NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Niall of the Nine Hostages

Niall of the Nine Hostages (Irish: Niall Noigíallach) was a High King of Ireland who was active in the early-to-mid 5th century, dying - according to the latest estimates - around 450-455. He is said to have made raids on the coastlines of Britannia and Gaul: according to some hagiographical sources, he is said to have kidnapped Saint Patrick and brought him to Ireland as a boy during these raids. Although the traditional list of those bearing the title High King of Ireland (Irish: Ard RÃ Ã‰irinn) goes back thousands of years, into the second millennium BC, most scholars believe that the earlier parts of the list, at least, are largely mythical. ... // Overview Events Romulus Augustus, Last Western Roman Emperor 410: Rome sacked by Visigoths 452: Pope Leo I allegedly meets personally with Attila the Hun and convinces him not to sack Rome 439: Vandals conquer Carthage At some point after 440, the Anglo-Saxons settle in Britain. ... Events August 25 - Marcian proclaimed Eastern Roman Emperor by Aspar and Pulcheria. ... Events June 2 - Gaiseric leads the Vandals into Rome and plunder the city for two weeks. ... Britannia, the British national personification. ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin Gallia, Greek Galatia) was the region of Western Europe occupied by present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... Hagiography is the study of saints. ... Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (386â€“March 17, 493, see below) was a missionary and is regarded as the patron saint of Ireland (along with Saint Brigid and Saint Columba). ...

The fourth and youngest son of Eochaid Mugmedon, an Irish High King, and Cairenn, the enslaved daughter of a British king, he was the eponymous ancestor, through his sons Conall Gulban, Endae, Eogan, Coirpre, Lóegaire, Maine of Tethba, Conall Cremthainne and Fiachu Fiachrach, of the Uí Néill dynasties. Eochaid Mugmedon (slave-lord) was a semi-historical High King of Ireland of the 4th century who was said to be the ancestor of many of Irelands most significant dynasties, such as the Connachta and the Ui Néill. ... Conall Gulban, son of Niall NoÃgiallach, was an Irish king founded the kingdom of TÃr Chonaill in modern County Donegal in the 5th century. ... Eogan, son of Niall Noígiallach, was an Irish king founded the kingdom of Tír Eógan (modern County Tyrone) in the 5th century. ... Cairbre (Cairpre, Coirpre) is a popular medieval Irish name borne by several historical and mythological figures, including: Cairbre, son of Ogma, poet and satirist of the Tuatha Dé Danann Cairbre Nia Fer, legendary king of Tara Cairbre Cuanach, legendary Ulster warrior Cairbre Cinnchait, legendary 1st century usurper High King of... LÃ³egaire (Loeguire, LÃ¡egaire, Laoghaire, sometimes anglicised as Leary), son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. ... Maine of Tethba or Maine mac Néill, a supposed son of Niall Noigiallach. ... Conall Cremthainne was an Irish king. ... The UÃ NÃ©ill (Irish for descendants of Niall UÃ pronounced Ee: ) were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. ...

Sources

The sources for the details of Niall's life are genealogies of historical kings; the "Roll of Kings" section of the Lebor Gabála Érenn; Irish annals such as the Annals of the Four Masters and chronicles such as Seathrún Céitinn's Foras Feasa ar Éirinn; and legendary tales like The Adventure of the Sons of Eochaid Mugmedon and The Death of Niall of the Nine Hostages. Genealogy is the study and tracing of family pedigrees. ... Lebor GabÃ¡la Ã‰renn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages. ... Annals are a form of historical writing which record events year by year. ... Signature page from the Annals of the Four Masters Entry for A.D. 432 The Annals of the Four Masters or the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history. ... SeathrÃºn CÃ©itinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish clergyman, poet and historian. ...

Early life

According to legend, Niall was the son of the High King Eochaid Mugmedon and his second wife, Cairenn, daughter of Sachell Balb, king of Britain. When Cairenn became pregnant, Eochaid's first wife, Mongfind, was consumed with jealousy and made Cairenn do heavy work in the hope of forcing her to miscarry. Out of fear of Mongfind, Cairenn exposed her baby, but he was rescued and fostered by Torna the poet. Niall returned to Tara as an adult and rescued his mother from the heavy labour Mongfind had imposed on her. Eochaid Mugmedon (slave-lord) was a semi-historical High King of Ireland of the 4th century who was said to be the ancestor of many of Irelands most significant dynasties, such as the Connachta and the Ui Néill. ... Queen Mongfind (fair mane) was the wife of the legendary Irish High King Eochaid Mugmedon and father of his eldest three sons, Brion, Ailill and Fiachrae. ... Miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is the natural or accidental termination of a pregnancy at a stage where the embryo or the fetus is incapable of surviving, generally defined at a gestation of prior to 20 weeks. ... Torna Hundred, or Torna härad, was a hundred of Scania in Sweden. ... The Hill of Tara, located near the River Boyne, is today a mound in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland, on which the grass has veiled the rich heritage of the country. ...

Mongfind demanded that Eochaid name a successor, hoping it would be one of her sons. Eochaid gave the task to a druid, Sithchenn, who devised a contest between the brothers, shutting them in a burning forge, telling them to save what they could, and judging them based on the objects with which they emerged. Niall, who emerged carrying an anvil, was deemed greater than Brion, with a sledgehammer, Fiachrae with bellows and a pail of beer, Ailill with a chest of weapons, and Fergus with a bundle of wood. Mongfind refused to accept the decision. In Celtic polytheism the word Druid denotes the priestly class in ancient Celtic societies, which existed through much of Western Europe north of the Alps and in the British Isles. ... Brion son of Eochaid Mugmedon, older half-brother of Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), was one of the three brothers whose descendants were known as the Connachta and who gave their name to the province of Connacht in the west of Ireland. ... In Irish mythology Ailill was king of Connacht and husband of Medb during the events of the Ulster Cycle. ... Fergus is a popular Irish and Scots Gaelic name meaning man-strength or virility. Some people called Fergus include: Fergus Lethderg (red-side or half-red), a son of Nemed who leads his people against the Fomorians in the Irish Mythological Cycle Fergus mac RÃ³ich, a character from the...

Sithchenn made the five brothers weapons and they went out hunting. Each brother in turn went looking for water, and found a well guarded by a hideous hag who demanded a kiss in return for water. Fergus and Ailill refused and returned empty-handed. Fiachra gave her a peck, but not enough to satisfy her. Only Niall kissed her properly, and she was revealed as a beautiful maiden, the Sovereignty of Ireland. She granted Niall not only water but the kingship for many generations. Fiachra was granted a minor royal line. After that, Mongfind's sons deferred to Niall.

This "loathly lady" motif appears in myth and folklore throughout the world. Variations of this story are told of the earlier Irish High Kings Lugaid Laigde and Conn Cétchathach, and recur in Arthurian legend. One of the most famous versions appears in both Geoffrey Chaucer's The Wife of Bath's Tale and the related Gawain romance, The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell. The "loathly lady" theme can also be found in the stories of Percival and the Holy Grail. The loathly lady is a common literary device used in medieval literature, most famously in Geoffrey Chaucers The Wife of Baths Tale. ... Lugaid Laigde, son of Eochaid mac Oiliolla, was a legendary High King of Ireland. ... Conn CÃ©tchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was a legendary High King of Ireland. ... The Matter of Britain is a name given collectively to the legends that concern the Celtic and legendary history of the British Isles, centering around King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. ... Chaucer: Illustration from Cassells History of England, circa 1902. ... The opening page of The Wife of Baths Tale from the Ellesmere manuscript of The Canterbury Tales, circa 1405-1410. ... Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Sir Gawain (Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthurs legendary Knights of the Round Table. ... In Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish, plate, cup or vessel used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers. ...

Another tale tells of Mongfind's attempt to poison Niall; she died after accidentally taking the poison herself.

King and High King

There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Noígiallach. The oldest is that he took a hostage from each of the nine tuatha or petty kingdoms of the Airgialla. The later, better known story is that he took a hostage from each of the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from the Scots, Saxons, Britons, and French (or one each from Dál Riata, Caledonia, Strathclyde and Northumbria). TÃºath (plural tÃºatha) is an Old Irish word, often translated as people, tribe or nation. TÃºath referred to both the people who lived in a shared territory, and the territory they controlled. ... Oriel (dervied from Irish orgialla meaning hostage of gold; also Airgialla, Uriel, Orgialla, Orgiall, Oryallia, Ergallia) was an ancient Irish kingdom. ... Ulster (Irish: CÃºige Uladh, IPA: ) forms one of the four provinces of Ireland. ... Connaught redirects here. ... Leinster (IPA: ; Irish: Laighin or Laigin, IPA: ), one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. ... Munster (Irish: An Mhumhain, IPA: ) is the southernmost province of Ireland, comprising the counties of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary and Waterford. ... Meath (An Mhí in Irish) is a county in the Republic of Ireland, the county is often informally called The Royal County. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Scoti. ... The Saxons or Saxon people are part of the German people with its main areas of settlements in the German Federal States of Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and the northern part of North-Rhine-Westphalia. ... The term Briton may have the following meanings: in a historical context: an inhabitant of Great Britain in pre-Roman times a descendant of Britons during a later period (e. ... Dalriada or DÃ¡l Riata was the kingdom of the Scotti, who spread from the Kingdom of Oriel to Argyll and eventually gave their name to Scotland. ... Caledonia is an old Latin name (given by the Roman Empire) for a region corresponding approximately to the part of modern-day Scotland north of a line between the estuaries of the rivers Forth and Clyde. ... Strathclyde (Welsh: Ystrad Clud) was one of the kingdoms of ancient Scotland in the post-Roman period. ... Section from Shepherds map of the British Isles about 802 AD showing the kingdom of Northumbria Northumbria is primarily the name of a petty kingdom of Angles which was formed in Great Britain at the beginning of the 7th century, and of the much smaller earldom which succeeded the...

Irish sources describe Niall's expeditions to Britain and France, and his reign, as given in the Irish Annals, is roughly contemporaneous with the foundation of Dál Riata in Scotland by Irish migrants and the raids by "Scots" on late Roman and sub-Roman Britain. An number of Irish annals were compiled up to and shortly after the end of Gaelic Ireland in the 17th century. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... Scotti was the generic name(a latinized version of the gaelic Sgaothaich) given by the Romans to Gaelic raiders from Ireland. ... Principal sites in Roman Britain Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between 43 and 410. ... Sub-Roman Britain is a term derived from an archaeologists label for the culture of Britain in Late Antiquity. ...

Niall and Saint Patrick

According to later tradition, during one of his many raids on Britain, Niall captured the future Saint Patrick and brought him in bondage to Ireland. Many years later Patrick succeeded in escaping to Britain, but he eventually returned to Ireland and played an important early role in the conversion of the Irish to Christianity. Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (386â€“March 17, 493, see below) was a missionary and is regarded as the patron saint of Ireland (along with Saint Brigid and Saint Columba). ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, known by Christians as Jesus Christ, as recounted in the New Testament. ...

Death

The traditional date for Niall's death is ca. 405, but many modern historians prefer a later date, about 450 or 455. There are various traditions regarding the circumstances of his death. The earliest has him dying at sea in the English Channel, at the hands of the Leinster king Eochaid mac Enna, as he was attempting a raid on Armorica (modern Brittany) in Roman Gaul. Other sources say he died in battle against the Picts in Scotland, or even in the Alps. All traditions agree that he died outside of Ireland. According to legend his followers carried his body back to Ireland, fighting seven battles along the way, and whenever they carried Niall's body before them they were unbeatable. // Events Japanese court officially adopts the Chinese writing system (approximate date). ... Events August 25 - Marcian proclaimed Eastern Roman Emperor by Aspar and Pulcheria. ... Events June 2 - Gaiseric leads the Vandals into Rome and plunder the city for two weeks. ... Satellite view of the English Channel Map of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche (IPA: ) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... Leinster (IPA: ; Irish: Laighin or Laigin, IPA: ), one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of Carlow, Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Laois, Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow. ... Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast. ... Traditional coat of arms This article is about the historical kingdom, duchy and French province, as well as one of the Celtic Nations . ... Map of Gaul circa 58 BC Gaul (Latin Gallia, Greek Galatia) was the region of Western Europe occupied by present day northern Italy, France, Belgium, western Switzerland and the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the west bank of the Rhine river. ... The Pictish Strathpeffer eagle stone, Highland, Scotland. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 kmÂ² 1. ... The West face of the Petit Dru above the Chamonix valley near the Mer de Glace. ...

Descendants

The Northern and Southern Uí Néill dynasties, which provided most of the High Kings for centuries, descended from Niall. Other famous descendants include Saint Columba, Niall's great-great grandson. Another reported descendant was Sir William Johnson. The UÃ NÃ©ill (Irish for descendants of Niall UÃ pronounced Ee: ) were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. ... A separate article is titled Columba (constellation). ... Sir William Johnson (1715-1774) was an English pioneer and soldier in the colonial New York, and the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1755-1774. ...

In addition to these illustrious figures, several Scottish clans, including Clan MacNeil and the Clan MacLachlan, claim descent from Niall. The Clan MacNeil of Barra is the oldest Scottish clan: it can trace ancestry back to king Niall of the Nine Hostages in Ireland in 379AD. The clan chief lives in Kisimul Castle: although the castle was at one time sold to raise money to pay off debts, and allowed...

In January 2006, scientists suggested that Niall may have been the most fecund male in Irish history, and second only to Genghis Khan worldwide. In northwest Ireland as many as one-fifth of men have a common Y chromosome haplotype that lies within the haplogroup R1b. January 2006 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- â†’ 31 January 2006 (Tuesday) U.S. President George W. Bush delivers the State of the Union Address to a joint session of the U.S. Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate). ... Genghis Khan (c. ... The human Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes, it contains the genes that cause testis development, thus determining maleness. ... A haplotype, a contraction of the phrase haploid genotype, is the genetic constitution of an individual chromosome. ... A haplogroup is a large group of haplotypes, which are series of alleles at specific locations on the chromosome. ... In human genetics, Haplogroup R1b (M343) (previously called Hg1 and Eu18) is the most frequent Y-chromosome haplogroup in Europe. ...

This haplotype was shown to be especially common among family names which claim a descent from Niall. [1]

The profile (also see Genetic Results List): This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

Family tree

Conn CÃ©tchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was a legendary High King of Ireland. ... Art mac Cuinn, aka Art Óenfer (the lone or solitary - he was the only one of his fathers many children to survive to adulthood), was a legendary High King of Ireland of the 2nd century. ... Cormac Mac Airt is probably the most famous of the ancient kings of Ireland, and is now thought to have been an authentic historical king. ... Cairbre Lifechair (lover of the Liffey), son of Cormac mac Airt, was a legendary High King of Ireland of the 3rd century. ... Muiredach Tirech, son of Fiacha Sraibhtine, was a legendary High King of Ireland of the 4th century. ... Eochaid Mugmedon (slave-lord) was a semi-historical High King of Ireland of the 4th century who was said to be the ancestor of many of Irelands most significant dynasties, such as the Connachta and the Ui Néill. ... Queen Mongfind (fair mane) was the wife of the legendary Irish High King Eochaid Mugmedon and father of his eldest three sons, Brion, Ailill and Fiachrae. ... Brion son of Eochaid Mugmedon, older half-brother of Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), was one of the three brothers whose descendants were known as the Connachta and who gave their name to the province of Connacht in the west of Ireland. ... The Connachta were a group of dynasties who claimed descent from the three eldest sons of Eochaid Mugmedon: Brion, Ailill and Fiachrae. ... Conall Gulban, son of Niall NoÃgiallach, was an Irish king founded the kingdom of TÃr Chonaill in modern County Donegal in the 5th century. ... Eogan, son of Niall Noígiallach, was an Irish king founded the kingdom of Tír Eógan (modern County Tyrone) in the 5th century. ... Cairbre (Cairpre, Coirpre) is a popular medieval Irish name borne by several historical and mythological figures, including: Cairbre, son of Ogma, poet and satirist of the Tuatha Dé Danann Cairbre Nia Fer, legendary king of Tara Cairbre Cuanach, legendary Ulster warrior Cairbre Cinnchait, legendary 1st century usurper High King of... LÃ³egaire (Loeguire, LÃ¡egaire, Laoghaire, sometimes anglicised as Leary), son of Niall of the Nine Hostages. ... Maine of Tethba or Maine mac Néill, a supposed son of Niall Noigiallach. ... Lughaid mac Loeguire, High King of Ireland, grandson of Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages). ... In Irish mythology and pseudohistory, Diarmaid mac Cearbhaill (Diarmait mac Cerbaill, Diarmuid mac Cerrbeóil, Dermot McKerval) of the southern Ui Néill clan was High King of Ireland ca. ... In Irish mythology and pseudohistory, Diarmaid mac Cearbhaill (Diarmait mac Cerbaill, Diarmuid mac Cerrbeóil, Dermot McKerval) of the southern Ui Néill clan was High King of Ireland ca. ... Events June 8 - St. ... Events Belisarius is sent back to Italy to once more fight the Ostrogoths who have been making reconquests in the area. ... Events January 22 - Eutychius is deposed as Patriarch of Constantinople by John Scholasticus. ... The UÃ NÃ©ill (Irish for descendants of Niall UÃ pronounced Ee: ) were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. ... The UÃ NÃ©ill (Irish for descendants of Niall UÃ pronounced Ee: ) were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. ... Crimthann, son of Fidach, was a legendary king of Munster and High King of Ireland of the 4th century. ... The High Kingship of Ireland was a pseudohistorical construct of the eighth century AD, a projection into the distant past of a political entity that did not become reality until the ninth century. ... Signature page from the Annals of the Four Masters Entry for A.D. 432 The Annals of the Four Masters or the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history. ... Events Battle of the Willows, Roman troops fight an inconclusive battle against the Visigoths under Fritigern Births Deaths Tuoba Shi Yi Jian King of Dai Categories: 377 ... // Events Japanese court officially adopts the Chinese writing system (approximate date). ... SeathrÃºn CÃ©itinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish clergyman, poet and historian. ... Events Earthquake in Nicaea Births Deaths Categories: 368 ... Events After the death of emperor Theodosius I, the Roman Empire is divided in an eastern and a western half. ... DathÃ, also known as Nath Ã, son of Fiachrae, son of Eochaid Mugmedon, was a legendary king of Connacht and High King of Ireland of the 4th century or 5th century. ...

Sources

Categories: 455 deaths | The Connachta | High Kings of Ireland | Kings of Connacht | Ui Fiachrach | Royal families | History of Ireland | Mediaeval Gaels Lebor GabÃ¡la Ã‰renn (The Book of the Taking of Ireland) is the Middle Irish title of a loose collection of poems and prose narratives recounting the mythical origins and history of the Irish race from the creation of the world down to the Middle Ages. ... Signature page from the Annals of the Four Masters Entry for A.D. 432 The Annals of the Four Masters or the Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history. ... Seathrún Céitinn, known in English as Geoffrey Keating, was a 17th century Irish clergyman, poet and historian. ... The Times is a national newspaper published daily in the United Kingdom since 1785, and under the name The Times since 1788; it is the original Times newspaper. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Contents

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Early life

King and High King

Niall and Saint Patrick

Death

Descendants

Family tree

Sources

Sources