Crimthann Nia Náir (nephew of Nár), son of
Lugaid Riab nDerg, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a
High King of Ireland
High King of Ireland ( ) was a royal title in Gaelic Ireland held by those who had, or who are claimed to have had, lordship over all of Ireland. The title was held by historical kings and was later sometimes assigned anachronously or to leg ...
. Lugaid is said to have fathered him on his own mother,
Clothru
Clothru was, according to medieval Irish legend, the daughter of Eochu Feidlech, a High King of Ireland, and the sister of queen Medb of Connacht and Ethniu. When her triplet brothers, the findemna, were fighting with their father Eochu Feidlech ...
, daughter of
Eochu Feidlech
Eochu or Eochaid Feidlech ("the enduring"), was a High King of Ireland, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions. He is best known as the father of the legendary queen Medb of Connacht.
Family
Eochu was son of Finn, son of ...
. Clothru was thus both his mother and his grandmother.
The ''
Lebor Gabála Érenn
''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of Ireland's Taking"; Modern Irish spelling: ''Leabhar Gabhála Éireann'', known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'') is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language inten ...
'' says he overthrew the High King
Conchobar Abradruad
Conchobar Abradruad ("red eyelashes"), son of Find File, son of Ros Ruad, son of Fergus Fairgge, son of Nuadu Necht, of the Laigin, was, according to medieval Irish legend and historical tradition, a High King of Ireland. He succeeded to the thro ...
, but does not say he became High King himself - Conchobar was succeeded by
Cairbre Cinnchait.
Geoffrey Keating
Geoffrey Keating (; – ) was an Irish historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became a Catholic priest and a poet.
Biography
It was generally believed unt ...
and the ''
Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
''
['']Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
'
M5192
/ref> agree that Crimthann succeeded Conchobar as High King and ruled for sixteen years. He is said to have gone on a voyage with his aunt Nár, a fairy woman, for a month and a fortnight, and returned with treasures including a gilded chariot, a golden '' fidchell'' board, a gold-embroidered cloak, a sword inlaid with gold serpents, a silver-embossed shield
A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry like spears or long ranged projectiles suc ...
, a spear
A spear is a polearm consisting of a shaft, usually of wood, with a pointed head. The head may be simply the sharpened end of the shaft itself, as is the case with Fire hardening, fire hardened spears, or it may be made of a more durable materia ...
and a sling which never missed their mark, and two greyhounds with a silver chain between them. Soon after he returned he fell from his horse and died at Howth
Howth ( ; ; ) is a peninsular village and outer suburb of Dublin, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes the ...
. Keating says he was succeeded by his son Feradach Finnfechtnach, the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' by Cairbre Cinnchait.
The ''Lebor Gabála'' places him in the reign of the Roman emperor Vespasian
Vespasian (; ; 17 November AD 9 – 23 June 79) was Roman emperor from 69 to 79. The last emperor to reign in the Year of the Four Emperors, he founded the Flavian dynasty, which ruled the Empire for 27 years. His fiscal reforms and consolida ...
(AD 69–79). The chronology of Keating's ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn'' dates his reign to 12 BC – AD 5, that of the ''Annals of the Four Masters
The ''Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland'' () or the ''Annals of the Four Masters'' () are chronicles of Middle Ages, medieval Irish history. The entries span from the Genesis flood narrative, Deluge, dated as 2,242 Anno Mundi, years after crea ...
'' to 8 BC – AD 9.
References
Legendary High Kings of Ireland
1st-century BC legendary monarchs
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