Cogan, Miles (Milo) de (d. 1182), Anglo-Norman adventurer, belonged to a family which had settled near Cogan in the area of Cardiff. As a younger son – his brother Richard being heir to the family estate – Miles opted in 1170 to join the expedition to Ireland in support of Diarmait Mac Murchada (qv), king of Leinster, under Richard fitz Gilbert de Clare (qv), Strongbow. His subsequent exploits feature prominently in the Irish annals. In September 1170 Miles and Raymond fitz William (qv) (Raymond le Gros) commanded a section of Strongbow's army in the combined Leinster and Anglo-Norman force advancing on Dublin. While negotiations initiated by Askulv (qv), the Hiberno-Scandinavian king of Dublin, were in progress, Miles and Raymond stormed and captured the city; Miles was left as a constable to hold Dublin for its new masters. In May 1171 he repelled a counter-attack led by Askulv and John the Wode, and played a key part in breaking up the blockading force of the high king Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair (qv) at Clondalkin. On Strongbow's death in 1176 Miles was one of the assistants appointed to the new chief governor, William fitz Audelin (qv), and was left in charge of Dublin.
Ever restless, Miles next took part in an attack on Connacht in March 1177 along with Ralph fitz Robert Fitz Stephen. Though unsuccessful, this enterprise was almost certainly instrumental in prompting Henry II (qv) to convene the council at Oxford, where it was decided to grant the kingdom of Cork (that is, Deasmuman or Desmond) to the adventurers. It seems reasonable to suppose, as Jefferies suggests, that behind this decision lay Henry's concern that private expansion might destabilise the entire settlement. Left to realise by their own effort what was in effect a speculative grant, Miles and Ralph fitz Robert stormed Cork in November 1177. Early in the following year the king of Desmond, Diarmait Mac Carthaig (qv), made terms surrendering the seven cantreds around Cork. The city and its surrounding lands being reserved to Henry II, the newly acquired territories were divided between the two adventurers. Miles received four cantreds to the west of the city, constituting an exposed marchland with the Irish of Desmond. Almost immediately, the two allies lent their support to a northward drive in an effort to install the constable of Wexford, Philip de Braose (qv), at Limerick. This endeavour failed, but sub-infeudation of their own cantreds proceeded, Miles granting tenures to several of his retainers, including the Prendergasts and Cauntetons. It seems that Miles and Ralph were also active in the city of Cork; they may have been responsible for founding the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem there. By 1182 Ralph had become Miles's son-in-law, having married Miles's daughter and heir, Margaret. In that year the two men were slain on the way to the house of Ó Meic Tíre, dispossessed ruler of the two cantreds of Uí Liatháin and Uí Meic Caille in east Co. Cork. As Miles left no direct male heirs, the kingdom of Cork became the possession of John (qv), son of Henry II, in his capacity of lord of Ireland.