Milesians (Irish)
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In Irish mythology the Milesians or Sons of Míl Espáine were the final inhabitants of Ireland, and were believed to represent the Goidelic (or Gaelic) Celts.
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[edit] Myth
The Lebor Gabála (Book of Invasions - probably first written in the second half of the 11th century AD) describes the origin of the Gaelic people. They descended from Goídel Glas, a Scythian who was present at the fall of the Tower of Babel, and Scota, a daughter of a pharaoh of Egypt. Two branches of their descendants left Egypt and Scythia at the time of the Exodus of Moses, and after a period of wandering the shores of the Mediterranean arrived in the Iberian Peninsula, where they settled after several battles. One of them, Breogán, built a tower at a place called Brigantia (probably in the coast of Galicia, near A Coruña (Corunna), which was then "Brigantia" and where a Celtic tribe called "Brigantes" is attested in ancient times- see Tower of Hercules) from the top of which he, or his son Íth, first saw Ireland.[1]
Íth made the first expedition to Ireland, but was killed by the three kings of Ireland, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht, and Mac Gréine of the Tuatha Dé Danann. In revenge the eight sons of Íth's brother Míl Espáine (the "Soldier of Hispania", whose given name was Golam), led an invasion force to defeat the Tuatha Dé and conquer Ireland. The sons of Míl landed in County Kerry and fought their way to Tara. On the way, the wives of the three kings, Ériu, Banba and Fodla requested that the island be named after them: Ériu is the earlier form of the modern name Éire, and Banba and Fodla were often used as poetic names for Ireland, much as Albion is for Britain.
At Tara the sons of Míl met the three kings, and it was decreed that the invaders return to their ships and sail a distance of nine waves from Ireland, and if they were able to land again, Ireland would be theirs. They set sail, but the Tuatha Dé used magic to brew up a storm, in which five of the sons were drowned, leaving only Eber Finn, Eremon and Amergin the poet, to land and take the island. Amergin divided the kingship between Éremon, who ruled the northern half, and Éber Finn, the southern.[2]
[edit] Legacy
In the historical scheme proposed by T. F. O'Rahilly the descent of the kings of Ireland from the sons of Míl is a fiction intended to provide legitimacy for the Goidels, who invaded Ireland in the 1st or 2nd century BC, giving them the same ancient origin as the indigenous peoples they dominated. However, it has been argued[3] that the story is a much later invention of medieval Irish historians, inspired by their knowledge of the Seven Books of History Against the Pagans, written by the early 5th century Gallaecian cleric, Paulus Orosius. See also Early history of Ireland.
For centuries, the myth of the Míl Éspaine and the Milesians was used in Ireland to win and secure dynastic and political legitimacy. For example, in his Two bokes of the histories of Ireland (1571), Edmund Campion tried to use the myth to establish an ancient right of the British monarch to rule Ireland. In A View of the Present State of Ireland, Edmund Spenser accepted and rejected various parts of the myth both to denigrate the Irish of his day and to justify English colonisation of Ireland in the 1590s (at the height of the Anglo-Spanish war).[4]
Probably the last major outing for the myth was during the Contention of the bards, which appears to have rumbled on from 1616 to 1624. During this period poets from the north and south of the island extolled the merits of their respective peoples (Eremonians and Eberians), at the expense of the other side, and often descended to a pettiness that some contemporaries thought foolish. Finally, Geoffrey Keating's Foras Feasa ar Eirinn (written c.1634) used the myth to promote the legitimacy of the Stuart claim to royal authority in Ireland (related to the origin of the Lia Fáil), demonstrating that Charles I was descended, through Brian Ború, Éber and Galamh, from Noah and, ultimately, from Adam.[5]
There is a legend that Queen Scota's grave is in the Slive Mish mountains just outside Tralee in Co Kerry. The legend tells that Scota was the daughter of a pharaoh and was to marry the Irish king, but she fell from her horse and died. A large rock now covers her tomb marking the spot where she fell.[citation needed]
[edit] Terminology
Note: the term "Milesian" is an artificial English one, based on the name of the supposed ancestor, Míl. Any similarity to the term "Milesians" as applied to the ancient Greeks of Miletus is coincidental.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Lebor Gabála Érenn §1-25; Book of Leinster l. 240
- ^ Lebor Gabála Érenn §65-95
- ^ John Carey, "Did the Irish Come from Spain? The Legend of the Milesians", History Ireland (Autumn 2001) pp. 8-11.
- ^ Andrew Hadfield, "Briton and Scythian: Tudor representations of Irish origins", Irish Historical Studies 28 (1993) pp. 390-395.
- ^ Bernadette Cunningham, The World of Geoffrey Keating: history, myth and religion in 17th century Ireland (Dublin 2000).
| Preceded by Tuatha Dé Danann |
Mythical invasions of Ireland AFM 1700 BC FFE 1287 BC |
Succeeded by none |
[edit] Genealogy of the Milesian High Kings
Breogán
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_________________________|_________________________
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Bile Íth
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Galam Lugaid
(Míl) |
_______________________|___________________ _____|_____
| | | | | | | | |
Donn Eber Amergin Ír Colpa Arannan Eremon Eoinbric Mal
Finn | | | |
__________|_______ | ______________|____________ | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Ir Orba Fearon Ferga Eber Muimne Luigne Laigne Palap Irial Riaglan Edaman
| Fáith | |
_____________|______________ | | |
| | | | |
Ebric Conmael Eithrial Sithchenn Congal
_______________|______ | | | |
| | | | | | |
Airtre Cearmna Sobhairce Eochaid Follach Mairtine Dáire
| Faebar Glas | | |
| _______|_______ | | |
| | | | | |
Art Nuada Mofemis Tigernmas Rothlan Eochaid
| | | | | Étgudach
Sedna 1 Glas Eochaid Enboth Flann
| | Mumho | Ruadh
| | | | |
Fiacha Rossa Enna Smirgull Ailill
Finscothach | Airgthech | |
| | | |
Ollamh Roithechtaig Fiacha Fionn
Fodhla | Labhrainne |
________|_____________________ | | |
| | | | | | |
Finnachta Slanoll Gedhe Cairbre Fer Aengus Eochaid
| | Ollgothach | Arda Olmucada Apthach
Fiacha Ailill | | | |
Finnailches Bearnghal Labraid Cas Roitheachtaigh 1
| Clothach |
| | |
Bratha Muineamhón Dian
| | |
Fionn Faildeargdoid Sírna
| | |
Sirlám Cas Ailill
| Cétchaingnech Olchaoin
| | |
Airgeatmhar Failbe Giallchaidh
________________________________| | |
| | | | | |
Fomor Finntan Deman Badarn Roan Nuadat
| | | | | Finnfail
| | | | | |
Dub Cimbáeth Díthorba Áed Roitheachtaigh 2 Áedan
| Ruad | Glas
| | | |
Sithrige Macha Mong Ruad Elim Simeon
| Oillfinshneachta Breac
| |
Rudraige 2 Art
________|______________________________ Imleach
| | | | | |
Ginga Bresal Ross Congal Cas |
| Bódíbad Ruad Clairinech | Breisrigh
| | | |
Capa Connra Fachtna Sedna 2
| | Fáthach |
| | |
Fachtna Éllim Duach
| Finn
| __________|_____________
| | |
Cas Muireadach Enda
| Bolgrach Dearg
| ______________________| |
| | | |
Cas Fiacha Duach Lugaid
Trillsech Tolgrach Temrach Iardonn
| | ______|______ |
| | | | |
Amergin Duach Eochaid Conaing Eochaid
| Ladhgrach Fiadmuine Begeaglach Uaircheas
| | |
| | |
Conall Eochaid Lugaid
Cernach Buadach Lámdearg
| ______|______ |
| | | |
Irial Úgaine Badbchaid Art
Glunmar Mor |
| ____|_________________________ |
| | | |
Fiachna Lóegaire Cobthach Ailill
Finnamnas Lorc Cóel Breg Finn
| | | |
Muireadach Ailill Meilge Eochaid (Fir Bolg)
| Áine Molbthach | |
| | | | |
Finnchad Labraid Irereo Lugaid Rinnal
| Loingsech | Laigde Dagarmag
| | | | |
Giallchaidh Ailill Connla Rechtaid Erndolb
Fionn Bracan CáemCáem Rígderg |
| | | | |
Cathbad Aengus Ailill Cobthach Oiris
| Ollamh Caisfhiaclach Cáem Eclonnach
| | | | |
Rochruide Bresal Eochaid Mog Corb Luaigne
| Brec Ailtleathan | Laidcinn
| | _________|_____________ | |
| | | | | | |
Mal Fergus Aengus Ederscél Fiacha Fer Corb Tat
Fortamail Tuirmech Temrach Fer Mara | Tetmanach
| | | | | |
Fedlimid Enna Conall Ailill Adamair Dichun
Forthriun Aignech Collamrach Érainn | Uairidnach
| | | | |
Crimthann Labraid Feradach Nia Rudraige
Coscrach Lorc | Segamain |
| | | | |
Mog Art Blathacht Forga Innatmar Dubthach
| | | | |
Art Esamain Maine Lugaid Cairbre
| Eamna | Luaigne Cinnchait
| | | |
Elloit Rogen Airndil Cairbre
| Ruadh | Lusc
| | | |
Nuada Fionnloch Roithriun Duach
Fullon | | Dallta Dedad
| | |
Feradach Fionn Triun
Foglas ______|______ |
| | | |
Ailill Eochaid Eochaid Roisin
Glas Feidlech Airem |
| | |
Fiacha Findemna Sin
Foibric | _____|_____
| | | |
Bresal Lugaid Degaidh Eochaid
Brec Riab nDerg | |
| | | |
Lugaid Crimthann Iar Deitsin
Loithfinn Nia Náir | |
| | | |
Sedna Feradach Ailill Dluthach
Sithbac Finnfechtnach | |
| | |
Nuada Eogan Dáire
Necht | |
| | |
Fergus Ederscel Fiatach
Fairge | Finn
| | |
Rossa Conaire Fiacha
Ruadh Mor Finnfolaidh
| |
Fionn Tuathal
File Teachtmhar
| |
Conchobar Fedlimid
Abradruad Rechtmar
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Mog Corb Conn
| Cétchathach
Cú Corb
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Nia Corb
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Cormac
Gelta Gáeth
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Fedlimid
Firurglas
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Cathair
Mor
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- DNA shows Scots and Irish should look to Spain for their ancestry
- How did pygmy shrews colonize Ireland? Clues from a phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences.
- Celts descended from Spanish fishermen, study finds
- Common genetic ancestry in Britain and Ireland - Neolithics dominate the pool, but Celtic and Germanic influences may go back further than history suggests.
- The Irish Celts
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