Ireland had been divided politically into a…

Ireland had been divided politically into a shifting hierarchy of petty kingdoms and over-kingdoms by the twelfth century.

Power was exercised by the heads of a few regional dynasties vying against each other for supremacy over the whole island.

One of these men, King Diarmait Mac Murchada of Leinster had been forcibly exiled by the new High King, Ruaidri mac Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair.

Fleeing to Aquitaine, Diarmait had obtained permission from Henry II to use the Norman forces to regain his kingdom.

The first Norman knight landed in Ireland in 1167, followed by the main forces of Normans, Welsh and Flemings.

Several counties were restored to the control of Diarmait, who named his son-in-law, Richard de Clare, heir to his kingdom.

This caused consternation to King Henry II of England, who feared the establishment of a rival Norman state in Ireland.

Accordingly, he resolved to establish his authority.

With the authority of the papal bull Laudabiliter from Adrian IV, Henry landed with a large fleet at Waterford in 1171, becoming the first King of England to set foot on Irish soil.

Henry awarded his Irish territories to his younger son John with the title Dominus Hiberniae ("Lord of Ireland").

When John unexpectedly succeeded his brother as King John, the "Lordship of Ireland" fell directly under the English Crown.

Initially the Normans controlled the entire east coast, from Waterford up to eastern Ulster and penetrated far west in the country.

The counties were ruled by many smaller kings.

The first Lord of Ireland was King John, who visited Ireland in 1185 and 1210 and helped consolidate the Norman controlled areas, while at the same time ensuring that the many Irish kings swore fealty to him.

Throughout the thirteenth century the policy of the English Kings will be aimed at weakening the power of the Norman Lords in Ireland.

For example, King John had encouraged Hugh de Lacy to destabilize and then overthrow the Lord of Ulster, before creating him to the Earl of Ulster.

The Hiberno-Norman community is to suffer from a series of invasions that halt the spread of their settlement and power.

Politics and events in Gaelic Ireland serve to draw the settlers deeper into the orbit of the Irish.

The weakening of the Normans becomes manifest by 1261, when Fineen Mac Carthy defeats a Norman army at the Battle of Callann.

The war will continue between the different lords and earls for about one hundred years, causing a great deal of destruction, especially around Dublin.

In this chaotic situation, local Irish lords will win back large amounts of land that their families had lost since the conquest and are to hold them after the war is over.