Above: Century of Turmoil

King John was succeeded, in 1216, by his son Henry III, who was then a boy of nine years old. The century that elapsed from the death of John to the invasion of Edward Bruce was a period of strife and bloodshed, a period of woe and misery for the common people. There was as usual no strong central government, and the whole nation was abandoned to anarchy.

William Marshal, earl of Pembroke, married Isabel, the only child of Strongbow and Eva, through whom he came in for possession of almost the whole of Leinster. Marshal died in 1-319, leaving his titles and estates to his son William Marshal the younger Between him and Hugh de Lacy a war arose in 1224 which continued till flie whole of Meath was wasted This is sometimes called the War of Meath.

While this warfare was going on, Connaught was in a state of strife winch lasted for many years and the struggles among the several claimants of the O’Conor family went on unceasingly: battles, skir- mishes, and raids without number. The English under Marshal, De Burgo, or others, were mixed up in most of these contests, now siding with one of the parties, now with another; but always keeping an eye to their own interests. And thus the havoc and ruin went on unchecked. Meanwhile the wretched hunted people had no leisure to attend to their tillage; famine and pestilence followed; and the inhabitants of whole towns and districts were swept away.

There was also a war of Kildare as well as of Meath. After William Marshal’s death, his brother Richard, a handsome, valiant, noble-minded knight inherited his titles and estates. He incurred the anger of king Henry III, and fled to Ireland. But Geoffrey Marisco, Maurice Fitzgerald, and Hugh de Lacy con- spired to destroy him, hoping to share his vast estates. Marisco pretended friendship, and in 1234 arranged a conference on the Curragh of Kildare. Here young Marshal was suddenly attacked by De Lacy and the others, and being abandoned by Marisco, he was at length overpowered, wounded, and taken prisoner He soon after died of his wounds; but his assassins gained nothing by their villainy.

Maurice Fitzgerald, who had been twice lord justice, marched with his army northwards through Connaught in 1257, resolved to bring Ulster completely under English rule. But he was intercepted by Godfrey O’Donnell, chief of Tirconnell, at Credran-Kill near Shgo town, where a furious battle was fought. The two leaders, Fitzgerald and O’Donnell, met in single combat, and wounded each other severely; the English were routed; and Fitzgerald retired to the Franciscan monastery of Youghal, where he died the same year, probably of his wounds.