REALMS archive of entities

Nicneven

deity earth Scottish single tradition · 1

Nicneven was called the Scottish fairy queen by John Leyden in 1801, also known as the Gyre-Carling or identified with Hecate. However, later scholarship has disputed this identification; Nicneven's earliest known appearance was in Alexander Montgomerie's Flyting (c. 1580) as a witch and worshiper of Hecate, and a separate character from the Elf Queen.

When

First attested
1580 CE
Attested period
1580 – 1801
Historical notes
Earliest known appearance in Alexander Montgomerie's Flyting (c. 1580) as a witch; called Scottish fairy queen by John Leyden in 1801.

Relationships

syncretized with
Hecate
co occurs with
Thomas the Rhymer's Fairy Queen, Penelope La Gard, Clíodhna, Oonagh, Finvarra, Aibhell, Ainé, Morgan le Fey, Tam Lin's Fairy Queen, King Philip, Queen Bahee, Gwenhidw, Gwydion ab Don, Old Moss, Janet, Joan the Wad

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Mentioned by

Sources

wikipedia (1)
  1. Fairy Queen

Source passages

“According to John Leyden in 1801, the Scottish fairy queen was called Nicneven, the Gyre-Carling, or Hecate. Later scholarship has disputed this; Nicneven's earliest known appearance was in Alexander Montgomerie's Flyting (c. 1580)”

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