Sihtric, king of Dublin

Also known as: Sigtryggr Óláfsson, Sigtryggr Silkiskegg (Sihtric Silkenbeard).

Sihtric became king of Dublin in 989 on the death of his father’s half brother. He was forced to flee the city in 994 by a rival Viking leader, but returned the next year. After being defeated in the battle of Glenn Máma in 999, Sihtric submitted to Brian Bóruma. He regained his independence after Brian was killed in the battle of Clontarf in 1014. Sihtric remained ruler of Dublin for the next two decades. He went on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1028. Sihtric was forced to abdicate in 1036 and died in 1042. (Hudson, “Sihtric (d.1042)” in the ODNB)

Events

Date of Birth: unknown.

Date of Death: 1042.

Place of Death: unknown.

Hudson (ODNB) gives this information about Sihtric’s death. It is recorded in the Annals of Tigernach (T1042.1): “Sitruic & Caillech Finnen a ingen, mortuus est.”

Relationships

Father: Óláf Sihtricson (died 981).

This relationship is given by Hudson (ODNB), by Thornton, and by Downham (p. 57). It is recorded in the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach.

Mother: Gormflaith, daughter of Murchad mac Finn (died 1030).

This relationship is given by Hudson (ODNB), by Thornton, and by Downham (p. 57). It is recorded in the Annals of Tigernach (T1030.15) and the Ban-Shenchus (Revue Celtique 48:189, 48:227). (Baldwin LaI)

Spouse: Sláine, daughter of Brian Bóruma.

This relationship is given by Hudson (ODNB). Her name is only known from The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan § 1 (“Slani hagen, mam avloed vrenhin,oed verch ẏ vrien brenhin muen, dwẏ rann o ẏwerdon.”), but the relationship is confirmed in The Wars of the Gaedhill with the Gaill (pp. 192-193, p. 257). (Baldwin LaI).

Children (by Sláine):

Óláf (died 1034) married Máelcorcre ingen Dúnlaing.

other Children:

(These children are taken from Hudson’s article in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography).

Artalach (died 999).

Óláf (died 1013).

Glúniairn (died 1031).

Guthfrith (died 1036).

Cellach (died 1042).

References

Annals of Tigernach (Donnchadh Ó Corráin, compiler). (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 1996)

The Annals of Ulster (Pádraig Bambury, Stephen Beechinor, compilers) (CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts, University College, Cork, 2000).

Baldwin, Stewart. Llywelyn ap Iorwerth ancestor table. (Hosted at Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Accessed 23 May 2014).

Dobbs, Margaret C. (ed. and trans.) “The Ban-shenchus [3 pts]”, in Revue Celtique 47:283-339 (1930), 48:163-234 (1931), 49:437-489 (1932).

Downham, Clare. Viking Kings of Britain and Ireland: The Dynasty of Ívarr to A.D. 1014 (Edinburgh: Dunedin Academic Press, 2007).

Hudson, Benjamin T. “Sihtric (d.1042)”, in The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford University Press, 2004).

Hudson, Benjamin T. Viking Pirates and Christian Princes: Dynasty, Religion, and Empire in the North Atlantic. (Oxford University Press, 2005).

Jones, Arthur (ed.) The History of Gruffydd ap Cynan. (Manchester U.P., 1910).

Thornton, David E. “The genealogy of Gruffudd ap Cynan” in Gruffudd ap Cynan (1996).

Todd, James Henthorn (ed.). The Wars of the Gaedhill with the Gaill. Rolls Series 48. (London, Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer, 1867 ).