Kingdom of Ulaid
| Ulaid | ||||||||||
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 Map of Ireland's over-kingdoms circa 900 AD.
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| Capital | Various | |||||||||
| Languages | Irish | |||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | |||||||||
| King | ||||||||||
| • | –465 | Forga mac Dallán | ||||||||
| • | 1172–1177 | Ruaidrí Mac Duinn Sléibe | ||||||||
| History | ||||||||||
| • | Established | Before 450 | ||||||||
| • | Disestablished | 1177 | ||||||||
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Ulaid (Old Irish, pronounced [ˈuləðʲ]) or Ulaidh (modern Irish, pronounced [ˈu.liː])) was an over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages, made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, as well as in Chóicid, which in Irish means "the Fifth". The king of Ulaid was called the rí Ulad or rí in Chóicid.
Ulaid also refers to a people of early Ireland, and it is from them that the province derives its name. Some of the dynasties within the over-kingdom claimed descent from the Ulaid, whilst others are cited as being of Cruithin descent. In historical documents, the term Ulaid was used to refer to the population-group, of which the Dál Fiatach was the ruling dynasty. As such the title Rí Ulad held two meanings: over-king of Ulaid; and king of the Ulaid, as in the Dál Fiatach.
The Ulaid feature prominently in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. According to legend, the ancient territory of Ulaid spanned the whole of the modern province of Ulster, excluding County Cavan, but including County Louth. Its southern border was said to stretch from the River Drowes in the west to the River Boyne in the east. At the onset of the historic period of Irish history in the 6th century, the territory of Ulaid was largely confined to east of the River Bann, as it is said to have lost land to the Airgíalla and the Northern Uí Néill. Ulaid ceased to exist after its conquest in the late 12th century by the Anglo-Norman knight John de Courcy, and was replaced with the Earldom of Ulster.
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