Cairbre Cinnchait

Last updated

Cairbre Cinnchait or Caitchenn ("cat-head" or "hard head") was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. There is considerable differences in the sources over his ancestry and his place in the traditional sequence of High Kings.

According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn , he succeeded to the throne after the previous incumbent, Conchobar Abradruad, was killed by Crimthann Nia Náir, and ruled for five years. The Lebor Gabála is unsure of his origins: it says "the learned reckon" he was of either the Luaigne of Tara, the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Catraige of Connacht, the Corcortri (descendants of the former High King Cimbáeth), or a descendant of Ír, son of Míl Espáine. His father's name is said to be Duthach. His wife was Mani, daughter of the king of the Ulaid, and they had a son, Morann mac Máin. He was succeeded by Feradach Finnfechtnach. His reign is synchronised with that of the Roman emperor Domitian (AD 81–96). [1]

According to the Annals of the Four Masters , Crimthann became High King after he killed Conchobar, and Cairbre succeeded Crimthann "after he had killed all the nobility". Cairbre is here the leader of an uprising of the aithech-tuatha or "subject peoples". Three pregnant women of the nobility escaped the massacre: Baine, daughter of the king of Alba, who was the mother of Feradach Finnfechtnach; Cruife, daughter of the king of Britain, who was the mother of Corb Olum, ancestor of the Eóganachta of Munster; and Aine, daughter of the king of Saxony, who was the mother of Tibraide Tirech, ancestor of the Dál nAraidi. During Cairbre's reign crops failed, cows did not give milk, and there were no fish in the rivers. He died after ruling for five years, and was succeeded by Feradach Finnfechtnach, who must have been less than five years old. The chronology of the Annals dates his reign to AD 9–14. [2]

Geoffrey Keating agrees that Crimthann succeeded Conchobar, but was succeeded by Feradach Finnfechtnach, Fíatach Finn and Fíachu Finnolach. Here it is Fíachu who is overthrown by Cairbre's uprising of subject peoples, and the pregnant noblewomen who escape are: Fiacha's wife Eithne, daughter of the king of Alba, the mother of Tuathal Techtmar; Beartha, daughter of the king of Britain and mother of Tibraide Tirech; and Aine, daughter of the king of the Saxons, mother of Corb Olom. Keating says Cairbre was either the descendant of a Scandinavian prince who came to Ireland with Labraid Loingsech, or of the Fir Bolg. He ruled for five years, died of plague, and was succeeded by Elim mac Conrach, who would eventually be overthrown by Fiacha's son Tuathal. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to AD 55–60. [3]

Preceded by High King of Ireland
LGE 1st century AD
FFE AD 55–60
AFM AD 9–14		Succeeded by

Related Research Articles

In Irish mythology, Fiacha, son of Delbáeth, of the Tuatha Dé Danann, was a legendary High King of Ireland. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, he took the throne after his father was overthrown by Caicher son of Nama, brother of Nechtan. The Annals of the Four Masters and Geoffrey Keating say he overthrew his father himself. His mother was Ernmas. He had three daughters, Banba, Fódla, and Ériu, by his own mother. He reigned for ten years, before he and his nephew Aoi Mac Ollamain were killed in battle against Éogan of Imber.

Cathair Mór, son of Feidhlimidh Fiorurghlas, a descendant of Conchobar Abradruad, was, according to Lebor Gabála Érenn, a High King of Ireland. He took power after the death of Fedlimid Rechtmar. Cathair ruled for three years, at the end of which he was killed by the Luaigne of Tara, led by Conn Cétchathach. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius (161–180). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 113–116, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 119–122.

Túathal Techtmar, son of Fíachu Finnolach, was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition. He is said to be the ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties through his grandson Conn of the Hundred Battles. The name may also have originally referred to an eponymous deity, possibly even a local version of the Gaulish Toutatis.

Eochaid Mugmedón was a legendary Irish king. According to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, Eochaid was a High King of Ireland, best known as the father of Niall of the Nine Hostages and ancestor of the Uí Néill and Connachta dynasties. He is not mentioned in the list of kings of Tara in the Baile Chuind, but is included in the synthetic lists of High Kings in the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the Irish annals, Geoffrey Keating's history, and the Laud Synchronisms.

Géde Ollgothach, son of Ollom Fotla, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He succeeded to the throne on the death of his brother Slánoll. His epithet means "possessing a great voice", and the Lebor Gabála Érenn says during his reign all his subjects had voices as sweet as the strings of a zither. He ruled for eight, or twelve, or seventeen years, before being killed by, according to the Lebor Gabála, the otherwise unknown Fíachu son of Fíadchú; according to Geoffrey Keating and the Annals of the Four Masters, by his nephew and successor Fíachu Findoilches, son of Fínnachta. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 880–863 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 1241–1231 BC. Géde Ollgothach's name is similar to that of Gede-olgudach, a mythical king of the Picts who was called "king of Alba and Ireland". This gave rise to a theory that a legendary King Géde ruled the ancient kingdoms of Ireland and Caledonia.

Art, son of Lugaid Lámderg, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Conaing Bececlach. He ruled for six years, until he was killed by Fíachu Tolgrach and his son Dui Ladrach. According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, he was succeeded by his son Ailill Finn; Keating and the Four Masters agree he was succeeded by his killer, Fíachu Tolgrach, who was later killed by Ailill Finn. The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with that of Darius II of Persia (423–404). The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 599–593 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 812–806 BC.

Fíachu Tolgrach, son of Muiredach Bolgrach, was a legendary High King of Ireland, according to some medieval and early modern Irish sources. In the Lebor Gabála Érenn he is not a High King: he kills the former High King Art mac Lugdach, but during the reign of Art's son Ailill Finn he is killed in battle against Airgetmar. His son Dui Ladrach later becomes High King. However, in Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn and the Annals of the Four Masters he succeeds Art as High King and rules for seven or ten years, until he is killed by Ailill Finn, who succeeds him. The chronology of Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 593–586 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 806–796 BC.

Adamair, son of Fer Corb, was, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, a High King of Ireland. He came from Munster, killed the previous incumbent, Ailill Caisfhiaclach, and reigned for five years, until he was killed by Eochaid Ailtleathan. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy V Epiphanes in Egypt. The chronology of the Annals of the Four Masters dates his reign to 418–414 BC, the chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn to 290–285 BC. He was the husband of the presumed goddess Flidais of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Óengus Tuirmech Temrach, son of Eochaid Ailtlethan, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Fergus Fortamail. His sons included Énna Aignech and Fiacha Fer Mara. Énna later became High King himself and was the ancestor of Conn of the Hundred Battles and thus the Connachta and Uí Néill High Kings, while Fiacha was the ancestor of Ailill Érann and the Clanna Dedad.

Énna Aignech, son of Óengus Tuirmech Temrach, was, according to medieval Irish legend, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, and relative's killer, Nia Segamain, and ruled for twenty or twenty-eight years, after which he was killed by Crimthann Coscrach, the grandson of the man who had killed Énna's grandfather, in the Battle of Ard Crimthainn. Crimthann was killed by Rudraige mac Sithrigi, the great-grandson of the killer of one of Énna's ancestors. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of Ptolemy VIII Physcon in Egypt. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 219–191 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 313–293 BC.

Nuadu Necht, son of Sétna Sithbac, a descendant of Crimthann Coscrach, of the Laigin, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to power after killing his predecessor, Eterscél, and ruled for six months, at the end of which he was killed by Eterscél's son Conaire Mór.

Conchobar Abradruad, son of Find File, son of Ros Ruad, son of Ferhus Fairgge, son of Nuadu Necht, of the Laigin, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He succeeded to the throne after the death of Lugaid Riab nDerg, and ruled for a year, at the end of which he was killed by Lugaid's son Crimthann Nia Náir. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Vespasian. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 13–12 BC, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to 9–8 BC.

Crimthann Nia Náir, son of Lugaid Riab nDerg, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. Lugaid is said to have fathered him on his own mother, Clothru, daughter of Eochu Feidlech. Clothru was thus both his mother and his grandmother.

Feradach Finnfechtnach, son of Crimthann Nia Náir, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. There is some disagreement in the sources over his position in the traditional sequence of High Kings.

Fíatach Finn

Fiatach Finn mac Dáire, a distant descendant of Óengus Tuirmech Temrach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a king of the Ulaid, later a High King of Ireland, and the eponymous ancestor of the early Medieval Ulster dynasty of the Dál Fiatach. He was king of the Ulaid while Feradach Finnfechtnach was High King, and succeeded to the High Kingship himself when Feradach died. He ruled for three years until he was killed by Fíachu Finnolach. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Nerva. The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to AD 25–28, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to AD 36–39.

Fiacha Finnolach, son of Feradach Finnfechtnach, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He took power after killing his predecessor, Fíatach Finn. He ruled for fifteen, seventeen, or twenty-seven years, depending on the source consulted, after which he, and the freemen of Ireland, were killed in an uprising of aithech-tuatha or "subject peoples", led, according to the Lebor Gabála Érenn and the Annals of the Four Masters, by Elim mac Conrach, or by Cairbre Cinnchait according to Geoffrey Keating. His wife Eithne, daughter of the king of Alba (Scotland), who was pregnant, fled home to Alba, where she gave birth to Fíachu's son, Tuathal Techtmar, who would ultimately return to Ireland to claim the throne. The Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises his reign with that of the Roman emperor Nerva (AD 96–98). The chronology of Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to AD 28–55, that of the Annals of the Four Masters to AD 39–56.

Elim, son of Conrai, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland.

Fedlimid Rechtmar or Rechtaid, son of Tuathal Techtmar, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. His mother was Báine, daughter of Scál. He took power after killing his predecessor, and his father's killer, Mal mac Rochride.

Cairbre Lifechair, son of Cormac mac Airt, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He came to the throne after the death of Eochaid Gonnat. During his time Bresal Belach was king of Leinster, and refused to pay the bórama or cow-tribute to the High King, but Cairbre defeated him in the Battle of Dubchomar, and from then on exacted the bórama without a battle.

Fiacha Sraibhtine, son of Cairbre Lifechair, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. On his father's death, Fothad Cairpthech and Fothad Airgthech, sons of Lugaid mac Con, had taken the throne jointly, but within the year Fothad Airgthech killed his brother. Fíacha and the fianna then defeated and killed Fothad in the Battle of Ollarba.

References

  1. ↑ R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, p. 305
  2. ↑ Annals of the Four Masters M9-14
  3. ↑ Geoffrey Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirinn 1.38
  1. ↑ "Cairpre Cindchait and the Athach Tuatha". 1899.
  2. ↑ "Genealogical Tracts I: Anmand na n-Athachthuath".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.