Flaithbertach mac Loingsig (died 765) was a High King of Ireland. Events By Topic Religion Papal privileges are restored in Beneventino and Tuscany (and partly in Spoleto) A High King of Ireland ( Ard Rí na hÉireann) is a historical or legendary figure who claimed lordship over the whole of Ireland. He was a member of the Cenél Conaill, a branch of the northern Uí Néill. The Cenél Conaill is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history The Uí Néill ( Irish for descendants of Niall; Uí pronounced 'Ee') were Irish and Scottish Dynasties who claimed descent from Niall He was the son of Loingsech mac Óengusso (died 703), a previous high king. Loingsech mac Óengusso (died 703 was an Irish king who was High King of Ireland. [1] He ruled from 728-734. [2]
He is considered to have been High King of Ireland following his victory over the previous High King, Cináed mac Írgalaig of the Síl nÁedo Sláine, at the battle of Druim Corcain in 728 where Cináed was killed. A High King of Ireland ( Ard Rí na hÉireann) is a historical or legendary figure who claimed lordship over the whole of Ireland. Cináed mac Írgalaig (died 728 or Cináed Cáech, "the one-eyed"was an Irish king who was High King of Ireland. Síl nÁedo Sláine is the name of the descendants of Áed Sláine (Áed mac Diarmato son of Diarmait mac Cerbaill. [3]
For much of Flaithbertach's reign his kingship was contested by his northern Uí Néill rival, Áed Allán of the Cenél nEógain. Áed Allán (or Áed mac Fergaile) (died 743 was an 8th century Irish King of Ailech and High King of Ireland. Cenél nEógain (in English Cenel Eogan) is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Eógan mac Néill, son of Niall Noígiallach who founded Áed's goal was the conquest of Mag nÍtha, a plain in the valley of the River Finn connecting northern and southern portions of Cenél Conaill territory. The River Finn ( Irish: Abhainn na Finne) is a river in the north of the Republic of Ireland, that flows through County Donegal. [4] Prior to becoming high king he fought the Battle of of Druim Fornocht with his rival in 727. [5] In 732 Flaithbertach was defeated by Áed in battle in which Flaithbertach's cousin Flann Gohan mac Congaile was slain. [6] Another encounter occurred in 733 in a battle fought in Mag nÍtha in which another cousin of Flaithbertach, Conaing mac Congaile was slain. [7] This was followed by a further encounter in 734 in Mag nÍtha. [8]
These defeats led Flaithbertach to call in the naval help of the men of Dál Riata but their fleet was destroyed at the mouth of the Bann in 734. Dál Riata (also Dalriada or Dalriata) was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western seaboard of Scotland with some territory on the northern [9] The less reliable Annals of the Four Masters state that the Scots did arrive to help Flaithbertach's army cut off the enemy and that the Ulaid and the Ciannachta of Glenn Geimin were allies of Áed in this battle. [10]
After these series of battles Flaithbertach was deposed, or abdicated, and entered the monastery at Armagh where he died in 765. The City of Armagh ( is an ancient religious site of worship of both celtic paganism and Christianity and the oldest of the five cities in Northern Ireland, [11]
Flaithbertach was the last member of the Cenél Conaill to be generally counted as High King of Ireland, although Ruaidrí ua Canannáin (d. Ruaidrí ua Canannáin (died 30 November 950) was king of the Cenél Conaill, and according to some sources High King of Ireland. 950) is considered such by a minority of sources. Flaithbertach's sons included: Áed Muinderg (died 747) called King of the North; Loingsech (died 754) and Murchad (died 767) called chiefs of the Cenél Conaill. Áed mac Flaithbertaig (died 747 called Áed Muinderg, was a chief of the Cenél Conaill of the northern Uí Néill. His daughter Dunlaith ingen Flaithbertaig (died 798) married the high king Niall Frossach (died 778). Niall Frossach (or Niall mac Fergaile) (718-778 was an 8th century Irish King of Ailech, sometimes considered to have been High King of Ireland. [12]
Notes
- ^ Francis J. Byrne, Irish Kings and High-Kings, Table 4
- ^ the Laud Synchronisms and Rawlinson Genealogies give him a reign of 9 years; Book of Leinster gives him 7 years
- ^ Annals of Ulster AU 728. 1; Annals of Tigernach AT 728. 1, 728. 8
- ^ T. M. Charles-Edwards, Early Christian Ireland, pg. 573
- ^ Annals of Ulster AU 727. 2; Annals of Tigernach AT 727. 2
- ^ Annals of Ulster AU 732. 10
- ^ Annals of Ulster AU 733. 3
- ^ Annals of Ulster AU 734. 8
- ^ Byrne, pg. 114
- ^ Annals of the Four Masters M 728. 3
- ^ Charles-Edwards, pg. 573; Annals of Ulster, AU 734. 10, 765. 2
- ^ Geoffrey Keating, History of Ireland, Book II, pg. 153
References
- Annals of Ulster at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
- Annals of Tigernach at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
- Annals of the Four Masters at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
- Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
- Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), Early Christian Ireland, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
- Geoffrey Keating, History of Ireland at CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
External links
- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork. University College Cork ( UCC) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, the university is located in Cork. The Corpus of Electronic Texts includes the Annals of Ulster and the Four Masters, the Chronicon Scotorum and the Book of Leinster as well as Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress
| Preceded by Cináed mac Írgalaig |
High King of Ireland 728–734 |
Succeeded by Áed Allán |
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic