Niall Caille, High King of Ireland

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/IRELAND.htm#_Toc389126182

Kings of Ireland

Before the English conquest Ireland was divided in several different kingdoms which were subordinated to a common high king. Exactly how much power they had and how long Ireland had been ruled by high kings is disputed. The traditional list of high kings stretch as far back as 1934 BC and is obviously not true. The first confirmed historic king is Niall Noigiallach who is believed to be, next to Genghis Khan, the person with most living descendants today (according to DNA-analysis have someone from his time produced a significant number of children in Ireland). The existence of high kings is however only certain from the eight century and it was not until the next century that they had real power over the island. This unity was lost in the eleventh century when civil wars became endemic. The long period of English rule began with an intervention in another Irish civil war 1169. The pope granted the English kings the title "lord of Ireland" 1171 but complete control over Ireland was not to be achieved until after the middle age. The English kings styled themselves "king of Ireland" from 1541 until 1801 when Ireland was united with Great Britain and the separate Irish title disappeared.

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Lóegaire mac Néill

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Niall Frossach

Donnchad Midi mac Domnaill

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Niall Caille mac Áeda

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Called Niall of the River Caillen; he drowned in that river trying to save one of his men.

Niall was the son of Aodh Ordnigh, the 164th High King of Ireland. He reigned as the 166th High King of Ireland from 831 until his death in 844. Niall was known as Caille because he was drowned in the river Callan. During his reign, Niall gained numerous victories in battle against the Danes and the Norewegians but, because of the Vikings' growing strength, he was unable to prevent them from taking and fortifying Dublin and other places on the eastern, southern and southwestern coasts of Ireland. Niall married Gormfhlaith, daughter of Donagh, the son of Donal, and had five sons, the oldest of which, Aodh Finnlaith, reigned as the 168th High King of Ireland from 860 to 876.

[1] "Annals of the Four Masters," p. 449.

[2] "Irish Pedigrees," p. 374.

[3] Desmond O Neill, "The Ancient and Royal Family of O Neill," Omeath, Co. Louth, Ireland, 1995.