Elfin of Alt Clut

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Elfin of Alt Clut (Mod. Elffin; O.En. Ælfwine; O.Ir. Alpín) was the ruler of Alt Clut (modern Dumbarton Rock), for sometime in the later seventh century. According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Eugein, one of his predecessors as king. According to the same pedigree, he was the father of Beli II.[1] The only notable historiographical fact about Elfin is the controversy over his identification with the Alphin m. Nectin listed as dying in 693 along with a certain Bruide m. Bili, (i.e. Bridei III of the Picts).[2] It is possible that this Necthan, is Neithon of Alt Clut, or some other Nechtan. However, the Annals of Ulster tells us nothing about Alphin other than his name and patronymic, and so they may be entirely different people. Otherwise, either Harleian or the Irish annals are wrong. The Annals of Tigernach reports that in the year 678, the Dál Riatan kindred known as the Cenél Loairn, under Ferchar Fota, were defeated by the Britons, at a location called Tíriu.[3] Elfin is the only candidate for the kingship of the Alt Clut Britons of the period, and so may have been responsible for the victory.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Harleian genealogy of the Kings of Alt Clut, here.
  2. ^ AU693.1, here
  3. ^ Annals of Tigernach, s.a. 678.4, here; the Annals of Ulster, s.a. 678.3 (here) also reports the "slaughter of the Cenél Loairn in Tíriu", but omits the opponents; see Kathleen Hughes, Early Christian Ireland: Introduction to the Sources, (London, 1972), p. 103.

[edit] References

  • Hughes, Kathleen, Early Christian Ireland: Introduction to the Sources, (London, 1972)
  • MacQuarrie, Alan, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 1-19

[edit] External links

Regnal titles
Preceded by
?Neithon		 King of Alt Clut
d. 693?		 Succeeded by
Dumnagual
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