Legitimisation of Sacral Kingship in Early Medieval Ireland and England, 6th to Mid-9th Centuries AD

Abstract

This thesis is a comparative analysis of sacral kingship in early medieval Ireland and England from the sixth to mid-ninth centuries that explores the nature of kingship during a period of religious conversion in two distinct cultures on the periphery of the Roman Empire. Sacral kingship is defined as an institution in which a ruler occupies a unique position in society that is both secular and religious. They are an actor through which a deity, or multiple deities, act and they are protectors of their demesnes, both natural and supernatural. However, the realities of rulership have demonstrated that kings do not become kings as a matter of course, but rather through a complex process of legitimisation. This thesis will explore three modes of legitimisation: descent from deities and legendary figures, inauguration rituals, and royal/elite burial. Through this analysis, the thesis seeks to understand the similarities and differences between sacral kingship in early medieval Ireland and England, why these methods were used and how they were effective, and to understand the agency of the kings, clergy, and the people in partaking of and reinforcing this ideology. The comparative model is used to highlight the variety of approaches used in this thesis as well as pinpoint similarities in order to create a model of broader processes of sacral kingship in early medieval Europe. Moreover, it is useful for examining why sources in one society are silent on various aspects on kingship, which allows us to gain a wider perspective on kingship in early medieval Ireland and England that would otherwise be invisible to us. In addition, it is an interdisciplinary perspective that utilises study of historical texts and archaeological analysis, which allows us to widen our scope and fill gaps in our knowledge.