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The rise of Brian Boru saw Waterford, and other Viking
ports, surrendering to the control of the Ua Briain dynasty.
This was an important change in Ireland's history, as
Irish High Kings now had greater access to international
trade.
By the 1080s, Waterford's Viking fleet had become a major
force in Ireland. So much so that Diarmuid O'Brien, King
of Munster, sent a fleet to Wales to support Gruffydd
ap Cynan to recover the Kingdom of Gwynedd.
Less than a hundred years later, it was a dispossessed
Irish king who sought help to help him regain his own
lost Kingdom. As a result of a long time feud between
Dermot MacMurrough, King of Leinster, and Tiernan O'Rourke,
King of Briefne, MacMurrough appealed to King Henry II
of England for help. In 1169, Richard de Clare, also known
as Strongbow, was sent into Ireland with troops to help
subdue O'Rourke once and for all. Successful, MacMurrough
gave the hand of his daughter, Aoife, in marriage to de
Clare. While the famous painting by Daniel Maclise, the
Marriage of Strongbow, shows the marriage taking place
at the end of a big battle, with the ruins of a tower
behind them, the marriage actually took place in Reginald's
Tower. Their marriage changed the course of history for
both Ireland and England. Their son in law, William Marshal,
was undefeatable and became known as the . And for Ireland, de Clare's position in Ireland,
as the heir to the kingdom of Leinster, made it easy for
Henry II to send in more troops, thus beginning eight
hundred years of English oppression in Ireland.
At this point, Waterford was elevated to the status of
a royal city, an act which dramatically changed the city's
history.
Most cities in Ireland are built on harbors and would
have had a merchant class who bought and sold particular
items through the city's trading port. Waterford attracted
merchants from England and France and were the main importer
of wine into Ireland and the exporter of wool and hides.
The city flourished through the 13th century and saw the
founding of many new monasteries, churches and friaries.
The Plague of the 14th century, also known as the Black
Death, wasn't just an English phenomenon. It was a worldwide
pandemic that killed approximately one-third of the population
of China and 30-60% of Europe's population. Bubonic Plague
was most common during this time, caused by the bacteria
yersinia pestis, and had a mortality rate of 30-75%. Victims
were the result of infected fleas found on such rodents
as rats, which were found in extremely high numbers in
medieval times due to improper disposal of waste and excrement.
Lymph nodes are the first to become infected, and as the
disease progresses continues through the lymphatic system
and infecting major organs. Four out of five people died
within eight days.
It's expected that infected rats made their way into
Ireland from trading ships which frequented Irish ports.
One-third of the population of Waterford died as a result.
The decline in population all over Europe effected trade
all over Ireland, but in particularly Waterford, as it
held the monopoly on many imports and exports. Because
of this decline in trade, the City Fathers were forced
to become more tenacious in protecting the city's investments.
This included all ships entering the harbor were obliged
to unload at Waterford.
In 1374, the Waterford City Council commissioned the
Great Charter Roll, which was an illuminated manuscript
measuring 14 feet in length. This manuscript was an attempt
to strengthen the city's legal case with the burgesses
of New Ross who were working to invalidate Waterford's
monopoly. The Great Charter Roll became one of the most
important Irish illuminated manuscripts from the late
medieval period.
Through the 15th century, Waterford was surrounded by
hostile neighbors -- the O'Driscolls of Cork, sea pirates
and the scourge of Waterford's shipping; and the Powers',
allies to the O'Driscolls who often attacked the city
and plundered the nearby countryside. When the city was
attacked by Perkin Warbeck in 1495, the pretender to the
thrown of Henry VII, canons were mounted on the ringworks
in front of Reginald's Tower to repel attacks from off
the River Suir at Waterford Harbour. Waterford has the
distinction of being the first city in Ireland to use
artillery in its defense.
The King recognized the city's loyalty by giving the
city its own motto: "Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia"/"Waterford
remains the unconquered city."
Despite frequent plundering, by the 16th century, Waterford
was a strong and well-fortified city with an international
reputation for exporting good quality woollen shawls,
known as "Waterford Rugs."
It was also in the 16th century that Waterford found
itself torn between loyalty to the English monarchy and
that of Rome. Since the time King Henry VIII to the 1640s,
Waterford walked a fine line between loyalty and treason.
Loyalty to Rome was never in doubt, as a majority of Ireland
is Catholic. So much so that many reputed international
scholars were born in the city, earning the city the nickname
of "Parva Roma"...Little Rome. But in 1649,
when Cromwell's army was storming across Ireland and leaving
mass devastation in its wake, Waterford was the only city
to hold out against these invaders. However, that luck
didn't hold, as in 1650, Cromwell's son-in-law was successful
in capturing the city. Rich Catholic merchants were expelled
to France and Spain, where many established themselves
as wine merchants.
The Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660 brought a temporary
respite for the city. In 1690, Catholic James II was defeated
by William of Orange at the Battle of the Boyne, and Protestants
were once again set to begin a new phase in the city's
history. Protestant merchants moved into the city and
took up what exiled merchants abandoned, growing rich
from trade with the New World.
This change in Waterford's history saw a period of peaceful
times. The defensive walls were razed to make way for
an expanding city and the construction of new quays along
the river.
By the 18th century, Waterford was a changed city, politically,
religiously, architecturally, etc. And Catholics found
a new way of life. In that they were allowed to build
a cathedral is a testament to religious tolerance in the
city. When the original Christ Church was being demolished
to make way for the new Church of Ireland Cathedral in
1773, vestments dating back to the reign of Henry VII
(1485-1509) were discovered. The vestments are the only
pre-Reformation garments to have survived in Ireland and
are not on display at the National Museum of Ireland in
Dublin.
The cathedral was designed by Waterford born architect
John Roberts, who also designed the city hall and the
second of the city's cathedrals.
A testament to the prosperity of the city is one of today's
most popular attractions, , originally called the Waterford Flint
Glass Manufactory, founded in 1783. During the 19th century,
Waterford Crystal gained worldwide appreciation, being
exported to the four corners of the world.
A byproduct of the centuries of successful trading came
equally successful shipbuilding. In the mid 19th century,
Waterford had four shipyards, and was second only to Belfast
in terms of produced tonnage. The first iron steam ship
ever built that sailed into a Russian port was built in
Waterford. It carried a gift of Waterford Crystal to the
Tzar.
While the city has been somewhat tarnished by industrialization,
Waterford is still one of the premier ports in the country.
Much of the city's architectural heritage survives and
great efforts are being made to revitalize it. As well,
Waterford is a popular college town with the Waterford
Institute of Technology, which is a university-level institution
with more than 10,000 students.
Visitors to the city can see some of the remaining walls
and towers, which still clearly define the old city boundaries
when viewed from the air. The best preserved section of
these walls can be seen on Castle Road, which runs from
Reginald's Tower south out of town, part of the N25 to
Cork. There are the remains of a Watch Tower and a great
section of the old walls here.
Waterford's past it more than just history. It's a living
tradition, as citizens of this once great city continue
to work in trades once practiced by their ancestors for
centuries.
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