Ruaridh Màrtainn

Ruaridh Màrtainn was a Dòchas of Cheatharnaich, a principality to the west and north of the Abhain Gheal with its capital based in Cancale. He ruled Cheatharnaich from 1355-1394 and gained the title of Dòchas of Mhartainnvail, the Màrtainn ancestral seat, as well as personal ownership of the city of Connsmonandún in 1382. Ruaridh was the father of Rethys Màrtainn, the first King of the Fhainn.

Ruaridh Màrtainn
Dòchas (Eng. 'Prince')
Principality of Mhartainnvail
Reign	1355-1394
Predecessor	father here
Successor	Rih Rethys Màrtainn
Principality of Connsmonann
Reign	1362-1394
Predecessor	uncle here
Successor	Rih Rethys Màrtainn
Principality of Cheatharnaich
Reign	1362-1394
Predecessor	uncle here
Successor	Rih Rethys Màrtainn
Principality of Itheachan
Reign	1362-1394
Predecessor	brother here
Successor	Rih Rethys Màrtainn
Born	1354
Died	1395
Wife	name here
Issue	Rethys Màrtainn
House	Màrtainn
Father	father here
Mother	mother here

Early Life

Ruaridh was born in early 1354 and almost immediately given the title of Prince of Cheatharnaich in 1355 by his uncle, the Prince of Mhartainnvail, to replace Ruaridh's father after his death the same year after complications from surviving the Great Plague. Little is known about the circumstances leading up to this, but it is clear that Ruaridh was a puppet of his uncle throughout his childhood and teenage years, only visiting his seat of power for the first time in 1373. Afterwards, he began to assert independence aggressively, and made few friends at his court, running his state as a despot and aggressively crushing a rebellion by the lord of Cirit Cwimbran in 1376. Ruaridh was particularly ill-tempered and irreligious, which lead to a majority of his vassals disliking him; in response, the prince revoked many of their titles and increased his personal holdings by nearly 600%, eventually coming to directly possess nearly three-quarters of the land after putting down several disorganized revolts.

Inheritances

In 1380, Ruaridh was called to war by his uncle against the Principality of Cionhaen, but ignored the summons; as a direct result, the Principality of Mhartainnvail was forced to accept a mediated agreement that lost several minor vassals to Cionhaen and prompted outrage from his family. In 1382, his brother, the lord of the city of Connsmonandún, along with his uncle, travelled to Cancale to reprimand Ruaridh, but were set upon by the lord of Dúnfhainn on the road and killed. It has been speculated that this was a deliberate plot by Ruaridh, but no conclusive proof for or against the idea has been recovered.

After the deaths of his relatives, Ruaridh was next in line for his uncle's title - a fact he used to his advantage, ejecting his brother from the family record to weaken the claim of Ruaridh's own nephew to Connsmonandún and repeat his crushing of vassal lords around Caileansdún, the capital city of his family line, this time with an already-mobilized army at his back.

Late Reign and Death

Ruaridh's later rule was remarkably peaceful, as he fought no major wars, instead intensely training his professional cavalry and consolidating power within his domains. His efforts to father children were mixed, with four daughters and only one son, of which his son and two daughters survived to adulthood.

Ruaridh became seriously ill with a respiratory disease, possibly pneumonia, in November of 1394 and died within two months, leaving his son to be crowned in January of the following year.