Ruaidrí’s Ascendant Kingship
Ruaidrí’s position was powerful but not that of a monarch governing a centralised state. Ireland remained a hierarchy of provincial kings, regional rulers and local dynasties. A successful claimant to the kingship of Ireland had to turn military superiority into recognised authority by receiving hostages, settling territorial disputes, rewarding allies and demonstrating protection of the Church. Ruaidrí pursued all these methods during 1167. Kings from Munster, Meath, Bréifne, Airgialla, Ulaid, Leinster and Osraige appear in the records as allies, subjects or participants in his assemblies.