Talorg son of Uuid facts for kids

Talorg son of Uuid (Old Irish: Talorc mac Foith) was a king of the Picts from 641 to 653 AD. The Picts were a group of people who lived in what is now Scotland a very long time ago.

Talorg: King of the Picts

Ruling the Picts

Talorg became king of the Picts in 641 AD. He ruled for about twelve years. Ancient lists of Pictish kings, called the Pictish king lists, tell us this. Talorg followed his brother, Bridei son of Uuid, as king.

Interestingly, another brother, Gartnait son of Uuid, was king before Bridei. So, three brothers from the same family ruled the Picts one after another. They ruled for a long time, from 631 to 653 AD. These brothers likely ruled from the southern parts of the Pictish lands. This area was south of a mountain range called the Mounth.

Who Was His Father?

Talorg's father was named Uuid. Some historians believe Uuid might be the same person as a leader named Gwid son of Peithan. This Gwid is mentioned in an old Welsh poem called Y Gododdin. The poem talks about a battle where northern Britons fought against the Angles from Northumbria in the early 600s.

Gwid could have been a Pictish ally or a related British chief. His name might have originally been "Gwid son of Neithan." This would mean he was the son of Neithon son of Guipno. Neithon was a king of the British kingdom of Alt Clut.

A Royal Family Tree?

This idea suggests that Neithon might also be the same person as Nechtan nepos Uerb. Nechtan was a king of the Picts from 595 to about 616 AD. If this is true, it would mean Talorg and his brothers were grandsons of Neithon.

This would also make them first cousins to two other important kings. One was Bridei son of Beli, a later Pictish king. The other was Eugein, a later king of Alt Clut. This theory fits well with the dates we know. It shows how royal families were often connected through marriage and family ties in those times.

The End of His Reign

Talorg son of Uuid died in 653 AD. His death is recorded in old Irish historical records, like the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach.

After Talorg, Talorgan son of Eanfrith became king. The name "Talorgan" is a diminutive of "Talorg." This means it's like "Little Talorg." This suggests that Talorg and Talorgan were closely related. Perhaps Talorgan's mother was Talorg's sister.