Tigernmas
Encyclopedia
Tigernmas, son of Follach, son of Ethriel, a descendant of Érimón, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical traditions, an early High King of Ireland
. His name means either "Lord of Death" or "Beautiful Lord" in Old Irish.
According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn
he became king when he overthrew his predecessor Conmáel
in the Battle of Óenach Macha, and within a year of his accession had won twenty-seven battles against the descendants of Eber Finn
, almost completely destroying Eber's line. It is said that during his reign gold was first smelted in Ireland, by the wright Iuchadán. Tigernmas was the first king to give drinking-horns to his followers, and the first to have clothes dyed purple, blue and green and decorated with brooches, fringes and ornaments. Seven lakes and three rivers burst from the ground during his reign. After reigning for seventy-seven years (or 100 years according to the Book of Fenagh, P 23), he and three-quarters of the men of Ireland died on Magh Slécht
while worshipping Crom Cruach
, a cruel deity propitiated with human sacrifice. According to the Annals of the Four Masters
, Ireland was without a High King for seven years after his death, before Eochaid Étgudach
took the kingship.
The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the deaths of Thineas and Decylas, kings of Assyria
, and the reigns of David
and Solomon
in Israel; the Laud Synchronisms with the Judea
n kings Asa
and Jehoshaphat
and the Assyrian king Pertiades (Pyriatides). The Annals of the Four Masters
dates his reign to 1621-1544 BC; Geoffrey Keating
to 1209-1159 BC.
High King of Ireland
The High Kings of Ireland were sometimes historical and sometimes legendary figures who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over the whole of Ireland. Medieval and early modern Irish literature portrays an almost unbroken sequence of High Kings, ruling from Tara over a hierarchy of...
. His name means either "Lord of Death" or "Beautiful Lord" in Old Irish.
According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn
Lebor Gabála Érenn is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages...
he became king when he overthrew his predecessor Conmáel
Conmael
Conmáel, son of Éber Finn, according to medieval Irish legend and historical traditions, became High King of Ireland when he killed Ethriel, son of Íriel Fáid, in the Battle of Rairiu. He was the first Milesian High King to have been born in Ireland, and the first to have been based in Munster...
in the Battle of Óenach Macha, and within a year of his accession had won twenty-seven battles against the descendants of Eber Finn
Eber Finn
Éber Finn , son of Míl Espáine, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland and one of the founders of the Milesian lineage, to which medieval genealogists traced all the important Gaelic royal lines.According to the Lebor Gabála Érenn, the ancestors of...
, almost completely destroying Eber's line. It is said that during his reign gold was first smelted in Ireland, by the wright Iuchadán. Tigernmas was the first king to give drinking-horns to his followers, and the first to have clothes dyed purple, blue and green and decorated with brooches, fringes and ornaments. Seven lakes and three rivers burst from the ground during his reign. After reigning for seventy-seven years (or 100 years according to the Book of Fenagh, P 23), he and three-quarters of the men of Ireland died on Magh Slécht
Magh Slécht
Magh Slécht is the name of an historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony of Tullyhaw and County of Cavan. It is bounded on the north by Templeport Lough, on the east by Slieve Rushen mountain,...
while worshipping Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach or Cromm Crúaich , also known as Cenn Cruach /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠuəxˠ/ or Cenncroithi /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠoθʲɨ/, was a deity in pre-Christian Ireland, reputedly propitiated with human sacrifice, whose worship is said to have been ended by St...
, a cruel deity propitiated with human sacrifice. According to the Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
, Ireland was without a High King for seven years after his death, before Eochaid Étgudach
Eochaid Étgudach
Eochaid or Eochu Étgudach or Etgedach son of Dáire Doimthech, a descendant of Lugaid mac Ítha, nephew of Míl Espáine, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland...
took the kingship.
The Lebor Gabála synchronises his reign with the deaths of Thineas and Decylas, kings of Assyria
Assyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
, and the reigns of David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
and Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
in Israel; the Laud Synchronisms with the Judea
Judea
Judea or Judæa was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BCE to the 2nd century CE, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt.-Etymology:The...
n kings Asa
Asa of Judah
Asa was the third king of the Kingdom of Judah and the fifth king of the House of David. He was the son of Abijam, grandson of Rehoboam, and great-grandson of Solomon. The Hebrew Bible gives the period of his reign as 41 years. His reign is dated between 913-910 BCE to 873-869 BCE. He was...
and Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat
Jehoshaphat was the fourth king of the The Kingdom of Judah, and successor of his father Asa. His children included Jehoram, who succeeded him as king...
and the Assyrian king Pertiades (Pyriatides). The Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
dates his reign to 1621-1544 BC; Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating
Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish Roman Catholic priest, poet and historian. He was born in County Tipperary c. 1569, and died c. 1644...
to 1209-1159 BC.