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BOOK i.
Auiaf the first
Scandinavian
pilgrim to ions,
Auiaf abdicates
the throne of
Dublin, A.I>
M'Q*
8
soVand takes
t>so.
m ' A
1 *
u8o" d A ' D '
'
80 THE SCANDINAVIANS, AND
messengers were sent from Norway to seek Olaf
Xryggrasson they are said to have found him in
Dublin, at the court of his wife's brother, Aulaf
Aulaf was the first Scandinavian pilgrim
Cuaran. 1
-rii i i i i IT
from Ireland, and the year in which he abdicated,
Domhnall. King of Ireland, died, and was succeeded
by Maelseachlainn, Aulaf Cuaran's step-son and son-
in-law. On this relationship Maelseachlainn possibly
founded some claim to the throne of Dublin, and
having defeated the garrison and slain "Ragnall,
son of Aulaf, heir to the sovereignty," he laid siege
to the city " for three days and three nights," and
ultimately succeeded in reducing it to subjection. 2
It was then Maelseachlainn issued his famous proclamation,
" that as many of the Irish nation as lived
m servitude and bondage with the Danes (which
was at that time a great number) should presently
pass over without ransom and live freely in their
own countries according to their wonted manner."
The captivity of these unfortunate Irishmen being
described in our annals as " the Babylonian captivity
of Ireland (and) until they were released by Mael-
seachlainn, it was indeed next to the captivity of
hell." 3
1
Saga Olafi Tryggva Syni,
chap. Hi. This was about the year
994.
' Ann. 4 Mast., A.D. 979 (=980),
vol. ii., p. 713. See also Ann. Clon-
mac. Ibid, p. 712, n. x.
3 Ann. Clonmac., 974 (=980).
["He carried thence the hostages
of Ireland, and among the rest
Domhnall Claen, King of Leinster,
and all the hostages of the Ui-
Xeill. Two thousand was the num-
ber of the hostages, besides jewels
and goods, and the freedom of the
Ui-Neill from the Sinainn to the
sea, from tribute and exaction. It
was then Maelseachlainn himself
issued the famous proclamation in
which he said, 'Every one of the
Gaedhil who is in the territory of
the foreigners in servitude and
bondage, let him go to his own