King of Munster

The King of Munster was the title given to the ruler of the Irish kingdom of Munster.

In the late 10th and early 11th centuries, Brian Boru was the King of Munster. His greatest rival was Sitric Silkbeard, King of Dublin, who was a Norseman. Brian, however, was Irish-born and attempted to use this fact for political advantage and to take the throne of Dublin for himself. He succeeded in undermining Sitric's power with the first Leinster Revolt in 1000. In 1006, Sitric lamented that he had become little more than a lapdog to Brian. Although Brian failed to use the Book of Kells to defeat Sitric, his position was further destabilised by a second revolt in Leinster and the Battle of Clontarf in 1014. (AUDIO: The Book of Kells)

By the 17th century, Ireland had been unified and its king was Charles I, who also ruled as the monarch of England and Scotland. (PROSE: The Roundheads)