Érimón
Top
Eremon, Érimón, Éireamhóin, Heremon, Erem
First Milesian (i.e. Goidelic) king of Ireland, who established his capital at Tara, according to the pseudo-history Lebor Gabála[Book of Invasions]. As one of the two most important sons, with Eber Finn, of Míl Espáine, Éremón takes a leading role in the Milesian conquest of Ireland, distinguishing himself in a defeat of the Tuatha Dé Danann at Tailtiu, as described in Altrom Tige Dá Medar. In victory, however, he enters into a dispute with his brother and ally, Eber Finn. The poet Amairgin arbitrates the division of Ireland between the brothers, choosing a border following the Eiscir Riada, a ridge of mounds between Galway Bay and Dublin; Eber takes the south with six chiefs and Éremón the north and seven chiefs. Unhappy with this settlement, Eber attacks Éremón but is killed by him. This leaves Éremón as the sole ruler of a united island, but the feud is thought to have been continued by their descendants. Éremón establishes his capital at the hill of Temair (see TARA), named for his wife Téa.
Perhaps because Éremón was cited in so many pedigrees and genealogies, the name, under different spellings, was borne by some later petty kings and noblemen. Éremón's uniting of the island led to his being compared to King David of Judea by exegetical medieval commentators. But modern commentators, especially those influenced by Georges Dumézil (1898–1986), find it more significant that Éremón, representing the north, acquires the whole island and the kingship.
Bibliography
- Georges Dumézil, Le Troisième Souverain (Paris, 1949), 167–86
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Érimón
Érimón,[1] (modern spelling: Éiremhón) son of Míl Espáine, according to medieval Irish legends and historical traditions, was one of the chieftains who took part in the Milesian invasion of Ireland, which conquered the island from the Tuatha Dé Danann, and one of the first Milesian High Kings.
Before coming to Ireland, he and his older brother Éber Donn were joint rulers of Spain. His great-uncle Íth made a peaceful expedition to Ireland, which he had seen from the top of a tower built by his father Breogan, but was killed by the three kings of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine, and in revenge the Milesians invaded in force, with Érimon and Éber Donn in command. They defeated the Tuatha Dé in the Battle of Tailtiu. Éber Donn had been killed, and the High Kingship was divided between Érimón in the north and his younger brother Éber Finn in the south.
Érimon had two wives, Odba, mother of Muimne, Luigne and Laigne, whom he left behind in Spain, and Tea, mother of Íriel Fáid, who accompanied him to Ireland, and died there. Tea gave her name to Tara, where she was buried - the Lebor Gabála Érenn explains its Old Irish tame Temair as "Tea mur", "Tea's Wall". Flann Da Congall was a descendant of Érimon, who had the son Cineth, who had the son Raighan leading to the noble O'Regan family.
A year after the Battle of Tailtiu, Éber Finn became unhappy with his half, fought a battle his brother at Airgetros, lost and was killed. Érimón became sole ruler of Ireland. He appointed kings of the four provinces. He gave Leinster to Crimthann Sciathbél of the Fir Domnann; Munster to the four sons of Eber Finn, Ér, Orba, Ferón and Fergna; Connacht to Ún and Étan, sons of Uicce; and Ulster to Eber mac Ír. During this time the Cruithne settled in Ireland. He ruled for fourteen, fifteen or seventeen further years, after which he died at Airgetros, and was succeeded by his sons Muimne, Luigne and Laigne, ruling jointly.[2]
Geoffrey Keating dates his reign from 1287-1272 BC,[3] the Annals of the Four Masters from 1700 to 1684 BC BC.[4]
References
- ^ Also spelled Éremón and Héremón
- ^ R. A. Stewart Macalister (ed. & trans.), Lebor Gabála Érenn: The Book of the Taking of Ireland Part V, Irish Texts Society, 1956, pp. 11-185
- ^ D. Comyn & P. S. Dinneen (ed .& trans.), The History of Ireland by Geoffrey Keating, Irish Texts Society, 1902-1914, Book 1 Chapters 21, 22, 23, 24
- ^ John O'Donovan (ed. & trans.), Annala Rioghachta Éireann: Annals of the kingdom of Ireland by the Four Masters, Dublin, 1848-1851, Vol. 1 pp. 25-35
See also
| Royal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine |
High King of Ireland (jointly with Eber Finn for the first year) AFM 1700-1684 BC FFE 1287-1272 BC |
Succeeded by Muimne, Luigne and Laigne |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Copyright © James MacKillop 1998, 2004. All rights reserved.
Read more
