Conkhobar Mack Tideg More

Konkhobar was the son of Tadg Mohr, who died in 810 ^[2] , and grandson of the ruler of Connacht Muirgius poppy Tommaltayg who died in 815 ^{[3] [4]} . It belonged to the septum of Sil Muiredig , one of the units of Wi Brijun Ai ^[5] . The lands of Wye Briein Ai were located on the plain of Mage Ai, located around the ancient Irish complex Kruahan ^[6] .

Historical sources are not aware of the early years of Konkhobar poppy Taydga Mora. The first mention of his name in the Irish annals dates back to 860, while he was already king of Connaught. Modern historians believe that Konkhobar inherited the throne in 848, after his relative Finsnecht poppy Tommaltayg died, shortly before his death, renounced power and took the priesthood ^{[5] [7] [8]} . The list of Connaught monarchs, preserved in the Leinster Book , erroneously gives Konkhobar twenty-seven years of rule, which should have attributed the time of his accession to the throne to a period of about 855 ^[9] .

During his reign, Conkhobar Mack Tideg More maintained friendly relations with the High King of Ireland, Maelshechnail Mack Mael Ruanaid of the Clann Holmine clan. Along with the kings of Leinster , Conkhobar was one of the few Irish rulers who unconditionally recognized the authority of Maelshechneill as the supreme king ^[10] . According to the 12th-century treatise Banshenchas (On Famous Women), the union of the two rulers was sealed by the marriage of Konkhobar to Aylba, Maelsenhayn’s daughter ^[11] . In 860, the Connaught army, along with detachments from Meade , Osraig , Leinster and Munster , participated in the campaign of the supreme king against the rebel ruler Ailech Aed Findliat . The army, led by Maelshechneill and Karball Mack Dunlinge reached Armagh . Here, near the town of Mage Dumai, the supreme king defeated the rebels when Aed and his ally, King of Nauta (North Shore) Flann Mack Coning , carried out a night attack on his camp ^[12] . Despite the victory, Maelshechneill failed to break the resistance of Aed Findliat. The end of the conflict between the two rulers was laid only by the death of Maelshechneill in 862 ^{[13] [14] [15]} .

With the new High King of Ireland, Aed Findliat Konhobar, Mack Tideg More first clashed. Because of this, the supreme king had to make a trip to Connaught in 863 in order to get the local monarch to completely subordinate his power ^[16] . Subsequently, the Connaught members reconciled with Aed Findliat.

During the reign of Konkhobar, the Maid of Taidga Mora, the Vikings continued their invasion of Connaught lands. In 867, a Norman detachment returning to Limerick sacked some of Konkhobar’s possessions, but then was ambushed and destroyed by the Connaught members ^[17] .

In 868, the Connaught members participated in the war of Aed Findliat with the king of the whole of Brega, Flann poppy Coning. The rebellious ruler, having entered into an alliance with King Leinster Dunling poppy Muiredig and Dublin Vikings , gathered a large army. However, in the bloody battle of Killinir (near modern Droeda ), despite the numerical superiority, the army of Flann and his allies suffered a crushing defeat from the troops of Aed Findliat and Konkhobar the poppy Taidg Mora. In this battle, which is reported as an important event by almost all medieval Irish annals, King Flann, ruler of Lagor (South Brega) Diarmait Mack Eterskeili , as well as many Vikings, including Carlus, son of King Anlav , were killed. According to the “ Annals of the Four Masters ”, one of Konkhobar’s subjects, Mannakhan, the head of the septa Wui Brijun Na Sinn, personally killed King Flann and delivered his severed head to his master ^{[18] [19]} .

In 873, Connacht was jointly attacked by the troops of King Munster Dunhad Mack Duib da Bairenna and King Osraig Karballa Mack Dunlinge ^[20] .

The heir to the Connacht throne, Aban mak Kinaeda, was burnt alive by Sokhlahan mak Diarmata in 867, and in 872 the annals mention the death of the falcon Connaught Mugron mak Mael Kotaida from the septile Sil Katail ^[21] . King Conkhobar poppy Tideg More himself died in 882, being already in very advanced years ^[22] . The new ruler of Connaught was his son Aed Mack Konkhobayr ^[5] .

According to medieval genealogies , Konhobar poppy Taidg More was the father of Aed, Tadg , Katal and Mael Kluhe. Of these, the first three, as well as their father, owned the Connaught throne ^[5] . The mother of Tadg is Banshenchas, who calls Aylbe, the daughter of High King Maelshechneill Mack Mael Ruanaid. The same source mentions Ailbe as the wife of the ruler Osraig Karball mack Dunlinge and the mother of Diarmait mak Kerbayl ^{[11] [23]} .

The descendants of Konkhobar, named after him Ui Konkhobayr , in the X-XII centuries were repeatedly rulers of Connaught. At a later time, this genus was known as O'Connors ^[5] .

• Byrne F. D. Kings and supreme rulers of Ireland. - SPb. : Eurasia , 2006 .-- 368 p. - ISBN 5-8071-0169-3 .
• Downham C. Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland. The Dynasty of Ívarr to AD 1014 . - Edinburg: Dunedin Academic Press, 2007 .-- 338 p. - ISBN 978-1-9037-6589-0 .