Another fairy woman,
Bé Chuille/Bechuma, who had been banished to Ireland by the
Tuatha Dé Danann, fell in love with Art, but, when she learned his father Conn was still alive and a widower, agreed to marry him instead, on the condition that Art be banished from
Tara for a year. The injustice caused famine in Ireland, until Art forced Bé Chuille to leave as a forfeit in a game of
fidchell. In another variant of the myth, Bé Chuille places a
geis on Art, after he loses at a game of fidchell; under which he must leave Ireland never to return until he can find and rescue the maiden Delbchaem ("Fair Shape"). Art travels to the Land of Wonder, facing untold dangers and is forced to kill Delbchaem's mother a fearsome and supernatural figure, who has been foretold by druids that she would be killed by a suitor of her daughter. When Art and Delbchaem return to Tara, Delbchaem banishes Bé Chuille from the land, returning fertility to the region. Art succeeded to the High Kingship after his brother-in-law
Conaire Cóem was killed by Nemed, son of Sroibcenn, in the battle of Gruitine. He ruled for twenty or thirty years. During his reign, Conaire's sons took revenge against Nemed and his allies, the sons of
Ailill Aulom, in the Battle of Cennfebrat in
Munster. Ailill's foster-son
Lugaid mac Con was wounded in the thigh in the battle, and was exiled from Ireland. He made an alliance with Benne Brit, son of the king of
Britain, raised an army of foreigners, and returned to Ireland. He defeated and killed Art in the
Battle of Maigh Mucruimhe in
Connacht. According to legend, Art was given hospitality by Olc Acha, a local smith, the night before the battle. It had been prophesied that a great dignity would come from Olc's line, and he gave Art his daughter Achtan to sleep with. Art's son
Cormac was conceived that night. However, according to Keating, Achtan was Art's official mistress, to whom he paid a dowry of cattle; his wife, and the mother of his other children, was
Medb Lethderg. The
Lebor Gabála Érenn synchronises Art's reign with that of the
Roman emperor Commodus (180–192). The chronology of Keating's
Foras Feasa ar Éirinn dates his reign to 143–173, that of the
Annals of the Four Masters to 165–195. ==References==