Blathmac mac Máele Cobo (died

670 __NOTOC__ Year 670 ( DCLXX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 670th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 670th year of the 1st millennium, t ...

) was a

Dál Fiatach Dál Fiatach was a Gaelic dynastic-grouping and the name of their territory in the north-east of Ireland during the Middle Ages. It was part of the over-kingdom of Ulaid, and they were its main ruling dynasty for most of Ulaid's history. Their ...

ruler of the over-kingdom of

Ulaid Ulaid (Old Irish, ) or Ulaidh (Modern Irish, ) was a Gaelic over-kingdom in north-eastern Ireland during the Middle Ages made up of a confederation of dynastic groups. Alternative names include Ulidia, which is the Latin form of Ulaid, and in ...

. He was the son of

Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai Máel Cobo mac Fiachnai (died 647) was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid. He was the son of Fiachnae mac Demmáin (died 627) and half-brother of Dúnchad mac Fiachnai (died c. 644), previous kings. He ruled from c. 644 to 647. The Dal Fiatach recovered ...

(died 647). He ruled from 647 to 670.

Background

The Dál Fiatach dominated the kingship of Ulster from 637 to 674. Family strife was a common theme among the dynasty at this time. His father was slain or killed by Blathmac's cousin

Congal Cennfota mac Dúnchada Congal Cennfota mac Dúnchada (died 674) was a Dal Fiatach king of Ulaid. He was the son of Dúnchad mac Fiachnai (died circa 644), a previous king. He ruled from 670 to 674. His nickname Cennfota means "Long-headed". The Dal Fiatach dominated th ...

in 647. The Irish annals mention Blathmac's death as king prior to Congal's with that title so it can be assumed that Blathmac acquired the title despite Congal's killing of his father. In 668 the Battle of Fertas (near

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingd ...

) was fought between the Ulaid and the Cruithne. Here, Cathussach mac Luirgéne, their king, was defeated and slain.AU 668.2; AT 666.6; Mac Niocaill, pg.101 Blathmac had seven sons including

Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic Bécc Bairrche mac Blathmaic (died 718) was king of Ulaid from 692 to 707 from the Dál Fiatach clan. He was the son of Blathmac mac Máel Cobha (died 670), a previous king. His byname Bairrche refers to the region of the Mourne Mountains in sout ...

, a king of Ulaid.

Notes

References

* ''Annals of Ulster'' a

a
University College Cork
* ''Annals of Tigernach'' a

a
University College Cork
* Byrne, Francis John (2001), ''Irish Kings and High-Kings'', Dublin: Four Courts Press, * Charles-Edwards, T. M. (2000), ''Early Christian Ireland'', Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, * Gearoid Mac Niocaill (1972), ''Ireland before the Vikings'', Dublin: Gill and Macmillan

External links

a
University College Cork
Kings of Ulster 670 deaths 7th-century Irish monarchs People from County Antrim Year of birth unknown {{Ireland-royal-stub

Background

Notes

See also

References

External links