Faelan Mack Colmine

The early years

Faëlan was one of the sons of the ruler of Leinster, Coleman Mara of the clan Wu Dunlinge ^{[3] [4] [5]} . The family lands of his family were in the Liffey River Valley ^[6] . The residence of the rulers of this small Leinster kingdom was in Maistiu (modern Mullagmaste ) ^[7] .

In medieval hagiographic literature, it is said that Kaineh, exiled by his stepmother, Queen Kaineh, from his home, was brought up by Saint Kevin Glendalohsky . Learning about where her stepson found refuge, the queen ordered the destruction of Kevin’s cloister, but she was never able to do so. The legend says that for the intention to commit such sacrilege, Kainekh suffered the punishment of God: she soon died, falling from a high cliff near the Glendaloh monastery ^[8] . This legend is the memory of the Leinster authors about the long-term patronage that the rulers of Wu Dunling turned out to be the Glendaloh Monastery. It is known that Faelan’s brother, Aed the Black , and his nephew Engus mak Aedo Finn were , which further strengthened the power of the kings of Wu Dunlinge over the lands subject to these bishops ^{[9] [10]} . In the Irish sagas, the story of the exile of Phaelan is conveyed differently. It is reported that Faelan was sent by Coleman More to the protection of St. Kevin, when his wife decided to kill her stepson, that the king expelled Kainek in anger, and that she died of grief in the village of Sliab Maig ^[8] .

The first mention of Faelan poppy Colmain in the Irish annals dates back to 628, when King Wu Hennselhaig (South Leinster) Krundmael Bol Luata fell in battle with him at the Duma Airhir ^{[9] [11] [12]} . Perhaps he was assisted in the war by King Meade Conall Gutbinn of the Clann Holmain clan, whose sister Faael was married to ^[8] . In the annals' records of this event, Faëlan is referred to as the king of all Leinster, but it is likely that he should receive this title later. It is assumed that in 628, Faëlan was still only the ruler of the small kingdom of Wu Dunling, located in North Leinster ^[9] .

King of Leinster

In 633, Faelan Mack Colmain and his allies, King of Munster Faylbe Flann and ruler Mede Conall Gutbinn, defeated the Leinster king of the Wye Mile Krimtann Mack Aedo battlefield at At Goan (west of Liffey). The ruler of Leinster fell on the battlefield ^{[8] [13] [14]} . Probably, the goal of the coalition members was the overthrow of King Krimtann, patronized by their enemy, the supreme king of Ireland, Domnall poppy Aedo ^[15] . From this date, Faëlan is mentioned in the annals as the king of Leinster ^[16] .

One of the Munster treatises claims that King Feilbe Flann paid the Leinster tribute to Wu Neillam , but F. D. Byrne rejected this evidence as a reflection of the later Munster claim to power over “half of the Moog” (Southern Ireland) ^[9] .

In Flan Meinistrech ’s poem, “ Síl Aeda Sláne na Sleg ”, written in the 11th century and preserved in the Leinster Book , it is reported that the co-regents of Brega Kongal mak Aedo Slane and Ailil Harper died in the battle of At Goan, intervening in the internecine war in Leinster. Their winners are Faelan Mack Colmine and Conall Gutbinn ^[17] . However, according to the annals, the rulers of Breguy died in the battle of Loch Tretin in Fremainne (modern Loch Dretin near Frevine Hill in Westmeath ), fighting the army of King Meade. These historical sources date the death of the kings of Kongal and Aylil in the year 634 and do not mention the participation of Leinsters in the battle ^[18] .

In 645 and 647, Faelan Mack Colmain waged war against the ruler Wu Hennseligig Kolgu Bolg Luata . In the annals there are no details about the causes and progress of this conflict. It is only known that King Kolgu died in battle in 647, but who was his winner is not indicated ^{[19] [20]} .

In 660, King Osraig Faelan mack Krundmayl died in a battle with Faëlan poppy Colmain ^[20] . This is the third major victory Phaelan won over his enemies. All of them contributed to the strengthening of the authority of his family Wu Dunlinge, which became the most influential force of Leinster ^[8] .

In the Irish saga " Boroma " it is reported that the high king of Ireland Sehnussah poppy Blatmike from Seil Aedo Slane, who first ascended the throne in 665, first demanded that Faelan poppy Colmain pay him the traditional cattle , and then, when he refused to do so, he invaded with a large army to Leinster. Despite the fact that in his army there were detachments from the kingdoms of Brega , Kenel Conayl , Aileh and Ayrgialla , the Sechnusses in the battle at Lerg Mna Fin were defeated by the Leinster army led by King Faëlan and had to flee the battlefield ^[21] .

In The Leinster Book, Faelan Mack Colmain is endowed with thirty years of reign ^[22] . Presumably, the evidence of his death in the annals in 666 ^{[23] is} based on this or a similar royal list ^[9] . It is likely that Faelan died of the plague , the epidemic of which swept Ireland in 664–666 ^{[8] [20]} . At the same time, it is believed that Faëlan could have died earlier than this date, for example, no later than 656, when in reports of the death of Krundmael Erbuylka he is referred to as King of Leinster ^[9] . Probably, the rapid rise of the Wu Dongling clan was facilitated by an allied bond with the rulers of Klann Holmain, who thereby hoped to put pressure on their opponents from the Aedo Slan Forces ^[24] . Faelan's successor on Leinster’s throne was Fianamail poppy Mael Tuile of the Wye Mile family ^[25] .

Family

Most of the rulers of Leinster in the 7th – 11th centuries belonged to the descendants of King Faelan, Mack Colmain ^{[3] [4]} .

It is known about the two spouses Faelan poppy Colmain. One of them was Sarnat ingen Ehah, who belonged to the Leinster septa Fotirt Fea, who had close ties with the bishops of Kildare ^{[8] [24]} . In this marriage, Faelan had a son, Conall, the father of the Leinster king Bran Mut ^{[3] [4] [5]} . Faelan's other wife was Wasal (died 643), the daughter of King Mede Suibne, Mack Colmain, and thus Conall Gutbinn's sister ^{[8] [24] [26]} .

• Byrne F. D. Kings and supreme rulers of Ireland. - SPb. : Eurasia , 2006 .-- 368 p. - ISBN 5-8071-0169-3 .
• Charles-EdwardsTM Early Christian Ireland . - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press , 2000 .-- 728 p. - ISBN 978-0-5213-6395-2 .
• Mac Niocaill G. Ireland before the Vikings . - Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1972 .-- 172 p.