Irish SAGA

I have been looking into the history and myth around Brian Boru, King of all Ireland.

Most miniature ranges have Brian seated and old. This reflects that most ranges expect people to be acting out The Battle of Clontarf, where he was anywhere between 70 and 75 years old.

I looked up some images and found a stylised Celtic lion’s head that was apparently on a ring owned by Brian. I am going to use this as his shield design.

Apparently, as a general rule of myths from that era, that a man is gifted longer life and the associated wisdom if he is graced by God. There’s little doubt he was too old to be leading from the front, but perhaps the occasional suggestion that he was between 80 and 90 might be to support that heroic tradition and promote his devout faith.

I also see his death story as potentially biased by faith. If he just ended up being caught in a fight with a far younger man as the enemy fled in an unexpected direction and into his camp, that’s an inauspicious end to a hero graced by God. If he was basically martyred, cut down in prayer by a vicious pagan, it becomes a different narrative. I have seen some art work of his end in a nightshirt or surplus kneeling, praying as a Barbarian looking guy stands over him. We’ll never know how he actually died, but for my Brian mini there’s at least going to be suggestion that he tried to defend himself and will be dressed for battle.

I have chosen some Victrix Viking and Anglo-Dane command sprue pieces I picked up cheaply a while ago for the main mini. Then use Wargames Atlantic shield and sword scabbard to tie him to the rest of the force.

Paint job wise I will be making his clothes fairly colourful as there seemed to be a tradition that not only the colour of garment helped dictate your place in society, but also the number of colours on display.

I will have him grabbing up his shield and a Dane axe to defend himself. As this is probably not a wise choice of weapons for an elderly king it gives a nod to how rushed into action he is. Just behind him I will have a Bible resting on a slab of stone that he has been interrupted in reading.