Elfin of Alt Clut
Encyclopedia
Elfin was a ruler of Alt Clut
, the Brythonic
kingdom later known as Strathclyde
, sometime in the later 7th century. According to the Harleian genealogies
, he was the son of Eugein I
, one of his predecessors as king, and the father of Beli II
, who ruled some time later. Very little is certainly known of him, though he may be identifiable with other figures attested in the Irish annals
, and circumstantial evidence may link him to a number of important events during this time.
as dying in 693 along with Bruide m. Bili (i.e. Bridei III of the Picts
). It is possible that this Nectin is Neithon of Alt Clut
, an earlier King of Alt Clut, and that the Harleian genealogies have Elfin's pedigree wrong. However, this identification would cause serious incongruities in the dating of the other kings of Alt Clut, as Neithon was the grandfather of Eugein I and is thought to have died around 620. Scholars such as Alfred P. Smyth suggest two Elfins, one the son of Eugein and one the son of Neithon. However, Alan MacQuarrie suggests that there was one Elfin, but that the Annals of Ulster have substituted the name of his great-grandfather Neithon for his father Eugein, an error perhaps reflecting importance attached to descent from Neithon.
James E. Fraser
suggests that Elfin may be further identified with the Eliuin m. Cuirp whose capture alongside Conamail son of Cano is recorded by the Annals of Ulster under the year 673. This reading takes m[ac] Cuirp as an error for moccu Irp, an Old Irish
equivalent of the Latin nepos Uerb. This patronymic, or perhaps gentilic, is attached to the King of the Picts Nechtan nepos Uerb, who may be identifiable with Neithon of Alt Clut and therefore have been Elfin's great-grandfather.
The Annals of Tigernach
report that in the year 678, the Dál Riata
n kindred known as the Cenél Loairn
, under Ferchar Fota
, were defeated by the Britons at a location called Tíriu. Elfin is the only candidate for the kingship of the Alt Clut Britons of the period, and so may have been responsible for the victory. If the 673 annal is taken to refer to Elfin he had apparently been active earlier in Dál Riata, in the year in which Domangart
, son of Domnall Brecc
, king of Cenél nGabráin, was killed. His fellow captive, Conamail, is thought to have been the son of Cano Garb – who gave his name to the protagonist of the romance Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
– of Cenél nGartnait, a kindred based in Skye
. Elfin may also have led the Britons who defeated the Cruthin
of Ulster
at Ráth Mór in Mag Line (a plain near modern Larne
) in 682, killing their king Cathassach
.
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
, the Brythonic
Britons (historical)
The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...
kingdom later known as Strathclyde
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
, sometime in the later 7th century. According to the Harleian genealogies
Harleian genealogies
The Harleian genealogies are a collection of Old Welsh genealogies preserved in British Library, Harleian MS 3859. Part of the Harleian Collection, the manuscript, which also contains the Annales Cambriae and a version of the Historia Brittonum, has been dated to c. 1100, although a date of c.1200...
, he was the son of Eugein I
Eugein I of Alt Clut
Eugein I was a ruler of Alt Clut , the kingdom later known as Strathclyde, sometime in the mid-7th century. According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Beli I, presumably his predecessor as king, and the father of Elfin, who ruled sometime later...
, one of his predecessors as king, and the father of Beli II
Beli II of Alt Clut
Beli II of Alt Clut was the ruler of Alt Clut for some period in the early eighth century. According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Elfin, one of his predecessors as king. We know from this genealogy that he was the father of Teudebur, his probably successor on the throne...
, who ruled some time later. Very little is certainly known of him, though he may be identifiable with other figures attested in the Irish annals
Irish annals
A number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century.Annals were originally a means by which monks determined the yearly chronology of feast days...
, and circumstantial evidence may link him to a number of important events during this time.
Identifications
Elfin may be identified with the Alphin m. Nectin listed in the Annals of UlsterAnnals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
as dying in 693 along with Bruide m. Bili (i.e. Bridei III of the Picts
Bridei III of the Picts
King Bridei III was king of Fortriu and overking of the Picts between 671 and his death in 693....
). It is possible that this Nectin is Neithon of Alt Clut
Neithon of Alt Clut
Neithon was a 7th-century ruler of Alt Clut, the Brittonic kingdom later known as Strathclyde . According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Guipno map Dumnagual Hen. Alfred Smyth suggests he is the same man as King Nechtan the Great of the Picts, and perhaps the Nechtan son of Canu...
, an earlier King of Alt Clut, and that the Harleian genealogies have Elfin's pedigree wrong. However, this identification would cause serious incongruities in the dating of the other kings of Alt Clut, as Neithon was the grandfather of Eugein I and is thought to have died around 620. Scholars such as Alfred P. Smyth suggest two Elfins, one the son of Eugein and one the son of Neithon. However, Alan MacQuarrie suggests that there was one Elfin, but that the Annals of Ulster have substituted the name of his great-grandfather Neithon for his father Eugein, an error perhaps reflecting importance attached to descent from Neithon.
James E. Fraser
James E. Fraser
James Earle Fraser is a Canadian historian and Picticist. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, and did masters work at the University of Guelph...
suggests that Elfin may be further identified with the Eliuin m. Cuirp whose capture alongside Conamail son of Cano is recorded by the Annals of Ulster under the year 673. This reading takes m[ac] Cuirp as an error for moccu Irp, an Old Irish
Old Irish language
Old Irish is the name given to the oldest form of the Goidelic languages for which extensive written texts are extant. It was used from the 6th to the 10th centuries, by which time it had developed into Middle Irish....
equivalent of the Latin nepos Uerb. This patronymic, or perhaps gentilic, is attached to the King of the Picts Nechtan nepos Uerb, who may be identifiable with Neithon of Alt Clut and therefore have been Elfin's great-grandfather.
The Annals of Tigernach
Annals of Tigernach
The Annals of Tigernach is a chronicle probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish....
report that in the year 678, the Dál Riata
Dál Riata
Dál Riata was a Gaelic overkingdom on the western coast of Scotland with some territory on the northeast coast of Ireland...
n kindred known as the Cenél Loairn
Loarn mac Eirc
Loarn mac Eirc was a legendary king of Dál Riata who may have lived in the 5th century.The Duan Albanach and the Senchus Fer n-Alban and other genealogies name Loarn's father as Erc son of Eochaid Muinremuir...
, under Ferchar Fota
Ferchar Fota
Ferchar Fota was probably king of the Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, and perhaps of all Dál Riata. His father is named as Feredach mac Fergusa and he was said to be a descendant in the 6th generation of Loarn mac Eirc....
, were defeated by the Britons at a location called Tíriu. Elfin is the only candidate for the kingship of the Alt Clut Britons of the period, and so may have been responsible for the victory. If the 673 annal is taken to refer to Elfin he had apparently been active earlier in Dál Riata, in the year in which Domangart
Domangart mac Domnaill
Domangart mac Domnaill was a king in Dál Riata and the son of Domnall Brecc. It is not clear whether he was over-king of Dál Riata or king of the Cenél nGabráin....
, son of Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc
Domnall Brecc was king of Dál Riata, in modern Scotland, from about 629 until 642...
, king of Cenél nGabráin, was killed. His fellow captive, Conamail, is thought to have been the son of Cano Garb – who gave his name to the protagonist of the romance Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin
The Scéla Cano meic Gartnáin is an Old Irish prose tale of the ninth century or later. It forms part of the Cycles of the Kings.It deals with the exile and return of Cano mac Gartnáin in sixth century Scotland...
– of Cenél nGartnait, a kindred based in Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
. Elfin may also have led the Britons who defeated the Cruthin
Cruthin
The Cruthin were a people of early Ireland, who occupied parts of Counties Down, Antrim and Londonderry in the early medieval period....
of Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. 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 administrative and judicial...
at Ráth Mór in Mag Line (a plain near modern Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
) in 682, killing their king Cathassach
Cathassach mac Máele Cáich
Cathassach mac Máele Cáich or Cathassach mac Máele Dúin was a Dal nAraide king of the Cruithne. He was the son of Máel Cáich mac Scannail , a previous king. He ruled from 681-682....
.