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What is a King? - Memories of Brian Boru

Jim78

Jim78

Probationary
I've noticed that every time someone wants to ridicule my claim they invariably bring up the same point...that I'm a king claimant.

For me this begs the question, in an historical context what is a king?

http://what-when-how.com/medieval-ireland/kings-and-kingship-medieval-ireland/

In this context a king isn't like the royal dynasties of Europe where there is one king with many nobles beneath him. There were many kingships in Ireland during this period. Being a king was equivalent to being a local warlord or what would later be defined as a feudal landlord. In a democracy the nearest equivalent I suppose would be a county council.

Being a king was simply being at the forefront of the political structure at the time.

If someone claimed to be a twentieth century politician in a past life would they face as much ridicule as I've faced for claiming to be a tenth century 'politician'? Obviously a medieval king was a warrior king so they wore more hats than being a mere politician but I think my point is valid.

Also subject to ridicule is my claim to have been the most successful of these kings. I ask you...if I am who I claim to have been in the early twentieth century is it any great stretch of the imagination to think that I was just as successful ( arguably more successful ) in the late tenth and early eleventh century as I was in the twentieth century?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Boru

I only became king because my brother was murdered. I only became high king through tactics and psychology. I only succeeded at what I did in my current life on a different field of battle through the same type of abilities.

I have many memories from that period in history, more so than of my other lives, yet I've been consistently scuppered in discussing them because of the assumption that a king was an uncommon occurance back then.

My first memory from that period is of when my brother, Mathgamain, and myself had a conversation about my deciding to continue to fight in spite of my brother wishes because he had brokered a peace. He looked at me like I was crazy. I've seen that look many a time in my past and current lives. It seems that I've always pushed the boundaries of what others were willing to do. What I did was equivalent to what I did in the early twentieth century because I also employed guerilla warfare tactics during this period.

Does anyone else have medieval memories and how do you all feel about king claimants? Are they overshooting in the grandiose claims department or were they merely incarnated leaders? Much like modern politicians, military men and the like.
 
I do believe that some people make their "king claimants" because they are narcissists who really have a delusional sense of superiority (though I am not saying everyone who makes these claims have the same disposition.) I was once apart of a group on facebook and I actually really enjoyed it for the most part, but this woman kept spamming the group with her claims of being one of the Romanovs incarnate. She was adamant. I understand how some people really, really want to believe in their fantasies, and so I delicately gave her a different perspective to consider; one that I had been told from someone else. She rejected it with all of the venom she could muster. Her reaction was unusual and desperate and so it really became clear as day to me that I knew she was not the person she had claimed to be. You cannot really say with absolute certainty, beyond a shadow of a doubt that you were "such and such" in a past life. Nothing of this sort is certain because we cannot truly know or prove this. However, I do think we can have an idea and based on our experience, we can be open to the possibilities. I think that is what reincarnation is all about; being OPEN to the possibilities and being able to talk about them with others.
I don't think you have to justify your Kingly past life by simplifying the way a monarchy works. If you were a King then you were a King. I guess we could lessen the severity by saying something like "I was once a leader of men," but I think people get caught up in words and their own interpreted meanings. Honestly, I'd continue to call it what it is. You were an Irish King of the distant past. I say, embrace it. And also just based on the way you write and how you express yourself, I wouldn't doubt it.
As for my own medieval memories, I've always felt a connection to the Knights Templar.
 
I myself think they were just people and in their proper context, I don't think they would be any different from a politician or military person as you were suggesting. I personally think people are only infatuated with them in the 20th century, when they became deposed or relegated to figureheads who enjoyed the luxury of an effort free income and got to revel in pageantry. At that point, not only are you rich and spoiled, but you also have respect and admiration for no reason. I think it's an escapist fantasy for many people.

I erred on the side of peace and stability myself. I inherited my territory, for lack of a better word, from my father and from there, I fought for peace and stability. I did good as they say, but it ended when I died.I accomplished what I did through strength of character. It was an arranged marriage in my life after that and I can't say I did anything productive then, although I wasn't able to given the political system at the time.
 
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Jim78 said:
I've noticed that every time someone wants to ridicule my claim they invariably bring up the same point...that I'm a king claimant.
Click to expand...

Don’t worry so much about what others might think.
Your old king-soul wouldn’t have doubted himself anyway.
 
Hi Riven.

I assume people claiming they are royalty stem's from what Tortoro pointed out. There's an infatuation with royalty in the modern age. I have no such infatuation with royalty however. I rebelled against the Crown in my last couple of lives and I remember what being royalty old school was like.

Your right fireflydancing, my past self wouldn't worry about what others think and neither do I. Yet I created this topic as a platform for talking about my medieval past life memories and I felt that I had to burst the bubble on kings before I proceeded.

This is roughly what Mathgamain looked like:

tumblr_onnmcphFbz1ql4ecno1_400.jpg

He was more handsome though. Medieval art doesn't do people of that time justice. They were living breathing people just as we are today.

My next memory is of when Mathgamain joined up with me. My successes against the Norse had inspired him just as I had hoped it would.

The stories simply say that we joined up together but that doesn't do the enormity of the event justice. It was what I had been working towards throughout the 960s. I had engaged with my men in hit and run tactics for years, many of them had died and the walk with Mathgamain through the forest to my encampment was the most important achievement I had made up to that point.

Mathgamain led the march, periodically looking to me and asking for direction. He strode purposefully, as I knew he would once he had set himself on a particular course. I had never felt so close to my brother as I felt on that walk. I felt we were going to achieve something.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sulcoit

The actual battle did take place in a forested area as described in the annals. We drew the enemy into the forest where they were most vulnerable and struck. I fought beside my men.

I simply can't convey to anyone the sheer chaotic brutality of close quarters combat with an axe. Its a rush of violence and gore. We had the enemy on the run.

I don't remember the sacking of Limerick thank God. Such things would most likely be a war crime nowadays...but I do remember myself and Mathgamain celebrating our victory. We didn't have a big celebration....just the two of us. We laughed and basked by the firelight in the glow of our victory. We were warriors, impenetrable. Like Klingons out of Star Trek.

That's my next memory. I find it sobering that Mathgamain has been gone for over a thousand years. He was my brother and I loved him. We shared a bond of brotherhood, a bond of brothers in arms and a bond of success. I did not resent him his kingship. I admired how he wore it.
 
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Hi Tortoro.

Royalty really seems to be an outmoded concept in this day and age doesn't it?

Was your royal life a figurehead or an actual leader of a nation?

I know for myself that my past life succeeded through force of will too. Back then a King was forged not merely born.
 
Jim78 said:
Hi Tortoro.

Royalty really seems to be an outmoded concept in this day and age doesn't it?

Was your royal life a figurehead or an actual leader of a nation?

I know for myself that my past life succeeded through force of will too. Back then a King was forged not merely born.
Click to expand...

It's absolutely outdated..

I was both a leader and figurehead. When I was a leader, it was in times of resource wars, territorial expansions etc. The most previous incarnation was in Pakistan, where I held off the British, Muslim and other invading forces. After that, I was merely a figurehead in China.

I think "born" leader is subjective.. lol. You can be born a leader, after having been forged through many lifetimes. I think my gift was (and still is on the small scale now) calling people to participate in a non secular community of equality through sheer force of personality.

The lesson I learned is that while you did good, when you die, all that work evaporates. My next lives, I will be some kind of "influencer" I'm sure. I'm thinking actress, martial artist spokesperson.. but don't quote me on that ha ha. I'll most likely do something where I can use my influence to make deep, but personal changes for people.
 
Yup. I will be happy with the day when monarchists go the way of the dinosaur Totoro.

Some of my most annoying memories are of when I was a king and people were being overly deferential to me. My modern mind thinks during those flashbacks "Face me like a man". The idea of monarchy is poisonous to the Republican ideals I've fought for in my last three lives. Nowadays I feel like a hypocrite opposing the crown when I myself had one in past lives.

My past lives have been called 'born' leaders. Indeed I led in my current life and reveled in the fact that my abilities outstripped my contemporaries. I wasn't outwardly arrogant about that but I did feel it inside. Reincarnation humbled me because I realised that my born talents were most likely just past life experience. No big deal really.

I hope I don't influence anyone in my next life. I've had enough of that already.
 
My next memory is of seeing Mathgamains dead body in 976 after he was murdered. Its not recorded in the annals that I viewed his body but I remember viewing it all the same.

He was lying on his right side on some grass, stiff looking and looking like he had aged thirty years. I got the impression that he had bled out and was dead for a few days. I'm hardly expert in the causes of death and the rate of decomposition though, that's just the initial impression I had at the time.

The next battle/ battles I remember are the Battle of Cathair Cuan and the Battle of Belach Lechta.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cathair_Cuan

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Belach_Lechta

I'm not sure of anything about that/those battles though because its all a blur. Not vague memories just the most vicious fighting I remember. I remember it as being more chaotic and brutal than other battles. I think my emotions at the time cloud my memories of the fighting. I was really pissed off at my brothers death. I still won though. Its seems that on the ground, in the heat of battle, I let my emotions hold sway.

Then I remember a church service. The Priest is the most overweight person I remember. The church was stone walled and full. I'm not sure but I think it had something to do with me becoming King. Perhaps another member will have more information on the role church played to kingships during that period.
 
I went to see this beautiful woman (Loreena McKennitt) sing/play live last night and couldn’t help but think of you, Jim. Here’s her version of Brian Boru’s March:
 
Thanks landsend. Its nice to know you were thinking of me.

Did Ms McKennitt play Brian Borus march live for you as part of her set list?

Stories speak of my having taken down a harp and sang a lament upon hearing of Mathgamains death.

https://www.libraryireland.com/Atlas/XI-Brian-Boru.php

My memory isn't as poetic however. I lingered on staring at Mathgamains body, letting it sink in. The lament does convey the love and comradeship I had with my brother however. His death really affected me. It spurred much of what I did in the following years. I felt I had a divine mission.

I was dismayed upon first gaining memories of Mathgamains that such a handsome, noble, intelligent and strong man was lost to the mists of time. I came across this article however:

https://www.independent.ie/regional...n-memory-of-brian-borus-brother-30214070.html

It gave me some sense of closure to know that I wasn't the only one who remembered Mathgamain ( although I'm apparently the only one with actual memories of him ).
 
Jim,

She didn't play Brian Boru's march, she played a lot of stuff from her new album 'Lost Souls'. Very beautiful music, good for the soul. She did tell a tale of when she went to Ireland for the first time and arrived in Shannon airport. She met a guy who was holding the supposed skull of Brian Boru, to which he could sell to her for forty pounds. She bought it as a conversation piece (and keeps it on her mantel). Lo and behold, several years later she came back to the same airport, the same guy was there selling a smaller skull, the skull of 'Brian Boru', for forty pounds, of course.. He tried to sell it to her, until she told him that he had already sold her the supposed skull of Brian Boru some years before. To which he replied, well, this is the skull of Brian Boru as a child.

Got a chuckle from me, couldn't help but think of you, haha ;)
 
That's an old joke landsend. Brendan Grace used it I believe.

I'm not sure about posting any more memories in this thread. I don't know if anyone's really interested in them.

I do know there are a few medieval life claimants on this board. It would be nice to share experiences with them.
 
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Hi Jim,

There were thousands - and even as babes.

Dynastic Kingship
In theory, the descendants of the sons of a lord alternated in the headship of the kindred, as long as they were duly qualified. In practice, those who—for whatever reason—were passed over for the succession were often unable to attract sufficient clients to maintain noble status for several generations. Their descendants became commoners and clients of their more fortunate relatives. This fate could be avoided by joining the ranks of the poets or clerics, or by competing successfully for power. In order to relieve internal pressure and extend the domination of the kindred, a ruler could install brothers or sons as rulers over neighboring client-peoples. The new noble or royal branches thus created remained part of the same kindred, and nominally subject to an over king as their common head. The over kingship was often contested by the leaders of the most powerful branches of the kindred, and this often led to destructive succession struggles. An over king who was disobeyed raided the territory of his errant subkings, in order to drive off their cattle as tribute or to take their hostages as guarantees for future obedience. Internal warfare could weaken the kindred as a whole, with the succession erratically being taken by this branch or that. Usually, one or two branches came out on top and subjugated all others. Yet within a few generations the winning branch would itself be split up into rival lineages, and the whole cycle would start anew. This process remained typical for Irish dynastic kingship until the end of the Gaelic order in the decades around 1600.
Click to expand...
. Thousands of them for centuries. It is amazing and a brutal time in history. I am basing my post on this thread only.

I have been fascinated with the history of Ireland, Scotland and England and my father has been doing research in our family for 12 years. Even going to England, Ireland and Scotland to research more than just Ancestery.com.
Funny fact - I am related to Anne Bolyen (18th great great grandmother) on my mothers side and Mary Queen of Scots on my Fathers. Somewhere in there my family lines cross. I personally think a memory as a King is fascinating if true, and would more than ever like to hear about the emotional content of your memories. Making the choices you were forced to make, had to make, how you treated woman, dressed, your travels and family. More can be learned by the diaries of commoners and Kings than any history book. What was your life like?
 
Hi Deborah.

I can't go into much detail because I'm away for the weekend and only using my phone. I prefer writing and reviewing text on a big screen.

As for clothing it is what one would expect from the period:

https://dh.tcd.ie/clontarf/Clothing: What Did People Wear in Viking-Age Ireland?

What struck me about my memories was what were variants though.

For instance when Mathgamain walked with me through the forest he wasn't dressed in the traditional manner depicted in imagery of the day. He wore no cloak. He wore a simple white tunic that ran to below his knee with no belt. I think the tunic was sleeveless because his arms were clothed in blue. Of course it could have been a part of the tunic. His clothing wasn't what was on my mind in the memory.

Another thing that struck me about my memory was how clean people looked. Before I had pl memories I had assumed people wore clothes like old linen potato sacks and were covered in dirt but my memories showed me that this wasn't the case. They just looked like people do today. I guess Monty Python And The Holy Grail lied to me. ( I don't remember the town dwelling peasantry, I mostly just remember nobles and soldiers )

Unfortunately I remember little of my family. I remember a little of Gormflaith my wife and I remember my son dead on the battlefield. Most of my memories centre around Mathgamain however so I can talk about him at length.

As for the emotional content of my memories I don't really like to think about them. I was a different man up until a few years ago and remembering the person I was back then and in my past lives is a dark path for me to thread. I can however fill in some details for you if you tell me what period in Borus life you are interested in.

I've already touched upon the 960s and 70s. That was an interesting period for me. After Mathgamains murder I focused my rage into copper fastening my power. I've always been good at focusing rage. Its made me single minded and ruthless. I guess that's why I'm an enigma to people. How can I embody both compassion and ruthlessness? The answer is righteous indignation. I felt right in my actions. I felt I had a divine duty. Life was just a game and my enemies were fresh meat. That's why those two battles I mentioned are a blur of emotion. The game got real.
 
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Hi Deborah. I was focusing on the more day to day memories but thinking about it this morning I don't remember seeing cloaks on the bodies I saw at Clontarf either. Granted I wasn't looking for that detail but I think I'm not mistaken.
 
I may as well talk about Murchads death since I brought it up.

The Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh states that Murchad died the morning after the battle. This link contains a PDF file examining that work. Subsection 2.2 being relevant:

https://ansionnachfionn.com/2017/09...ill-the-war-of-the-irish-with-the-foreigners/

It was most likely written many decades after the fact and it was written by the victors.

I remember clearly Murchad fell on the battlefield at Clontarf. I theorise that, like much of the Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh Murchads death was exagerrated to make him appear more pious. They most likely kept him alive longer in the text so that he could receive Communion and Absolution or something. Remember in the text Brian's army were the good guys and the 'Norse' were the bad guys.

Its necessary to review the most reliable sources to find the veracity of my memory.

According to Trinity College Dublin the most reliable sources are The Annals Of Ulster, The Annals Of Inisfallon and The Annals Of The Four Masters:

https://dh.tcd.ie/clontarf/the_battle

Now its necessary to examine those annals to determine whether my memory or the Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh is inaccurate.

https://celt.ucc.ie/published/T100001A/text584.html

There is no mention in The Annals Of Ulster that Murchad died the next day.

https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T100004.html

There is no mention of Murchad dying the next day in The Annals Of Inisfallon also.

https://celt.ucc.ie//published/T100005B/text012.html

There is also no mention of Murchad dying the next day in The Annals Of The Four Masters.

So what is the reality then? If memory serves me correctly Murchad was described as having been wounded in a way that it is unlikely he would have survived the night in the Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh.

To my memory ( while I can't speak for the accuracy of the Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh injury because I was looking at Murchads face ) Murchad had an injury to the left side of his head and lay on his right side...dead on the battlefield. Nearly every later source records that Murchad died on the same day as me.

I guess the Jury's still out. Is a, most likely later, propaganda piece accurate or is my memory accurate?

I know the truth of what I know. I've laid out all the information. Its up to others what they think.
 
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To give a more modern comparison on the incongruity between memory and myth making here is a list of some of the innacuracies in the Michael Collins film:

https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/9awjwz/how_accurate_is_the_movie_michael_collins/

Deaths were dramatised as being different from how they occurred in real life, uniforms were wrong, locations were wrong, hardware was wrong and on and on.

That film was made a mere seventy three years after the end of the events it depicted with all the record keeping, film footage, eyewitness accounts etc at the disposal of the 'chroniclers' yet it is full of historical innacuracies.

Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh was written most likely a century after the events it describes with nothing but the annals and oral tradition to rely on to dramatise the battle.
 
I have a similar experience.. I think a sort of Mandela effect occurs in which people only accept, maybe sub or unconsciously, the version that exists in our collective minds, which in itself is based on reality, but is a distortion or alternate reality version.

The biggest thing I cite in my own experience were the people that voluntarily came forward to give their side of the story, were the complete opposite of the people that did so either for profit, or they stood behind communist mediators. For someone who doesn't speak or read Chinese, it only took a little bit of work to uncover a wealth of information online.

You think it'd be relatively easy for someone to put together a clear cut case of what the reality was, all stopping just short of of having intimately known someone, but they don't. People believe the "rumor" version more than what actually occurred.

It's absolutely frustrating, however I just think it's a testament to the herd like, social animal sociology type theories. We all seem to have a collective subconscious that contains an alternate reality.. this is true on many levels, professions and so on..

And of course, at the same time, it is a movie.. lol. Just because it looks better is more than enough reason for a director to make a change.
 
Hi Tortoro.

Its just a movie and the director most likely did it because it looked good is the correct explanation.

I'm postulating that the myth making that rose up about the Battle Of Clontarf is also just a myth and that the writers did it because it read good.

Some people say the Michael Collins film is Fine Gael political propaganda. I'm saying that Cogadh Gaedhel Re Galliabh and many subsequent accounts of the battle are also just political propaganda.

My memory and contemporary annals don't describe things the same way.

That's true for some of the myths that built up around my other lives as well.
 
https://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/I-II-3.php

Religion did play a role in a Kings inauguration so its possible that the church service I remember did have something to do with my becoming King.

Also they did wear garments underneath their tunics so its possible my impression of Mathgamains clothing was correct.

https://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/III-XVIII-2.php

Also that link says armies wore cloaks for dress colours. Is that like the modern dress uniform? I can't find information on it. If it is indeed the medieval equivalent of a dress uniform that might explain why I dont remember seeing cloaks on the bodies.
 
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Thanks Alex. Its nice to know someone's paying attention to all the research I've been doing.

I've tried to be as objective as possible. Its like every corner I turn I get new validations. Its a shame most of what I remember about Boru is fighting though.
 
Was Jesus King of the Jews or King of Israel or was he both ? If the word King is open to interpretation then who gave Jesus this title and are there interpretations open to questions? Was Jesus only King of the Jews and no one or nobody else?
 
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