Background

Aed is one of a number of 11th century kings of Uí Maine who is obscure. According to John O'Donovan

John O'Donovan (scholar)

John O'Donovan , from Atateemore, in the parish of Kilcolumb, County Kilkenny, and educated at Hunt's Academy, Waterford, was an Irish language scholar from Ireland.-Life:...

, this seems to have been as a result both of historical confusion, and possibly genealogical re-ramification, where the pedigree of one branch of the Uí Maine was later treated as a king-list.

His place in the genealogical tree is uncertain, which reflects the tulmut in the kingdom, following the long reigns of Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh

Tadhg Mór Ua Cellaigh

-Background:Ua Cellaigh was the first King of Uí Maine to bear the surnmae Ua Cellaigh, derived from his grandfather, Ceallach mac Finnachta, who was in turn a sixth-generation descendant of Eoghan Finn, a descendant of the first king, Maine Mór...

 (986

986

Year 986 was a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar.- Europe :* March 2 – Louis V becomes King of the Franks....

-1014) and his son, Concobar mac Tadg Ua Cellaig (1014-1030). He is called Aed mac maic Taidhg h-Úi Cellaig but it is unclear which Taidhg is meant.

The state of Uí Maine

By the 1130s, the kingdom was a vassal state of Tairrdelbach Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht

Connacht

Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...

.

One of the few, albeit indirect, references to the kingdom during Aed's reign was the battle of Caill Cobhtaigh in 1131:

The battle of Caill-Cobhthaigh was gained over the Sil-Muireadhaigh by the people of Upper Connaught, the former having come on a predatory excursion into Munster; and both parties having engaged through mistake, the Sil-Muireadhaigh left their spoils behind.

Upper Connacht in this sense means south Connacht,which comprised almost the entire of Uí Maine.

Warfare in 1132

In 1132, Máenmaige

Máenmaige

Máenmaige was a originally a kingdom, later termed a trícha cét, and in Anglo-Norman times a cantred, which formed the barony of Loughrea.-Early historic rulers:It was first under the control of Ui Fhiachrach Fionn, and later by the Uí Maine...

, the western-most section of the kingdom, was "plundered by Conchobhar ua Briain, who carried off many cows." He may have attended the conference of Abhall Chethernaigh in his capacity as a vassal

Vassal

A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...

, where "Toirdhealbhach Ua Conchobhair and Conchobhar Ua Briain, with the chiefs of the clergy of Connaught and Munster ... [made] a year's peace was made between them."

Aed died the same year died Muireadhach ua Flaithbheartach

Muireadhach ua Flaithbheartach

-Biography:The Annals of Inisfallen state 1027 - Muiredach Ua Flaithbertaig besieged Cathal, son of Ruaidrí, on Inis Crema in Loch Oirbsen, and divided his land despite him....

, King of Maigh Seóla

Maigh Seola

Maigh Seola was a term used to describe the land along the east shore of Lough Corrib in County Galway, Ireland. It was bounded by the Uí Maine vassal kingdom of Soghain. Its rulers up to the 1220s were the Muintir Murchada, who took the surname O'Flaherty...

. It is unknown if there were any connection between the two deaths - Muireadhach's kingdom bordered Maenmaige -, if as a result of ua Briain's attack, a succession dispute, or by other means.