The Battle of ''Luith Feirn'' took place within the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu in 664. It is recorded in the ''

Annals of Ulster The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, ...

'' as "''Bellum Lutho Feirnn, .i. iFortrinn.''" meaning "The Battle of Luith Feirnn, i.e. in Fortriu.". This is the first explicit mention of Fortriu in contemporary Irish chronicles, though the

cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...

''Verturiones'' had been mentioned by the Roman writer Ammianus Marcellinus in the late 4th century as one of the Pictish peoples participating in the Barbarian Conspiracy of 367–368. The participants in the battle are unrecorded, but it may be connected to the accession of the king of Fortriu

Drest son of Donuel Drest son of Donuel ( sga, Drust mac Domnaill or sga, Drust mac Dúngail, label=none; died 677) was king of the Picts from 663 until 672. Like his brother and predecessor Gartnait son of Donuel, and Gartnait's predecessor Talorgan son of Eanfr ...

, after the death of his brother

Gartnait son of Donuel Gartnait son of Donuel ( sga, Gartnait mac Domnaill or sga, Gartnait mac Dúngail, label=none; died 663) was king of the Picts from 657 until 663. He succeeded Talorgan son of Eanfrith on the latter's death in 657. Like his predecessor Talorga ...

in 663. The location of ''Luith Feirn'', meaning "alder-gate", is not known for certain; but places called Leitirfearn and Leitir Fearna, meaning "alder-hillside" exist on the south side of Loch Oich in the Great Glen, so it's possible that the battle site was nearby.

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* * * 660s conflicts 664 7th century in Scotland Battles involving the Picts {{Scotland-battle-stub