Work

Identity, exemplarity and the ideal king in early medieval Ireland

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This article examines some early medieval Insular texts on the ideal king: three examples of Old Irish tecosca (wisdom) texts and the ninth section of the Latin De XII abusivis (‘On the twelve abuses’). These texts are collectively much studied, but largely from a perspective of the ideology of rulership they espouse, be it Christian, pre-Christian or secular. This contribution takes an alternative perspective, underlining the techniques the authors used to construct a common elite identity, encompassing both rulers and other lay and clerical elites.

Source: Historical Research

DOI: 10.1093/hisres/htaf025

Author: Eddie Meehan

Institution: University of Liverpool

Language: English

Topic: Medieval Literature and History

Subfield: Classics

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,350

Funder: Arts and Humanities Research Council