Conchobar mac Nessa

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Conchobar mac Nessa [ 'konxovar mak' Nʴesa ], also Conchobor , Conchobhor , Conchobhar mac Nesa , is a figure of the early medieval Celtic mythology of Ireland . In the Ulster Cycle he appears as the King of Ulster . He is mentioned as a brother, but also as a father of Deichtire and Finncháems . His father-in-law is Eochaid Fedlech , Mugain's father , and his eldest son is Cormac Conn Longas . His son-in-law as husband of Finncháems is Amairgin mac Ecit Salaig , his other son-in-law than husband Fedelm Noíchrides is Cairbre Nia-Fer , his grandson Erc mac Cairbri Niad-Fer . Cú Chulainn , son of Deichtire, is his nephew.

Say about Conchobar

In the two stories of the “Conchobars Conception” ( Compert Conchobuir ), Nessa (also Ness, Nes or Nesa), the daughter of King Eochu Sálbuide (“Yellow Heel”), and the druid Cathbad are the parents of Conchobars. Fachtna Fáthach is his father only in a later redesign of the second version of the legend, this is probably a late adaptation to the Irish king lists, in which Fachtna is named as the High King of Ireland . Conchobar is said to have surprised and raped Medb while bathing in the Boyne River . In the following battle against Medb's father, Eochaid Fedlech , who had once overthrown Conchobar's father Fachtna Fáthach from the throne, he defeated him. Furbaide Ferbend , Queen Medb's murderer, is a son of Conchobar.

When Nessa's husband died shortly after the marriage, his half-brother and heir to the throne Fergus mac Róich wooed her. However, she consented to the marriage only on condition that her son Conchobar could rule Ulster for a year. He became so popular that he retained the royal dignity even after the year was up.

His possessions included the Íarngulae kettle , which held 100 bruth beer (a bruth was the amount of beer that could be brewed in one brewing process) and from which he could supply all Ulster warriors at the same time.

A judge at his court who is famous for his justice is the poet ( fili ) Sencha mac Ailella , who is always concerned about compensation .

In the story of the exile of the sons of Uisliu ( Longas mac nUislenn ), Conchobar falls in love with Deirdre ( Derdriu "the raging"), the daughter of a bard from Ulster, at whose birth Cathbad had prophesied that she would become the most beautiful wife in Ireland and the wife of a king but cause death and destruction across the land.

By the time Deirdre reached marriageable age, Conchobar was already an old man. She rejected his advances and, with the help of her tutor Leborcham , fled with the beautiful young warrior Naoise . This is said to have been a son of Conchobar, since he exercised the ius primae noctis with his mother Elbha . The king continued to desire Deirdre and had Naoise killed by Eogan mac Durthacht . Deidre then lunged in front of a moving car. Fergus Mac Róich, appalled by Conchobar's behavior, entered the service of Ulster's enemies. A long war broke out, the story of which is told in the Táin Bó Cuailnge . Conchobar, initially incapacitated by a female weakness due to a curse with his compatriots ( Noínden Ulad ), leads his army successfully into battle after being warned by Sualtam , the father of Cú Chulainn .

A continuation of this story is Tochmarc Luaine acus aided Athirni ("Luaines' advertisement and Athirne's death"). With Leborchams' help, Conchobar finds the elf princess Luaine, whom he wants to marry. When Luaine rejects the lovable Aithirne , he hatches ugly lumps on her, and the girl dies of grief. Conchobar kills Aithirne and his followers and burns down his residence.

In Scéla mucce Meic Dathó (“The Story of Mac Dathó's Pig”) his son Cúscraid Menn Macha is involved in the dispute over the heroic bite . In the end, Conchobar is captured by the charioteer of the Connacht King Ailill mac Máta and has to buy himself out, including with two of his best horses.

In the story of the “Death of Conchobar” ( Aided Chonchobuir ), Cet mac Mágach (see also Cath Étair [“The Battle of Étar”]) hurls the lime-baked brain lump of King Mes Gegra von Leinster, who was killed by Conall Cernach, at Conchobar. The bullet gets stuck in his skull. The healer Fingen tied a gold wire mesh to his scalp and advised him to avoid strain and excitement. However, after a few years the king had a fit of anger and passed away.

See also

literature

Remarks

  1. ↑ On the Compert Conchobuir cf. Rudolf Thurneysen , The Irish hero and king saga up to the 17th century , Max Niemeyer, Halle 1921 (reprinted by Olms, Hildesheim / New York 1980), pp. 273–276.
  2. ↑ Joseph O'Neill (Ed.): Cath Boinde , Ériu journal 2, 1905, pp. 173 ff.
  3. ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 811.
  4. ↑ Fingen also healed the severe abdominal wound from Cethern mac Fintain