O'Neill dynasty
Ua Mael Sechlainn
Queen regnant
A queen regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right, in contrast to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reigning king. An empress regnant is a female monarch who reigns in her own right over an empire....
of Tara, c. 870-948.
Family background
Gormflaith was the daughter of Flann SinnaFlann Sinna
Flann Sinna was the son of Máel Sechnaill mac Máele Ruanaid of Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern Uí Néill. He was King of Mide from 877 onwards and is counted as a High King of Ireland...
, High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
from 879 to 916. Her mother was Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing
Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing
Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing, Queen of Tara, fl. 870.Gormlaith was a daughter of Flann mac Conaing, King of Brega. Her known siblings included Cináed mac Conaing and Flann mac Conaing , both of whom were Kings of Brega....
of Brega
Brega
Brega may refer to:*Brega , an inhabited location in Libya**Marsa Brega Airport, the airport for Brega-People:...
. Her known siblings were:
- Donnchad DonnDonnchad DonnDonnchadh Donn mac Flainn was High King of Ireland. He belonged to Clann Cholmáin, a branch of the southern Uí Néill.-Origins:...
, her full sibling. - Óengus mac Flann Sinna, died 915.
- Máel Ruanaid mac Flann Sinna, killed in 901
- Donnell mac Flann Sinna, King of Mide 919–921.
- Lígach ingen Flann Sinna, died 923.
- Conchobar mac Flann Sinna, king of Mide 916–919.
- Áed mac Flann Sinna, blinded on Donnchad Donn's orders in 919.
- Cerball mac Flann Sinna
- Muirgel ingen Flann Sinna, died 928.
Queen of Munster
Gormflaith was notable for been the successive queen consortQueen consort
A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles. Historically, queens consort do not share the king regnant's political and military powers. Most queens in history were queens consort...
of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
and Tara.
Gormflaith was married first to King Cormac mac Cuilennáin
Cormac mac Cuilennáin
Cormac mac Cuilennáin was an Irish bishop and was king of Munster from 902 until his death. He was killed fighting in Leinster, probably attempting to restore the fortunes of the kings of Munster by reimposing authority over that province.Cormac was regarded as a saintly figure after his death,...
of Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
, who had taken vows of celibacy as a bishop. The marriage was not said to be cosumated. MacShamhran (p. 203) writes "Difficulties relating to this marriage leave it probable that it is a fiction - created when memory of Gormlaith became assimilated to the "sovereignty goddess" who had three husbands."
Queen of Leinster
Cormac was killed at the battle of Bealach Mugna in 908 by an alliance of Flann Sinna of Tara and Cerball mac MuirecáinCerball mac Muirecáin
Cerball mac Muirecáin was king of Leinster. He was the son of Muirecán mac Diarmata and a member of the Uí Fáeláin, the descendants of Fáelán mac Murchado , of one of three septs of the Uí Dúnlainge of modern County Kildare in Ireland....
, King of Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
. Flann afterwards married Gormflaith to Cerball, who is alleged (according to a text in the Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
) to have abused her so much that she was forced to return to her father at least once.
Political intrigue
MacShamhran writes (p.203) "... the case for accepting as historical her marriage to Cerball is strenthened by a dindshenchas poem in the Book of LeinsterBook of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
, which also presents a different view of their relationship, implying that she was involved in intrigue on his behalf. She is blamed for the deaths of Cellach Carmain, who was an Ui Muirdaig dynast, and his wife Aillenn - apparently rivals of her husband. This circumstance, along with the fact that Cerball had the support of Flann Sinna at Belach Mugna, fits well with a Clan Cholmain-Ui Faelain alliance in the years prior to that battle."
Ó Cróinín (pp.219), citing the poem Cell Chorbbáin (composed shortly after 909), writes: "It states quite categorically that Gormlaith was responsible for the death of Cellach of Carmun and his wife Aillend - 'she laid them in the church ground' (dos-fuc i talmain cilli) and by these actions 'she wrought terrible deeds' (do-ringni gnimu grana). This is clearly referring to a double-murder, and equally clearly, it is implicit that Gormlaith - and, by extension, her husband Cerball? - were involved together in a conspiracy to remove the reigning king of Leinster (here named as Cellach Carmun) and presumably replace him with Cerball." Ó Cróinín goes on to compare the data in the poem with that of Cóic ríg tríchat to show that "there is something wrong with the Ui Dunlainge succession at precisely this point. ... It looks very much as though the struggle for succession ... saw several of the Ui Muiredaig line eliminated in the first half of the ninth century, and their names were simply expunged from the record:"
Queen of Tara
After Cerball's death in 909 Gormlaith married her stepbrother Niall GlúndubNiall Glúndub
Niall Glúndub mac Áedo was a 10th century Irish king of the Cenél nEógain and High King of Ireland. While many Irish kin groups were members of the Uí Néill, tracing their descent from Niall of the Nine Hostages , the O'Neill dynasty took their name from Niall Glúndub rather than the earlier Niall...
, who died in 919. By him she had Muirchertach mac Néill
Muirchertach mac Néill
Muirchertach mac Néill , called Muirchertach of the Leather Cloaks , King of Ailech.-Family ramifications:Muirchertach belonged to the Cenél nEógain sept of the northern Uí Néill...
, ancestor to the O'Neill dynasty
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
of the north of Ireland.
After marriage
The Annals of ClonmacnoiseAnnals of Clonmacnoise
The Annals of Clonmacnoise are an early 17th-century Early Modern English translation of a lost Irish chronicle, which covered events in Ireland from pre-history to A.D. 1408...
have her becoming poverty-striken after the death of Niall, reduced to wandering from place to place as a poet to survive. This literary tradition, which appears over a century after her death, may be based upon a misreading of her obit in the Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
, which instead indicate she died in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
.
Poems
A number of poems of later date are ascribed to Gormflaith in Middle Irish sources, including laments for Cerball and Niall, but not for Cormac.Family tree
Gormlaith ingen Flann mac Conaing = Flann Sinna =| |
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Gormflaith, d. 948. Donnchad Donn Cerball Máel Ruanaid Óengus Áed Conchobar Donnell Lígach Muirgel
=Niall Glúndub |
| |
| |
Muirchertach mac Néill Donnall, King of Tara
| |
| |
Domnall ua Neill Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill
| |
| |
O'Neill dynasty
O'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
Ua Mael Sechlainn