MACMURROUGH, ART (C. 1357–1416/1417),
MACMURROUGH, ART
(C. 1357–1416/1417),
son of Art MacMurrough (Mac Murchada) the elder
(d. 1362), king of Leinster, and a daughter of Philip
O’Byrne (Ua Broin) (viv. 1334). Art’s father died a
hostage at Trim Castle, County Meath in 1362, where-
upon the kingship reverted to a collateral branch of the
family, but it was recovered by Art’s uncle Donnchad
in 1369. When he was killed in 1375, the rival line
retook the kingship in the person of another Art
MacMurrough (d. 1414), son of Diarmait Láimhdhearg,
who was recognized as king by the English in 1377.
Art, though, did not recognize his rival’s position and
proclaimed himself king of Leinster in 1377. Through-
out 1377, Art raided the counties of Wexford, Carlow,
Kilkenny, and Kildare demanding an annual fee of 80
marks. Upon his coming to peace in January 1378, the
English administration met Art’s demands in full, as
well as giving him £40 in compensation for the killing
of Donnchadh.
Besides being a great soldier, Art was an astute
politician, fostering links with other Irish dynasties.
One of his preferred methods was the traditional ploy
of marriage—giving kinswomen in marriage to Irish
leaders, creating alliances stretching from Leinster to
the Shannon. In north Munster and the midlands, he
focused his charms upon the O’Connor Falys of Offaly,
O’Dempseys of Clanmaliere, O’Dunnes of Iregan,
O’Mores of Laois, O’Carrolls of Ely, the MacGillap-
atricks of North Ossory, and the O’Briens of Arra to
the horror of the Butler earls of Ormond, while he
developed relations with the O’Byrnes and the
O’Tooles of East Leinster. By 1384 Art’s importance
among the wider Irish aristocracy was also evident, as
he formed an alliance with Brian Sreamach O’Brien
of Thomond. Behind Art’s diplomatic front lay a deter-
mination to support his allies. In 1386/1387, the
English of Ossory pressed the MacGillapatricks of
North Ossory—leading Art to intervene and rout the
settlers utterly. An incident from 1386–1388 also
shows how active Art was among the midland Irish
during this period, as the bishop of Meath earned
£214 13s. 6d. for campaigning against Art and Tadhg
O’Carroll.
Yet it would be a mistake to see Art as an outright
enemy of the English of Ireland, for both Irish and
English lived under his kingship. In 1384 he was com-
pensated for an attack upon his tenants during a parley,
while he and Gerald O’Byrne earned £48 14s. circa
1386 for fighting the Leinster Irish. His power over
Carlow was further demonstrated in 1389, when he
received 10 marks from the English for the killing of
some followers. Art’s close relationship with the
English of East Leinster was dramatically illustrated
in 1390. He had married Elizabeth de Veel, heiress to
the Kildare barony of Norragh. However, the Statutes
of Kilkenny of 1366 prohibited mixed-race marriages,
meaning that Elizabeth’s lands were forfeit and were
granted to John Drayton in 1390. In 1391 Art peti-
tioned unsuccessfully to have this decision reversed.
In retaliation, Carlow was destroyed by Art in
1391/1392, leading a host that included O’Ryans,
O’Nolans, and O’Carrolls. During 1392, Art and the
O’Byrnes, O’Tooles, and O’Mores pillaged the coun-
ties of Carlow and Kildare as far as Naas, while the
townsfolk of Castledermot paid him 84 marks to go
away. Shortly afterward Norragh’s revenues were
restored to Elizabeth.
In October 1394, Richard II of England landed at
Waterford in an expedition intended to arrest the col-
ony’s decline and to force Art’s submission. In
response, Art plundered New Ross, but Richard proved
too powerful, forcing him to submit by October 30.
As a result of the charges of James Butler, third earl
of Ormond, Art was briefly imprisoned, but was
released for other hostages. Near Tullow in January
1395, Art and Gerald O’Byrne promised to evacuate
Leinster and become royal mercenaries and conquer
fresh territories. At a later meeting near Carlow, both
men pledged to forfeit 20,000 marks each if these
promises were broken. In return Richard restored
Norragh to Elizabeth, allowing Art to encourage the
Leinstermen’s acceptance of the agreement. Richard,
elated by his success, brought Art to Dublin and
knighting him there in March.
After Richard’s departure for England in May, the
agreement slowly crumbled. Some of the Irish were not
serious about leaving their ancestral lands, while
Ormond provoked conflict with them. Also, some
English attempted to kidnap Art in Dublin, although
he escaped. The Leinster nobility remained at peace
until the rising of the O’Tooles during the summer of
1396 and that of the O’Byrnes in early 1397. Much of
the Irish anger was directed at Ormond whose ambi-
tions were supported by Richard’s heir, the Lord
Lieutenant Roger Mortimer. For much of 1398, though
Art remained outwardly loyal, he approved of the
attacks upon the English. The struggle culminated
when the O’Byrnes and the O’Tooles, along with a
contingent of Art’s troops, killed Mortimer at Kellistown,
County Carlow in July 1398. The killing of Mortimer
brought Art and the Dublin government into direct
conflict, leading him to attack the English of Leinster
and Meath.
On hearing of Mortimer’s death, Richard brought a
second expedition to Ireland—revoking the agreement
with Art and granting Norragh to the duke of Surrey
in May 1399. The English king landed at Waterford
on June 1, but he could not corner Art, pursuing him
into the Leinster mountains. Richard’s decision was a