Báetán mac Cairill
Encyclopedia
Báetán mac Cairill, was king of the Dál Fiatach
, and high-king of Ulaid
, from circa
572 until his death. He was the son of Cairell mac Muiredaig Muinderg
(died 532) and brother of Demmán mac Cairill (died 572), previous Kings of Ulaid. According to some sources, he was high-king of Ireland
.
Báetán sought to impose his authority over Dál Riata
in Scotland, and over the Isle of Man
. Medieval Ulster
genealogists describe him as rí
Érenn ocus Alban (king of Ireland and Scotland), and quote from a poem, now lost, which has him receiving tribute from Munster
, Connaught
, Skye and the Isle of Man. This is probably to overstate his power, and represents what it meant to be high-king in much later times, rather than in Báetán's day.
Báetán is said to have forced the king of Dál Riata
to pay homage to him at Rinn Seimne on Islandmagee
near Larne, modern County Antrim possibly in 574 or early 575. Áedán mac Gabráin
is thought to be the king in question, and Ulster sources say that Báetán collected tribute from Scotland. Báetán's power can best be judged by actions of his enemies, Áed mac Ainmuirech
of Northern Uí Néill
and Áedán mac Gabráin of Dál Riata. In 575, at Druim Cett, these two met and made an alliance, fostered by the future Saint Columba
, a member of the Cenél Conaill
like Áed, to oppose Báetán's attempts to increase his power by extending Dál Fiatach influence beyond the isle of Ireland.
The Annals of Ulster record an expedition of the Ulaid to the Isle of Man in 577 and their return in 578 in which Báetán imposed his authority on the island. In 582 after his death, the annals record the taking of Man by Áedán mac Gabráin.
Báetán was unable to achieve his ends, but he was not be the last king of the Ulaid to seek conquests and allies overseas. Fiachnae mac Báetáin
of the Dál nAraidi
would follow the same path in the 620s and Congal Cáech
in the 630s.
Báetán was married to a woman of the Ui Tuitre (a tribe of the Airgialla
west of Lough Neagh in modern County Tyrone) with whom he may have had an alliance. Báetán's descendants did not hold the kingship which became the monopoly of his brother's descendants, the Clan Demmáin. His sons were killed by their cousin Máel Dúin mac Fiachnai. This is recorded in the annals in the year 605 where it is said they were slain by their uterine brother.
Dál Fiatach
The Dál Fiatach were a group of related dynasties located in eastern Ulster in the Early Christian and Early Medieval periods of the history of Ireland.-Description:...
, and high-king of Ulaid
Ulaid
The Ulaid or Ulaidh were a people of early Ireland who gave their name to the modern province of Ulster...
, from circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
572 until his death. He was the son of Cairell mac Muiredaig Muinderg
Cairell mac Muiredaig Muinderg
Cairell mac Muiredaig Muinderg also Cairell Coscrach was a king of Ulaid from the Dal Fiatach. He was the son of Muiredach Muinderg mac Forggo and brother of Eochaid mac Muiredaig Muinderg , previous kings....
(died 532) and brother of Demmán mac Cairill (died 572), previous Kings of Ulaid. According to some sources, he was high-king of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Báetán sought to impose his authority over 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...
in Scotland, and over the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. Medieval 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...
genealogists describe him as rí
Rí
Rí, or very commonly ríg , is an ancient Gaelic word meaning "King". It is used in historical texts referring to the Irish and Scottish kings and those of similar rank. While the modern Irish word is exactly the same, in modern Scottish it is Rìgh, apparently derived from the genitive. The word...
Érenn ocus Alban (king of Ireland and Scotland), and quote from a poem, now lost, which has him receiving tribute from Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south 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 administrative and judicial purposes...
, Connaught
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...
, Skye and the Isle of Man. This is probably to overstate his power, and represents what it meant to be high-king in much later times, rather than in Báetán's day.
Báetán is said to have forced the king of 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...
to pay homage to him at Rinn Seimne on Islandmagee
Islandmagee
Islandmagee is a peninsula on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Larne and Carrickfergus. It is part of the Larne Borough Council area and is a sparsely populated rural community with a long history since the mesolithic period.As part of an...
near Larne, modern County Antrim possibly in 574 or early 575. Áedán mac Gabráin
Áedán mac Gabráin
Áedán mac Gabráin was a king of Dál Riata from circa 574 until his death, perhaps on 17 April 609. The kingdom of Dál Riata was situated in modern Argyll and Bute, Scotland, and parts of County Antrim, Ireland...
is thought to be the king in question, and Ulster sources say that Báetán collected tribute from Scotland. Báetán's power can best be judged by actions of his enemies, Áed mac Ainmuirech
Áed mac Ainmuirech
Áed mac Ainmuirech was high-king of the Northern Uí Néill. He belonged to the Cenél Conaill and was a distant cousin of Columba of Iona. He was the son of Ainmuire mac Sétnai , a previous possible high king....
of Northern Uí Néill
Uí Néill
The Uí Néill are Irish and Scottish dynasties who claim descent from Niall Noigiallach , an historical King of Tara who died about 405....
and Áedán mac Gabráin of Dál Riata. In 575, at Druim Cett, these two met and made an alliance, fostered by the future Saint Columba
Columba
Saint Columba —also known as Colum Cille , Colm Cille , Calum Cille and Kolban or Kolbjørn —was a Gaelic Irish missionary monk who propagated Christianity among the Picts during the Early Medieval Period...
, a member of the Cenél Conaill
Cenél Conaill
The Cenél Conaill is the name of the "kindred" or descendants of Conall Gulban, son of Niall Noígiallach defined by oral and recorded history. They were also known in Scotland as the Kindred of Saint Columba....
like Áed, to oppose Báetán's attempts to increase his power by extending Dál Fiatach influence beyond the isle of Ireland.
The Annals of Ulster record an expedition of the Ulaid to the Isle of Man in 577 and their return in 578 in which Báetán imposed his authority on the island. In 582 after his death, the annals record the taking of Man by Áedán mac Gabráin.
Báetán was unable to achieve his ends, but he was not be the last king of the Ulaid to seek conquests and allies overseas. Fiachnae mac Báetáin
Fiachnae mac Báetáin
Fiachnae mac Báetáin , also called Fiachnae Lurgan or Fiachnae Find, was king of the Dál nAraidi and high-king of the Ulaid in the early 7th century. He was a son of Báetán mac Echdach and brother of Fiachra Cáech Fiachnae mac Báetáin (died 626), also called Fiachnae Lurgan or Fiachnae Find, was...
of the Dál nAraidi
Dál nAraidi
Dál nAraidi was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland in the first millennium. The lands of the Dál nAraidi appear to correspond with the Robogdii of Ptolemy's Geographia, a region shared with Dál Riata...
would follow the same path in the 620s and Congal Cáech
Congal Cáech
Congal Cáech was a king of the Cruithne of Dál nAraidi, in modern Ulster, from around 626 to 637. He was king of Ulster from 627-637 and, according to some sources, High King of Ireland.-Sources:...
in the 630s.
Báetán was married to a woman of the Ui Tuitre (a tribe of the Airgialla
Airgíalla
Airgíalla or Airgialla was the name of an Irish federation and Irish kingdom which first formed around the 7th century...
west of Lough Neagh in modern County Tyrone) with whom he may have had an alliance. Báetán's descendants did not hold the kingship which became the monopoly of his brother's descendants, the Clan Demmáin. His sons were killed by their cousin Máel Dúin mac Fiachnai. This is recorded in the annals in the year 605 where it is said they were slain by their uterine brother.
External links
- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork
- The Corpus of Electronic Texts includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach, Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress