- Elfin of Alt Clut
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. ["Harleian genealogy of the Kings of Alt Clut", [http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/history/harleian_genealogies/5.html here] .] 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 ). [AU693.1, [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100001A/text263.html here] ] It is possible that this Necthan, isNeithon 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", underFerchar Fota , were defeated by the Britons, at a location called Tíriu. ["Annals of Tigernach ", s.a. 678.4, [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100002/text010.html here] ; the "Annals of Ulster ", s.a. 678.3 ( [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/T100001A/text247.html 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.] 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.Notes
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. 1-19External links
* [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100002/text010.html Annals of Tigernach]
* [http://www.ucc.ie/celt/published/G100001A/index.html Annals of Ulster]
* [http://www.kmatthews.org.uk/history/harleian_genealogies/5.html Harleian genealogy 5]###@@@KEY@@@###s-reg
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