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 350 IRELAND ital. Crintham, one of Hugony's successors, married the daughter of a Pictish chieftain, and joined the Picts in their forays against the Ro- mans. Tacitus mentions that, about this time, an Irish prince who had heen exiled from his country solicited Agricola to invade Ireland, assuring him that a single legion would be sufficient to conquer it; but there is no trace or record of Roman occupation. Tacitus also notes the commerce existing between Ireland and Chester in England, and says that the har- bors of Ireland are better known than those of Britain. Of Crintham's successors it will suf- fice to mention Feradach, snrnamed the Just ; Tuathal (A. D. 95), who erected temples for the sacred fire of the druids, and quelled " the revolt of the plebeians," which had lasted 25 years ; Conn Keadcahagh, or Conn of the hun- dred battles, who was forced to give up half the kingdom to Modha Nuod, king of Munster, their respective shares being partitioned by a wall and ditch from Dublin to Galway, the country north being Leagh Cuin, or Conn's share, and south Leagh Modha. or Modha's share names yet remembered, although the division lasted but a year. Subsequently Conn became sole monarch. In the reign "of his grandson Cormac flourished the military broth- erhood of "the Fianna Eirionn, commanded by Finn McCooil or Fingal, and cut to pieces at the battle of Gabra, in Meath, in the succeed- ing reign. Cormac was famous in peace and war. He enlarged the educational establish- ment originated at Tara by Ollav Fola, added to the number of military academies and law schools, and renewed the statutes concerning the psalter of Tara and the registration of in- dividual histories. Nial of the nine hostages fought in Scotland, England, and France, and was killed by an arrow on the banks of the Loire. His successor Dathi, pushing his con- quests through Britain into Gaul, was killed at the foot of the Alps. He was the last pagan king of Ireland. At this period the inhabitants were Scoto-Milesians, or Scots mixed with the descendants of an Iberian hero Mileagh. From the 3d to the end of the 10th century the whole island took the name of Scotia, a term not then applied to the country now called Scot- land, tlsher and other historians mention four holy men who had preached the gospel in Ire- land before St. Patrick. A fifth was sent by Pope Celestine I., in the person of Palladius, archdeacon of the Roman church. Arriving in the reign of Laogare II., he was expelled after a few months, and died in Britain. Patrick, a native of Gaul, and a relative of St. Martin of Tours, was sent to Rome by Germanus of Auxerre, and intrusted by the pope with the mission of converting the Irish people. He arrived in Ireland about the middle of the 5th century, and died in 493, leaving the island Christian. This event gave a considerable im- pulse to civilization. The churches and mon- asteries founded by Patrick became so many schools, a zeal for learning spread among clergv and laity, and the favorite monastery of St. Patrick at Armagh became famous as a school all over Europe. For a time Ireland was so noted for the learning and piety of its ecclesi- astics that it was called insula sanctorum, isle of saints. One of the most important events which happened about this time was the foun- dation of the Dalriadan or Scoto-Milesian king- dom of Albania, the first colonization of which from Ireland took place about A. D. 238. It, had been established with the aid of the Nialls or O'Neills of the north of Ireland, and when Colnmba landed in Albania in 563 he found at the head of the colony Connal, one of his own blood relatives. Connal's successor Aidan was anointed king in lona by Columba ; and in 590 both went to Ireland, where, in the general as- sembly of Drumceat, Columba obtained a rec- ognition of the new Scottish kingdom and the abolition of the colonial tribute paid to the Irish kings. According to Bede, in the year 646 many Anglo-Saxons settled in Ireland. In 684 it was invaded by Egfrid, king of North- umberland, who ravaged many churches and monasteries. More serious predatory incur- sions by the Scandinavians took place toward the close of the 8th century. Soon the idea of a permanent foothold seized the pirates, and they occupied good maritime positions, as Dub- lin, Drogheda, Waterford, Limerick, and Wex- ford. About the year 840 a powerful fleet ar- rived under Tnrgesius (Thjorg ? ), who for near- ly seven years exercised authority over a large district, proscribed the Christians, dispersed the schools, burned the books, and issued his mandates from the high altar at Clonmacnoise. Turgesius was killed by Malachi, prince of Westmeath, and the Irish, rallying under the chief king Niall III., broke the supremacy of the Danes. Still they clung to the seaports, and by paying tribute when necessary and forming alliances with and against the Irish princes, retained occupation for more than two centuries, and were the source of great national decadence. In 1002 Brian Boru, or Boroihme, king of Munster, expelled the Danes from his own kingdom, and, seizing the national au- thority, was crowned at Tara as king of Ire- land. Ere long he expelled the Danes from the whole country. Having accomplished this result, he further effected great civil reforms, founded churches and schools, opened roads, built bridges, and fitted out a fleet. He also introduced the use of surnames, and made the marriage contract permanent. Another inva- sion by the Danes, incited by the king of Lein- ster, led to the decisive battle of Clontarf, Good Friday, April 23, 1014, in which the power of the Danes was finally broken. Brian was killed in his tent by a party of the flying enemy. His son and grandson perished on the same occasion. Malachi II., dethroned by Brian, now became king. His death in 1022 marks the decline of the Irish monarchy. The coun- try in the 12th century presented a scene of almost ceaseless disorder, the five kingdoms of