A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

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HISTORY CP THE UlUHLANOS.
rame again united under Eoclia'. He died in seven hundred and
thii'ty-tliree, after a reign ot tliiz-teen years, during nine of wliich he
ruled over Cautyre and Argail, and four over all the Dalriadic tribes.
liocha' was succeeded in the kingdom by Muredach, the son of
Aiiibiiceallach of the race of Lorn, cidled by the gaelic bard jMure-
dhaigh Mliaith, or .MureJagh tlie good. His reign was short and un-
fortunate In revenge for an act of perfidy committed by Dungal, the
son of Selvach, who had carried off Forai, the daughter of Brude, and
the niece of Ungus, the great Pictish king, the lattei-, in the year seven
Imndred and thirty-six, led his army from Stratiiern, through the passes
of the mountains into Lorn, which he wasted with fire and sword.
He seized Dun-i)hi,tliecliief residence of the Lorn dynasty in Mid-Lorn,
and burned Creic, anotlier fortress, and having taken Dungal and
Feradach, the two sons of Selvach, prisoners, he carried them to
Forteviet, his capital, in fetters. Muredacli collected his forces, and
went in pursuit of his retiring enemy, and having overtaken him at
L'nuic-Coirbre, a battle ensued, in whii-h the Scots were repulsed
with great slaughter. Talorgan, the brother of Ungus, commanded the
Picts on this occasion, and pursued the flying Scots. In this pursuit
Muredach is supposed to have perisiied, after a reii^n of three years.
Eogbau or Ewan, the son of Muredach, took up the fallen succession
in seven Imndred and tliirty-six, and died in seven hundred
and thirty-nine, in which year the Dalriadic sceptre was assumed bv
Aodh-fin, the son of Eocha' III. and grandson of Eocha'-rineval,
descended from the Fergusian race of Guaran. This sovereign 19
called by the Gaelic bard, Aodh na Ardf-hl lith, or Hugh, the hiyh or
gnat khiff, a title which he appears to have well merited, from his
successful wars against the Picts. In seven hundred and forty, he
measured his strength with the celebrateil Ungus ; but victory declared
for neither, and during the remainder of Ungus' reign, he did not attempt
to renew hostilities. After the death of Ungus in seven hundred and
sixty-one, Aodh-fin declared war against the Picts, whose territories
he entered from Upper Lorn, penetrating through the passes of Glen-
orchy and Braid-Alban. In seven hundred and sixty-seven, he reached
Forteviof, the Pictish capital in Strathei-n, Avhere he fought a doubtful
battle with Ciuiod the Pictish king. As tlie Picts had seized all the
defiles of the mountains by which he could effect a retreat, his situation
became extremely critical ; but he succeeded by great skill and bravery, in
rescuing his army from their peril, and leading them within the passes
of Upper Lorn, where the Picts did not venture to follow him.
Aodh-fin died in seven hundred and sixty-nine, after a splendid reign
of thirty vears.
Fergus II., son of Aodh-fin, succeeded to the sceptre on the demise
of his father, and died after an unimportant reign of three years.
Selvach II., the son of Eogan, assumed the government in seven hun-
dred and seventy-two. His reign, which lasted twenty-four years, pre.
sent* nothing very remarkable in history.