Óttar of Dublin
Encyclopedia
Óttar of Dublin in Irish
Oitir Mac mic Oitir (Oitir the son of a son of Oitir), was a Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin. Alternative names used in modern scholarship include: Óttar of the Isles and Óttar Óttarsson.
of Scotland, known as the Sudreyjar to the Vikings. He seized control of the Kingdom of Dublin in 1142, according to Clare Downham after having been invited by the townspeople to become their king. He is described as the grandson of Óttar in the Annals of the Four Masters
and as the son of Óttar (McOtyr) in the Annals of Clonmacnoise. It is possible that both records are correct and that Óttar of Dublin was the son of a man named Óttar whose own father was also Óttar. Either his father or grandfather was the Jarl
Óttar, killed in 1098, who is recorded as controlling half of the Isle of Man
. One source unambiguously names Jarl Óttar of Man as the father of Óttar of Dublin, and also names his mother, one Svanhilda "a Danish lady." Before his takeover of Dublin he is not specifically mentioned as holding the title jarl, but his evident access to substantial military resources and the use of the title by both his forebears and descendants suggests that he was of that rank.
Óttar of Dublin belonged to what has been referred to as a 'dynasty of Óttars,' a family characterised by the repeated use of the personal name Óttar
. Over a number of centuries its members were active throughout the Irish Sea zone, often in conjunction with the Uí Ímair
, from Caithness
in the far north of Scotland to Cork
in the south of Ireland.
According to G. de P. Cotter, following his occupation of Dublin, Óttar "...burned the cathedral of Kells, and plundered that town. This most likely refers to the Church
at Kells
in County Meath
, even though this church wasn't elevated to the status of "cathedral" until after the synod of Kells. The Annals of the Four Masters
record that Kells ("Ceanannus") was burned in 1143 and three times in 1144.
Several versions of the Brut y Tywysogion
record that an Óttar based in Dublin, and described as the "son of the other Óttar," was active fighting as a mercenary in Wales
in 1144. This Óttar was either the king or, possibly, a son of the same name. The expedition to Wales was intended to support Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd
against his brother Owain
king of Gwynedd
. The force, transported by a fleet of vessels, landed at Abermenai in an attempt to force Owain to return Cadwaladr's lands. Relations with Cadwaladr apparently deteriorated and Óttar's men eventually took him hostage and demanded a ransom, the ransom being "two thousand slaves." Cadwaladr escaped from his erstwhile allies and made peace with his brother, who then forcibly induced the Dubliners to leave.
Contemporary annals suggest that Óttar was co-king with Raghnall Thorgillsson (Raghnall Mac Torcaill), until Raghnall was killed in a battle against the forces of Midhe
(Meath
) in 1145 or 1146: "A slaughter was made of the foreigners of Ath-cliath [Dublin] by the people of East Meath, where two hundred persons were slain, together with Raghnall Mac Torcaill, Mormaer of Ath-cliath, and Jufraigh, and many others of their chieftains." Raghnall was probably subordinate to Óttar. This is supported by the use of the title mormaer
to describe Raghnall in the Annals of the Four Masters, though other annals call him king (in Irish "rí
").
Óttar retained control of Dublin until 1148 when he was "treacherously killed" by the kin of Raghnall Thorgillsson. According to Downham, Óttar and the sons of Torcaill initially co-operated, "...but a succession dispute emerged which led to Óttar's death in 1148.
He is claimed as an ancestor by the Cotter family of County Cork
, Ireland, whose original name was Mac Oitir (son of Óttar), 'through Óttar's son Thorfin and grandson Therulfe.'
by Ellis Peters in the Brother Cadfael series. The book uses Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd's attempt to reclaim his lands with the help of a "Danish" fleet as the background to the plot.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
Oitir Mac mic Oitir (Oitir the son of a son of Oitir), was a Hiberno-Norse king of Dublin. Alternative names used in modern scholarship include: Óttar of the Isles and Óttar Óttarsson.
Life
Óttar was a powerful man from the Norse-Gaelic territory of the Western IslesHebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
of Scotland, known as the Sudreyjar to the Vikings. He seized control of the Kingdom of Dublin in 1142, according to Clare Downham after having been invited by the townspeople to become their king. He is described as the grandson of Óttar in the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
and as the son of Óttar (McOtyr) in the Annals of Clonmacnoise. It is possible that both records are correct and that Óttar of Dublin was the son of a man named Óttar whose own father was also Óttar. Either his father or grandfather was the Jarl
Jarl
Jarl or JARL may refer to:*Japan Amateur Radio League*Jarl, the word for Earl in Scandinavian languages**Jarl in Sweden**Jarl , in Norse Mythology, a son of the god RígPeople with the given name Jarl:...
Óttar, killed in 1098, who is recorded as controlling half of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. One source unambiguously names Jarl Óttar of Man as the father of Óttar of Dublin, and also names his mother, one Svanhilda "a Danish lady." Before his takeover of Dublin he is not specifically mentioned as holding the title jarl, but his evident access to substantial military resources and the use of the title by both his forebears and descendants suggests that he was of that rank.
Óttar of Dublin belonged to what has been referred to as a 'dynasty of Óttars,' a family characterised by the repeated use of the personal name Óttar
Óttar
Óttar or Ottar may refer to:*Ottar , a Swedish king who appears in Beowulf as Ohthere*Óttar , in Norse mythology, the protégé of Freya, and the subject of the Lay of Hyndla**The dwarf Ótr is sometimes known as Óttarr...
. Over a number of centuries its members were active throughout the Irish Sea zone, often in conjunction with the Uí Ímair
Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair , or Dynasty of Ivar, were an enormous royal and imperial Norse dynasty who ruled Northern England, the Irish Sea region and Kingdom of Dublin, and the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides, from the mid 9th century, losing control of the first in the mid 10th, but the rest...
, from Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
in the far north of Scotland to Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
in the south of Ireland.
According to G. de P. Cotter, following his occupation of Dublin, Óttar "...burned the cathedral of Kells, and plundered that town. This most likely refers to the Church
Abbey of Kells
The Abbey of Kells is a former monastery located in Kells, County Meath, Ireland, 40 miles north of Dublin. It was founded in the early ninth century, and the Book of Kells was kept there during the later medieval and early modern periods before finally leaving the Abbey in the 1650s...
at Kells
Kells, County Meath
Kells is a town in County Meath, Ireland. The town lies off the M3 motorway, from Navan and from Dublin. In recent years Kells has grown greatly with many Dublin commuters moving to the town....
in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, even though this church wasn't elevated to the status of "cathedral" until after the synod of Kells. The Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
record that Kells ("Ceanannus") was burned in 1143 and three times in 1144.
Several versions of the Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion
Brut y Tywysogion is one of the most important primary sources for Welsh history. It is an annalistic chronicle that serves as a continuation of Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. Brut y Tywysogion has survived as several Welsh translations of an original Latin version, which has...
record that an Óttar based in Dublin, and described as the "son of the other Óttar," was active fighting as a mercenary in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1144. This Óttar was either the king or, possibly, a son of the same name. The expedition to Wales was intended to support Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd
Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd
Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd was the third son of Gruffydd ap Cynan, King of Gwynedd, Wales and younger brother of Owain Gwynedd.-Appearance in history:...
against his brother Owain
Owain Gwynedd
Owain Gwynedd ap Gruffydd , in English also known as Owen the Great, was King of Gwynedd from 1137 until his death in 1170. He is occasionally referred to as "Owain I of Gwynedd"; and as "Owain I of Wales" on account of his claim to be King of Wales. He is considered to be the most successful of...
king of Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
. The force, transported by a fleet of vessels, landed at Abermenai in an attempt to force Owain to return Cadwaladr's lands. Relations with Cadwaladr apparently deteriorated and Óttar's men eventually took him hostage and demanded a ransom, the ransom being "two thousand slaves." Cadwaladr escaped from his erstwhile allies and made peace with his brother, who then forcibly induced the Dubliners to leave.
Contemporary annals suggest that Óttar was co-king with Raghnall Thorgillsson (Raghnall Mac Torcaill), until Raghnall was killed in a battle against the forces of Midhe
Kingdom of Mide
Mide , spelt Midhe in modern Irish and anglicised as Meath, was a medieval kingdom in Ireland for over 1,000 years. Its name means "middle", denoting the fact that lay in the middle of Ireland....
(Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
) in 1145 or 1146: "A slaughter was made of the foreigners of Ath-cliath [Dublin] by the people of East Meath, where two hundred persons were slain, together with Raghnall Mac Torcaill, Mormaer of Ath-cliath, and Jufraigh, and many others of their chieftains." Raghnall was probably subordinate to Óttar. This is supported by the use of the title mormaer
Mormaer
The title of Mormaer designates a regional or provincial ruler in the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. In theory, although not always in practice, a Mormaer was second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a toisech.-Origin:...
to describe Raghnall in the Annals of the Four Masters, though other annals call him king (in Irish "rí
Rí
Rí, or very commonly ríg , is an ancient Gaelic word meaning "King". It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings and those of similar rank. While the modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottish it is Rìgh, apparently derived from the genitive. The word...
").
Óttar retained control of Dublin until 1148 when he was "treacherously killed" by the kin of Raghnall Thorgillsson. According to Downham, Óttar and the sons of Torcaill initially co-operated, "...but a succession dispute emerged which led to Óttar's death in 1148.
Posterity
He was married to Helga daughter of Tolokunger, a Danish commander, and was the father of Thorfinus filius Oter, who was described as the most powerful jarl (princeps) in the Western Isles.He is claimed as an ancestor by the Cotter family of County Cork
County Cork
County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland, whose original name was Mac Oitir (son of Óttar), 'through Óttar's son Thorfin and grandson Therulfe.'
Fiction
Óttar, the Irish spelling Otir is used, appears as a character in The Summer of the DanesThe Summer of the Danes
The Summer of the Danes is a medieval mystery novel by Ellis Peters. It is the eighteenth in the Brother Cadfael series, and was first published in 1991.-Plot summary:...
by Ellis Peters in the Brother Cadfael series. The book uses Cadwaladr ap Gruffydd's attempt to reclaim his lands with the help of a "Danish" fleet as the background to the plot.