Muire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (March 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Please help improve the article with a good introductory style.

A court title in pre-Norman Ireland, and for a time after the Norman invasions when Gaelic nobility maintained varying levels of tradition. The Muire, or Muiredach is the Marshal of a territory of an Irish noble or free-landholder of the rank of Boaire or higher. He was gifted a portion of land in exchange for service called a Methas, a region of farmland similar to that held by an Ocaire, the subservients of the Boaire, an ignoble free-landholder.

His duties included acting as a sheriff and levying the Ceithernn, or warband, during times of war or regional emergency, and during war his rank included a command position on the battlefield, and he was allowed to keep a 'small' court, including his own standard bearer, shield maker, and cup bearer for ceremonies, though he was technically a member of his overlords court. He was the head of his master's Cliarthairi, the 'guards' or 'troopers', professional soldiers inhabitting the territory of a Boaire or noble. He also had the duty of acting as Muire Rechtgi, the intermediary between the local king and his subjects during a legal dispute, appearing in his place at court. Often he would also take the duty of the Rechtaire, or tax collector.

[edit] In popular culture

Muire are featured as a recruitable heavy infantry unit for the Ireland faction in the Kingdoms expansion to the PC strategy game Medieval II: Total War.