Medb
Sign in to saveAlso known as Maeve, Meadhbh, Meaḋḃ, Maeve, Medb, Meḋḃ
Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méabh(a) () and Méibh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had several husbands before him who were also kings of Connacht. She rules from Cruachan (now Rathcroghan, County Roscommon). She is the enemy (and former wife) of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, and is best known for starting the Táin Bó Cúailnge ("The Cattle Raid of Cooley") to steal Ulster's prize stud bull Donn Cúailnge.
Key facts
- Character.name
- Medb
- Character.series
- Ulster Cycle
- Character.image
- Queen Maev by J.C. Leyendecker (1911).jpg
- Character.caption
- Queen Maev by J. C. Leyendecker
- Character.occupation
- Queen
- Character.spouse
- Ailill mac Máta
- Character.nationality
- Irish
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Image
- Queen Maev by J.C. Leyendecker (1911).jpg
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- Commons category
- Medb
Sources (1)
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Article
12 sectionsContents
- Name
- Description
- Marriages and rise to power
- Medb's seven sons
- Medb's two daughters
- Cattle Raid of Cooley
- Later years
- Death
- Interpretations
- See also
- References
- External links
Medb (), later spelled Meadhbh (), Méabh(a) () and Méibh (), and often anglicised as Maeve ( ), is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had several husbands before him who were also kings of Connacht. She rules from Cruachan (now Rathcroghan, County Roscommon). She is the enemy (and former wife) of Conchobar mac Nessa, king of Ulster, and is best known for starting the Táin Bó Cúailnge ("The Cattle Raid of Cooley") to steal Ulster's prize stud bull Donn Cúailnge.
Medb is strong-willed, ambitious, cunning and promiscuous, and is an archetypal warrior queen. She is believed by some to be a manifestation of the sovereignty goddess. Medb of Connacht is probably identical with Medb Lethderg, the sovereignty goddess of Tara.