Báetán mac Muirchertaig

Báetán mac Muirchertaig (died 572) [all dates per "The Chronology of the Irish Annals", Daniel P. McCarthy] also Baetán Bríge was an Irish king who is included in some lists as a High King of Ireland. He was the son of Muirchertach mac Muiredaig (died 534), also considered a high king. [T.M. Charles-Edwards, "Early Christian Ireland", Appendix V] He was a member of the Cenél nEógain branch of the northern Uí Néill. He ruled in Ailech from 566-572. [ he is given a reign of 6 years in the "Laud Synchronisms"]

The high kingship of Ireland rotated between the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill branches in the late 6th century. [Charles-Edwards, pg.494-495] . Báetán ruled jointly with his nephew Eochaid mac Domnaill (died 572) from 569. [they are given a reign of three years in the "Book of Leinster" and one year in the "Laud Synchronisms".] The middle Irish king lists have misplaced their reign putting it earlier than the annalistic tradition but other king lists have them in the correct order. [Charles-Edwards, pg.484-487] They are also omitted from the earliest list of Kings of Tara, the "Baile Chuind" (The Ecstasy of Conn), a late 7th century Irish poem. It is possible that the Ulaid king, Báetán mac Cairill (died 579), was the actual high king at this time. [Francis J.Byrne, "Irish Kings and High-Kings", pg.114]

In 572 the two kings were defeated and slain by Crónán mac Tigernaig, king of the Ciannachta of Glenn Geimin (Glengiven in modern County Londonderry). ["Annals of Ulster" AU 572.1; "Annals of Tigernach" AT 571.1]

Báetán's son, Colmán Rímid (died 604), was also high king of Ireland.

Notes

References

* "Annals of Ulster" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* "Annals of Tigernach" at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), Irish Kings and High-Kings, Dublin: Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-85182-196-9
* Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), "Early Christian Ireland", Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-36395-0
* [http://www.cs.tcd.ie/Dan.McCarthy/chronology/synchronisms/annals-chron.htm Revised edition] of McCarthy's synchronisms at Trinity College Dublin.

External links

* [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts] at [http://www.ucc.ie/ University College Cork]