In Irishorigin myths,Míl Espáine orMíl Espáne (laterLatinized asMilesius) is the mythical ancestor of the final inhabitants ofIreland, the "sons of Míl" orMilesians, who represent the vast majority of the IrishGaels. His father wasBile, son ofBreogan. Modern historians believe he is a creation of medieval Irish Christian writers.[1]
Mark Williams characterises the nameMíl Espáine as an "etymological figment"[2] translated from theLatinmīles Hispaniae, meaning "soldier ofHispania", attested in a passage (§ 13) in the 9th-century workHistoria Brittonum ("The History of the Britons") byNennius.[3]
AsA.G. van Hamel has suggested, the status of Iberia as the land of origin can be traced back toIsidore of Seville, who in the introduction to hishistory of the Goths, Vandals and Suebi had elevated Iberia/Hispania to the "mother of all races".[4] Another likely reason the Irish were said to come from Iberia was the mistaken belief thatHibernia, the Latin name of Ireland, came fromIberia/Hiberia.[1] A further explanation may lie in the mistake made by some classical geographers in locating Ireland closely opposite Iberia. For instance, theLebar Gabála (§ 100) recounts that from Bregon's Tower, the MilesianÍth was able to see right across the sea to Ireland. In Galician history, that tower is theTower of Hercules inA Coruña,Galicia.[5]
The earliest surviving mention of the character is from the 9th centuryHistoria Brittonum (History of the Britons). It says that Ireland was settled by three groups of people from theIberian Peninsula. The first group are the people ofPartholón, who all die of plague. The second group are the people ofNemed, who eventually return to Iberia. The third group are led by three sons of a warrior of Hispania (tres filii militis Hispaniae), who sail to Ireland with thirty ships, each carrying thirty wives. They see a glass tower in the middle of the sea with men on top of it, but the men do not answer their calls. The Milesians set out to take the tower, but when they reach it, all but one of their ships are sunk by a great wave. Only one ship is saved, and its passengers are the ancestors of all the Irish.[6] In theLebor Gabála, it is the people of Nemed who are drowned while trying to capture a tower by the sea.[7]
The earliest version of the IrishLebor Gabála Érenn (Book of the Taking of Ireland) was compiled in the 11th century. It says that Ireland was settled by six groups of people: the people ofCessair, the people of Partholón, the people of Nemed, theFir Bolg, the supernaturalTuatha Dé Danann, and lastly the sons of Míl Espáine, an Irish borrowing of the Latinmīles Hispaniae.[6][1]
TheLebor Gabála traces the Irish back to theScythians and further back toJapheth, one of thesons of Noah. It says that Míl was born in Iberia and was the son ofBilé, son ofBreogán.[1] Some versions say Míl's birth name was Golam.[1]
According to some versions, Míl returns toScythia, the land of his forebears, where he becomes an army commander. He then spends some time inEgypt, where he marriesScota, a daughter of thepharaoh. Míl eventually returns to Iberia, where he wins several great battles before dying there.[1]
One of Míl's relatives, Íth, visits Ireland but is killed there by theTuatha Dé Danann. Míl's eight sons—Éber Finn,Éber Donn,Érimón, Ír, Érannan,Amergin, Colptha and Airech—sail to Ireland and take possession of it from the Tuatha Dé Danann.[1]
Among the sons of Míl in Ireland were Éber Finn, Érimón, Ír and Amergin. The traditional genealogies ofGaelic Ireland andGaelic Scotland trace the ancestors of the Gaels back to one of the first three sons. Typically, the descendants of Éber Finn were prominent inMunster (including theEóganachta,Uí Fidgenti andUí Liatháin), the progeny of Ír, through his son Éber formed the bulk ofUlster (including theUlaidh;Dál nAraidi,Conmhaícne,Ciarraige andCorco Mruad) and then offspring of Érimón were most powerful inConnacht,Leinster and parts of Ulster (including theConnachta,Uí Néill,Osraige,Clan Colla,Uí Maine,Laighin,Dalcassians and theÉrainn).[8]
According toJohn O'Hart inIrish Pedigrees (1876), in his younger days, Milesius, while travelling through Africa, is said to have killed three lions and subsequently bore three lions as his symbol. Each of the lions were borne by his progeny: Heber Fionn and Heremon (as well as their descendants) bore the gold and red lions respectively, while his grandson Heber mac Ír bore the blue lion.[8]
Even Míl Espáine, the ancestor of the invading Gaels and thus putative forefather of all the ethnic Irish, was an etymological figment. Transparently not originally a name, it is rather a translation of the Latin phrase for 'a soldier of Spain' (miles Hispaniae) [...].
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