View source for Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{short description|8th-century King of Dál Riata}}
'''Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig''' was king of the [[Cenél Loairn]] and of [[Dál Riata]] (modern western [[Scotland]]) from about 733 until 736.

He was the son of [[Ainbcellach mac Ferchair]]. His coming to power is reported in 733, and is not obviously associated with the death of [[Eochaid mac Echdach]], the contemporary king of Dál Riata, in the [[Irish annals]]. It is not certain who preceded Muiredach as king of the Cenél Loairn, but it may have been his cousin [[Dúngal mac Selbaig]]. Muiredach is one of the kings named in the 11th-century praise poem ''[[Duan Albanach]]''.

It is likely that his reign ended as a result of his defeat at the hands of the [[Picts]] of [[Fortriu]], led by [[Talorgan mac Fergusa]], brother of [[Óengus I of the Picts|Óengus]], at "Cnoc Cairpri in Calathros at Etarlinde". The battle is recorded in the ''[[Annals of Ulster]]'', but Muiredach's death is not.

The independent existence of the kingdom of the Cenél Loairn, and that of Dál Riata, probably ended in 736, after which time it formed part of the kingdom of the [[Picts]], ruled by [[Óengus I of the Picts|Óengus mac Fergusa]]. The next king of Dál Riata reported by the Irish annals is [[Áed Find]], of the Cenél nGabráin, named in 768. Some Scottish sources, including the ''[[Chronicle of Melrose]]'', have Muiredach's son [[Eógan mac Muiredaig|Eógan]] as his successor.

An entry in the ''[[Annals of the Four Masters]]'' under the year 771 (corresponding with about 776&nbsp;AD, but perhaps as late as 778&nbsp;AD since the death of Áed Find appears in the same year) reports Muiredach's death.

==External links==
*[http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G00001A/index.html Annals of Ulster] at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT] ([http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100001A/index.html translated])
*[http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100002/index.html Annals of Tigernach] at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT]
*[http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/G100028/text002.html ''Duan Albanach''] at [http://celt.ucc.ie/index.html CELT] ([http://www.ucc.ie/celt/online/T100028/text002.html translated])

{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Dúngal mac Selbaig|Dúngal]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Kings of Dál Riata|King of Dál Riata]]|years=733&ndash;736}}
{{s-vac|next=[[Eógan mac Muiredaig]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Kings of Dál Riata}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Muiredach Mac Ainbcellaig}}
[[Category:Kings of Dál Riata]]
[[Category:770s deaths]]
[[Category:8th-century Irish monarchs]]
[[Category:8th-century Scottish monarchs]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]