Eochaid Mugmedón
Eochaid Mugmedón ("Eochaid master of the slaves"; † between 351 and 365 in Tara ) was according to Irish historical tradition High King of Ireland , who according to the annals of the four masters from 357 to 365, or according to Geoffrey Keating from 344 to 351 from Tara Ireland is said to have ruled. Although his biography is covered in legends, he is considered a historical person, as he is mentioned several times in early Irish annals and the father of Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages) - the eponymous progenitor of the Uí Néill ( O'Neill ) dynasty was. Legend has it that it is linked to the founding myth of the rule of this family, which dominated the history of Ireland from the 6th to the 10th centuries, was one of the ancestors of many European dynasties and has flourished in various branches to this day.
origin
According to Irish tradition, Eochaid came from the legendary prehistoric Irish high king Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles) who is said to have ruled Ireland from 122 to 157 from the traditional seat of the Irish high kings in Tara, according to the annals of the four masters.
Eochaid's father, Muiredach Tirech mac Fiacha, was, according to Lebor Gabála Érenn in the “Book of the Conquest of Ireland”, probably written in the 9th century, a High King of Ireland who gained the throne by his nephews, known as the “three Collas “Who had killed his father. The three brothers later founded a new kingdom, Airgialla , which played a role for a thousand years and was ruled by their descendants, divided into numerous clans. The reign of Eochaid's father is given in the annals of the four masters with 326 to 356, by the important historian Seathrún Céitinn ( Eng. Geoffrey Keating, † 1644) with 310 to 343.
Life
"Historical Personality"
King Eochaid's biography was only transmitted orally and is therefore overlaid with legends. The common interpretation of his nickname "Mugmedón" was provided by the historian TFO'Reilly, who interpreted Mugmedón as "master of the slaves", which makes Eochaid appear as a successful warlord. On the other hand, medieval etymologists found an unflattering interpretation of this name, as "humid middle", because, as a 17th century annalist said, "he had problems with the discharge of his abdomen".
Eochaid is not mentioned in the list of the kings of Tara in the work "Baile Chuind Chétchathaig" (Conn's vision of the hundred battles), which goes back to the seventh century, but in the list of the high kings in Lebor Gabála Érenn , in several Irish annals, in the "History of Ireland" written by Geoffrey Keating († 1644) and in the synchronisms of Laud.
Although these are chronicles that were written long after his death, it can be assumed that Eochaid is a historical figure. On the one hand, because his son Niall Noigiallach is the progenitor of the most important Irish family, the Uí Néill , which dominated the history of Ireland until the 10th century. On the other hand, because in Ireland genealogical connections have been followed with the greatest care since the early Middle Ages, since they were decisive for the succession in the countless Irish small kingdoms and were therefore an important part of oral traditions and early records from the earliest times.
High King of Ireland
Eochaid could not directly follow his father as the High King of Ireland, because he was overthrown by the King of Ulster, Cáelbad the son of Cronn Badhraoi, who then made himself High King of Ireland. However, after a year Eochaid managed to avenge his father by killing Cáelbad and taking control of Ireland himself. As the High King, Eochaid demanded the traditional cattle tribute (Borama) from the King of Leinster, which according to the book of the conquest of Ireland - perhaps in view of its military superiority - was exceptionally delivered to him without a previous battle.
Founding myth of the O'Neill rule
The main part of his biography is not concerned with the portrayal of his warlike deeds, but with the myth on which the rule of the O'Neill dynasty is based.
This myth is portrayed in the story "The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon":
According to this, Eochaid Mugmedón had two wives: the first was Mongfind (fair-haired), a sister of Crimthann mac Fidaig, King of Munster (in the south-west of Ireland), who was the last High King of Ireland from the House of the Kings of Munster until - centuries later - Brian Boru regained this dignity in the 11th century. Mongfind gave birth to Eochaid four sons, including the ancestors of the three dynasties who ruled as kings in Connacht (in northwestern Ireland). Mongfind is therefore the ancestor of numerous Irish and European noble families.
According to Irish tradition, Eochaid also had a second wife at the same time, called Cairenn Chasdub (Cairenn the black curly hair) who is referred to as a daughter of Sacheil Balb, King of the Anglo-Saxons, which is obviously anachronistic. From her name, which is derived from the Latin name Carina after O'Rahilly, the latter suspects that she was of Roman-Celtic origin. Even Geoffrey Keating describes her as the daughter of a British king.
Mongfind hated her husband's second wife, Cairenn, and forced her to do low jobs, and even when she was pregnant she had to fetch the water for Tara Castle from the well. She gave birth to her son Niall at the well, from which she was about to fetch water, but was not allowed to take him with her, but had to leave him to the birds of prey for fear of Mongfind. For fear of Mongfind and their magical powers, no one else dared to pick up the child. The poet and seer Torna “Éces” (the wise) found the child, raised him and prophesied his bright future. When Niall grew up, he went to Tara and freed his mother Cairenn from the slavery in which she had kept Mongfind.
Mongfind asked King Eochaid to appoint one of her sons as his successor, but the latter transferred the selection to Sithchen, the blacksmith who was also a druid. He put the five sons to the test by bringing them to his forge and setting it on fire. He judged them on what they most importantly saved from the burning forge.
Brian brought the hammer and was made a warrior. Fiacha brought beer and the bellows he was prophesied of beauty and knowledge. Ailill brought a box of spears - he was appointed avenger. Fergus brought dried wood with a branch from a yew tree (which was considered sacred), little good was foretold to him. Niall brought the great anvil, the heaviest and most important, so he was declared the winner.
Mongfind did not accept this result, whereupon the druid set them a new task: after a long hunt together, the brothers desperately looked for water. Everyone found a well guarded by an old, repulsively ugly woman who demanded a kiss for the water. All refused except Niall, who not only kissed the repulsive woman but was ready to sleep with her. Through the kiss, the old woman turned into a beautiful young woman and explained to him that she was sovereignty over Ireland, because sovereignty would be repulsive and ugly at first, as it is acquired through violence and war, but afterwards it would be beautiful and good. She required Niall not to give water to his brothers until they had recognized his rule. Niall obeyed and made her swear never to oppose him and his children.
In fact, with few exceptions, the office of High King of Ireland remained with his descendants, 26 were descendants of the north or south of O'Neill, ten were descendants of Niall's son Conall Gulban and 16 were descendants of Niall's son Eogan.
Death and succession
Eochaid Mugmedón died after a short reign of seven to eight years of illness in the royal castle at Tara.
According to Keating, he ruled from 344 to 351, according to the annals of the four masters from 344 to 351. Daniel P. McCarthy, however, gives the year of his death based on the Irish annals as 362.
After Eochaid's death, however, it was not one of his sons who followed, but the brother of his first wife, Crimthann mac Fidaig, the king of Munster. Mongfind had outlived her husband and wanted at all costs to succeed one of her sons as High King of Ireland. According to tradition, she even went so far as to poison her own brother Crimthann, the High King of Ireland. In order not to arouse suspicion, she too drank the poisoned drink and died in Samhain . It is the pagan Celtic festival that marks the turn from summer to winter, is celebrated from sundown on October 31st to sundown on November 1st and has left its mark on later Christian Halloween . Legend has it that Mongfind turned into a goddess of sorcery. In fact, she probably only bore the name of the pagan goddess who was worshiped at Samhain. Even with this act Mongfind did not achieve her goal, since after the death of her brother, who is given as 368 or 376 depending on the source, not one of her sons, but Niall Noigiallach, the son of Cairenn, the concubine of her husband who she hated, Became High King of Ireland.
Marriage and offspring
According to Irish tradition, Eochaid had two wives. In his first marriage he was married to Mongfind (fair hair), a sister of Crimthann mac Fidaig, King of Munster .
Second marriage (or relationship) to Cairenn Chasdub (Cairenn the Black Curly), who is described in legend as a daughter of Sacheil Balb, King of the Anglo-Saxons, but who was probably of Roman-Celtic origin.
Children from 1st marriage:
According to Irish tradition, the first three sons are the progenitors of the three "Connachta" dynasties that ruled the province of Connacht in the Middle Ages.
- Brión mac Echach Muigmedóin, King of Connacht, ancestor of the Ui Briúin dynasty, who ruled Connacht for a thousand years and who established Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobar in 1168, a high king of Ireland.
- Ailill mac Echach Muigmedóin, ancestor of the Uí nAilello dynasty of Connacht, which soon lost its importance
- Fiachrae mac Echach Muigmedóin, progenitor of the Ui Fiachrach dynasty in Connacht, which alternated with the Ui Briúin dynasty in the rule of Connacht.
- Fergus mac Echach Muigmedóin, his descendants were irrelevant
Child from 2nd marriage:
- Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the nine hostages), ancestor of the most important family in Ireland, the Uí Néill , who - divided into a northern and a southern line - dominated Irish politics for centuries as kings of two sub-kingdoms and as high kings.
Individual evidence
- ^ Francis J. Byrne "Irish Kings and High-Kings" Appendix II Genealogical Tables, Plate 1 Connachta and Uí Néill
- ^ RA Stewart MacAlister (ed. & Trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, pp. 345–347
- ^ Francis J. Byrne op. Cit. P. 76
- ↑ Wiki in English: Article Eochaid Mugmedon
- ↑ Lebor Gabála Érenn http://www.ucc.ie/celt/LGDF.pdf
- ↑ "The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon" Tom Peete Cross & Clark Harris Slover (Editor), "The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon" , Ancient Irish Tales , 1936, pp 508-513
- ^ TF O'Rahilly, Early Irish History and Mythology, 1946, chapter 12
- ↑ John Morris, "The Age OF Arthur; A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650 ", p. 157; Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London 1973/1989, ISBN 0-297-17601-3
- ↑ Annals of the four masters for the year 357 and 365 [1]
- ^ Daniel P. McCarthy, The Chronology of the Irish Annals
- ↑ Annals of the Four Masters p. 127 for the year 379 [2]
- ↑ John Morris, op. Cit. P. 157
swell
- The Adventures of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon [3]
- The death of Crimthann son of Fidach [4]
- Geoffrey Keating , Foras feasa ar Éirinn 1.47
- Lebor Gabála Érenn (The Book of the Conquest of Ireland (Index)) [5]
- Annals of the Four Masters (English) [6]
literature
- Francis J. Byrne: Irish Kings and High-Kings. Four Courts Press, Dublin 1973/2001, ISBN 1-85182-552-5
- John Morris: The Age OF Arthur; A History of the British Isles from 350 to 650. p. 157, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London 1973/1989, ISBN 0-297-17601-3
- Charles-Edwards, TM (2000): Early Christian Ireland. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
- Thomas Francis O'Rahilly : Early Irish History and Mythology. 1946
- Daniel P. McCarthy: The Chronology of the Irish Annals.
See also
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Cóelbad |
Hochkönig of Ireland 357–365 and 344–351 |
Niall Noigiallach |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Mugmedón, Eochaid |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | High King of Ireland |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 4th century |
| DATE OF DEATH | between 351 and 365 |
| Place of death | Tare |