Brian Ó Néill
Brian Ó Néill ( Anglicized Brian O'Neill ; † May 14, 1260 at Downpatrick ) was an Irish king who resisted the Norman invasion of Ireland in the mid- 13th century . From 1258 to 1260 he claimed the title of High King of Ireland , although he was never recognized by all Irish clans.
Life
Brian Ó Néill was the son of Niall Ruadh . Around 1241 he became king of Tyrone . At this time the Kingdom of England was continuously expanding its influence in Ireland. Many of the Irish minor kingdoms were formally subordinate to the English government set up by Prince Edward in Ulster . After the title of Earl of Ulster was not reassigned in the middle of the 13th century, the discontented Irish kings had an opportunity to regain their autonomy. The coalition, which not all Irish princes had joined, met at Belleek in 1258 and elected Brian Ó Néill as the High King. In May 1260 he led an army, which included troops from Connacht and Tyrone in particular , to Downpatrick to drive out the English settlers living there. However, the coalition army of the Irish was crushed by the English troops. Brian Ó Néill was killed in battle. His severed head was taken to London by King Henry III. cleverly.
Individual evidence
- ↑ See Robert Fitzroy Foster: The Oxford Illustrated History of Ireland, Oxford / New York 1989 (ND 2000), pp. 79f.
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Brian Ó Néill |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Brian O'Neill |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Irish King |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 12th century or 13th century |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 14, 1260 |
| Place of death | at Downpatrick |