The Normans

When? About a thousand years ago the Normans raided the coast of Ireland. The king of England Edward the confessor died in January 1066.There were arguments over who would be the next king. Edward had promised his brother in law, Harold. But William duke of Normandy was furious and challenged Harold to a battle. THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS. Two months later the two armies met at Hastings. After a fierce battle Harold was killed. On Christmas day William was crowned king of England, 1066.

Who? 100 hundred years later William and the Normans came to Ireland, William was very old and had to stay out of all the battles. Ruairi O Connor managed to make himself ard -ri just after his father Turlough o Connor. Ruairi was king of Connacht and tried to take over Leinster, Dermot mc Murrough was king of Leinster and was not happy and challenged ruairi to a battle. Connacht defeated Leinster.

How? Dermot had no friends in Ireland that would help him get his kingdom back. He turned to the new king of England Henry the second for help. Henry was not there but he sent a letter to Dermot. Saying to go to Wales were he would meet a lord called Richard de Clare better known as Strongbow. Strongbow made an agreement that he would help Dermot to win back his province. If Strongbow could marry Dermot’s daughter Aoife. And when Dermot’s death would come that Strongbow would become the next king of Leinster.

Dermot came back to Ireland in 1167; on the first of May 1169 the first pack of Normans came to Ireland. In 1170 strong bow came to Ireland a month later the battle started in September.  The battle went on for four days but in the end Leinster came out on top. A day after the battle strongbow and Aoife got married. In may 1171 Dermot died and strong bow became king of Leinster. The Normans had become too powerful and went back to Wales. The news going around in England was Strongbow was successful.