allenge to meet Murrough, Brian's
son, in single combat. The result was the battle of Belach-Lechta,[212]
where Molloy was slain, with twelve hundred of his troops, both native
and foreign. Brian remained master of the field and of the kingdom, A.D.
978.

Brian was now undisputed King of Munster. In 984 he was acknowledged
Monarch of Leth Mogha, the southern half of Ireland. Meanwhile Malachy,
who governed Leth Cuinn, or the northern half of Ireland, had not been
idle. He fought a battle with the Danes in 979, near Tara, in which he
defeated their forces, and slew Raguall, son of Amlaibh, King of Dublin.
Amlaibh felt the defeat so severely, that he retired to Iona, where he
died of a broken heart. Donough O'Neill, son of Muircheartach, died this
year, and Malachy obtained the regal dignity. Emboldened by his success
at Tara, he resolved to attack the foreigners in Dublin; he therefore
laid siege to that city, and compelled it to surrender after three days,
liberated two thousand prisoners, including the King of Leinster, and
took abundant spoils. At the same time he issued a proclamation, freeing
every Irishman then in bondage to the Danes, and stipulating that the
race of Nial should henceforth be free from tribute to the foreigners.

It is probable that Brian had already formed designs for obtaining the
royal power. The country resounded with the fame of his exploits, and
Malachy became aware at last that he should either have him for an ally
or an enemy. He prudently chose the former alternative, and in the
nineteenth year of his reign (997 according to the Four Masters) he made
arrangements with Brian for a great campaign against the common enemy.
Malachy surrendered all hostages to Brian, and Brian agreed to recognize
Malachy as sole Monarch of northern Erinn, "without war or trespass."
This treaty was absolutely necessary, in order to offer effective
resistance to the Danes. The conduct of the two kings towards each other
had not been of a conciliatory nature previously. In 981 Malachy had
invaded the territory of the Dalcassians, and uprooted the great
oak-tree of Magh Adair, under which its kings were crowned--an insult
which could not fail to excite bitter feelings both in prince and
people. In 989 the monarch occupied himself fighting the Danes in
Dublin, to whom he laid siege for twenty nights, reducing the garrison
to such straits that they were obliged to drink the salt water when the
tide rose in the rive