Duncan (Dunkeld) King of Scots (abt. 1010 - 1040)

Born about 1010 in Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 14 Aug 1040 at about age 30 in Elgin, Scotland

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Duncan I (Dunkeld) King of Scots was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

House of Dunkeld

Family and Early Life

Duncan was the son of Crínán the Thane, abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethoc, the daughter of Malcolm II, king of Scots.^[1][2][3][4] The chronicler Fordun described Crínán as the Abthane of Dul (Dunkeld), claiming the transcription of the word to "Abbot" was an error made by other historians.^[5] An abthane was not a religious figure but was lord of the thanes and functioned also as the king's chamberlain.^[5] The exact date of Duncan's birth is unknown. Dunbar estimates it to have been around 1001 based on his parents' marriage in 1000, but gives no source for this marriage date.^[4] William Skene places the date of Crínán's marriage to Bethoc as sometime "before 1008."^[6] The Henry Project estimates Duncan's birth to have been closer to 1010, based on his being an adult when he succeeded to the throne in 1034 but still a young man ("immatura aetate") at the time of his death in 1040.^[7][8] A birthdate of 1010 seems more probable for the reasons given, and is the date used for this profile.

Marriage and Children

Duncan is said to have married a cousin of Earl Siward,^[9] whose surname is unknown and who has been variously named "Sibylla"^[2] or "Suthen."^[10] [see research notes] There was at least one son from this marriage:

• Malcolm III, king of Scots; b. c.1031;^[11][12] m(1) c.1059 Ingibjorg;^[13][11][14] m(2) c.1069 Margaret Wessex;^[13][15] d. 13 Nov 1093^[16][17]

King Duncan had at least one and possibly two additional sons, although there are no contemporaneous sources which state that their mother was Suthen, or that Suthen was the king's only wife.^[10] [see research notes]

• Donald III, king of Scots; b. c.1033;^[18] d. aft. 1099^[19][20][21]

• Mael Muire^[22][2]

King of Scots

Duncan succeeded to the throne of Scotland on the death of his maternal grandfather, Malcolm I, 25 November 1034.^{[23][9][24][8]} Based on his probable date of birth, he was about twenty-four years of age when he became king of Scots. According to Fordun, the almost six years of Duncan's reign were characterized within the kingdom by a great sense of peace.^[9] The young king travelled throughout Scotland once a year settling disputes among the people, ensuring that his officers were not governing with undue harshness, and imposing severe penalties on freebooters and others who committed acts of violence and/or otherwise broke the law.^[9] It was said that King Duncan "never suffered any dispute.....to spring up in the kingdom, between the chiefs, but he heard it at once and restored harmony by his good sense."^[9]

Outside the kingdom, however, peace was in short supply. In 1038 Earl Eadulf of Northumbria, attempting to extend his control over Cumberland and other lands in that region, devastated Strathclyde.^[25] Duncan responded the following year with an invasion of northern England, laying siege to Durham but suffering an overwhelming defeat.^[26][25][6]

Duncan then focused his forces on the north, where he was confronted by Thorfinn of Orkney.^[27] Thorfinn was also a grandson of Malcolm I, who had placed him in control of the earldom of Sutherland and Caithness.^[28] When Duncan demanded the usual tribute due from those lands Thorfinn refused to provide it, claiming he held the lands as an absolute and unconditional gift from their joint grandfather.^[29] The king responded by replacing Thorfinn as earl of Sutherland and Caithness with Duncan's own nephew, Moddan, and sent Moddan north with an army to take possession.^[29] Moddan, however, fell in battle at Thurso, and Malcolm himself retreated into Moray.^[27] There Macbeth, the mórmaer of Moray and one of Duncan's own commanders, who had decided it would be more profitable to ally himself with Thorfinn, slaughtered Duncan's army at Bothnagowan (now Pitgaveny) on 14 August 1040.^[24][27][25]

Death

King Duncan was fatally wounded at Bothnagowan and was carried to Elgin, where he died soon after.^[9][30] His body was then taken to the Isle of Iona for burial.^[9][31]

Research Notes

Duncan's Wife

• Most secondary sources either refer to her only as "a cousin (or kin) of Earl Siward of Northumbria" or by the name "Sibylla."^[24][3][2] She is not listed in any primary sources. More recent research has uncovered an interlined addition to a king list which is contained in an early fourteenth century manuscript which gives her name as "Suthen." It reads: "Malcolin filius Doncath (mater eius Suthen vocatur) xxxvij annis et viij mensibus et interfectus in Inveralden et sepultus in Dunfermellin."^[32] Suthen, being a Gaelic name, would make her relationship to Siward of Northumbria less likely (although not impossible).^[10]

Duncan's two youngest sons

• Donald's name appears frequently in early chronicles as the son of Malcolm and the brother of Duncan, although the name of his mother is never given. Matthew Paris names him as the brother of King Malcolm in the Chronicle Majorca;^[33] Florence of Worcester refers to "Dufenaldum regis Malcolmi fratrem" as being elected king after his brother's death;^[34] the Annals of Innisfallen name "Domnall son of Donnchadh" who killed "Donnchadh son of Mael Coluim king of Alba" in 1094;^[35] and Fordun described how Edmund, son of Malcolm III, "partaking of his uncle Donald's wickedness....bargained with his uncle for half the kingdom."^[36]

• Mael Muire is named by Dunbar as a third son of Duncan I, but Dunbar's only source is a genealogical table which appears in the Orkneyinga Saga.^[22][37] Little is known about Mael Muire, except (as stated in the Orkneyinga Saga) he had a son named Madach (or Maddad) who was the earl of Atholl. "Ek hefi nú gipta Margrètu Hákonar-dóttur Moddani jarli af Atiaktum, er göfgastr er allra Skota-höfòingja at ættum. Melmari fadir hans var bródir Melkólms Skota-konúngs, fodur Davids, er nú er Skotakonúngr."^[8] Cawley also lists Mael Muire as a possible son of Duncan I, referencing the Complete Peerage, but points out that no primary evidence has yet been found to support the relationship.^[2] There is, however, one primary source reference to Mael Muire on an updated charter by which David I granted protection to the clerics of Deer, which was witnessed by "Donchado comite de Fib et Malmori d'Athotla", but because it was also witnessed by the earls of Fife and Angus ("Ggillebrite comite d'Engus et Ghgillcomded Mac Aed..."^[38] it cannot be dated any earlier than 1135, and that would seem to make it impossible for Mael Muire to have been the son of King Duncan I.^[2]

Did Duncan have a daughter?

• No contemporaneous records or accounts by early historians make a single reference to Duncan I ever having had a daughter. There is no hint of a daughter in the Chronicle of Fordun, the Chronicle of Melrose or any of the Annals of that period. Later historians, including Sir James Balfour Paul (the Lord Lyon), Sir Archibald Dunbar, William Skene, Charles Cawley, G.W.S. Barrow, Alan Anderson, and Stewart Baldwin (ed. of the Henry Project) all are unanimous in the belief that King Duncan had only two (or possibly three) sons. Attached to Duncan's profile on WikiTree there is a daughter named Beatrix. The source which is cited in support of Beatrix's parentage is a book written by Col K.H. Leslie, a Leslie family genealogist.^[39]
• Col. Leslie claims that Bartholomew, the founder of the family of Leslie in Scotland, married one of King Malcolm's own sisters "and this account is fortified by the best authorities."^[39] The only authorities which he mentions, however, are 1) the Rev. William Betham's Genealogical Tables, published in 1797,^[40] which does not actually list Beatrix by name and which also appears to be completely unsourced; and 2) an artistic rendering of the Genealogical Tree of the Royal Family of Scotland done by John Brown, genealogist to the Prince of Wales. Although the relevant portion of this tree is not available to be viewed online, it can be seen here that it is an elaborately designed pedigree chart which also does not provide any sources. Although it did receive a warm endorsement from the Lyon office encouraging the public to purchase subscriptions to enable it to be published, this is a far cry from the Lord Lyon ratifying every detail of it. To the contrary, Sir James Balfour Paul (Lord Lyon) said of Col Leslie's account that "nothing of all this is authenticated and it will be shown that [Bartholomew] probably lived much later, while it is doubtful if he ever possessed Leslie."^[41] It should be noted that Beatrix is also listed as a daughter of Duncan I on the Clan MacFarlane website,^[42] however the sources cited there are Burkes (considered unreliable), a ged, stirnet, a family tree, and a popular (recent) history which does not appear to be available online. Stevens-17832 23:31, 8 November 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Anderson, Alan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd (1922), vol. 1, p. 576.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Cawley, Charles. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Database. Duncan I.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Paul, Sir Jame Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 3, p. 240.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 12.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Fordun, John. John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation. Skene, William F. (ed). Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1872), bk. 4, p. 174.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Archer, T.A. Duncan I. Dictionary of National Biography Archive Edition (1888).
7. ↑ Tigernach Annals. Revue Celtique, vol. xvii, p. 379, s.a. 1040: "Duncan, Crinan's son, sovereign of Scotland, was slain by his subjects, at an immature age...." cited in Anderson, Alan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd (1922), vol. 1, p. 581.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Baldwin, Stewart (ed). Donnchad (Duncan) I mac Crínáin. The Henry Project (2001), rv. 20 Jun 2010.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6} Fordun, John. John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation. Skene, William F. (ed). Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1872), bk. 4, p. 179.
10. ↑ ^{10.0 10.1 10.2} Baldwin, Stewart. Suthen (Wife of king Duncan I of Scotland). The Henry Project (2001), rv 20 Jun 2010.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, pp. 1-2.
12. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 25 .
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), vol. 4, pp. 576-578 SCOTLAND 1. Malcolm III.
14. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), pp. 26-27 .
15. ↑ Stevenson, J. (ed). Chronica de Mailros. Edinburgh: the Societatis Edinburgensis (1835), "Anno m.lxx: Rex Malcolmus Angliam ufque cliveland vaftavit; et tunc clitoni Edgaro et fororibus Margaret et Chriftine, ubi eas invenit regem Anglie fugientes, ut in Scotiam irent, apud weremundam in reditu pacem fuam donavit et Margaretam poftea fibi in matrimonium junxit." p. 55.
16. ↑ Robertson, Eben William. Scotland Under Her Early Kings. Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1862), repr. by Forgotten Books (2018), vol. 1, p. 146.
17. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 30.
18. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 35 .
19. ↑ Skene, William F. Chronicle of the Picts and Scots. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's General Register House (1898), p. 175, no. 20: "Donald mac Donehatprius regnavit sex mensibus et postea expulsus et Donechet mac Malcobn regnavit 6 mensibus. Hoc interfecto a Malpeder Mackcolm coniite de Merns in Monacheden, rursus Donald mac Donehat reg- navit 3 annis. Hie captus est ab Edgar mac Malcolm, coe- catus est et mortuus Eosolpin. Sepultus in Dmikelden. Hinc translata ossa in lona."
20. ↑ Skene, William F. Chronicle of the Picts and Scots. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's General Register House (1898), p. 289: "Douuenald filius Doncath vj. mensibus et postea expul- sus a regno  ; et tunc Doncath filius Malcolin vj. mensibus et interfectus est a Malpedir filio Lorin comite de Mar ; et rursus Douuenald filius Doncath iij. annis et postea cap- tus ab Edgar filio Malcolin et secatus est et mortuus in Eoscolbin et sepultus in Dunfermlin, cujus ossa translata sunt in Iona insula."
21. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 43.
22. ↑ ^{22.0 22.1} Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 14 .
23. ↑ Stevenson, J. (ed.). Chronica de Mailros. Edinburgh: the Societatis Edinburgensis (1835), A.D. 1034: "Obiit Malcolmus re Scottorum et Duncanus nepos ejus ei Fucceffit..." p. 46.
24. ↑ ^{24.0 24.1 24.2} Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 13.
25. ↑ ^{25.0 25.1 25.2} Broun, Dauvit. Duncan I (Donnchad ua Maíl Choluim). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online (23 Sep 2004), available here by subscription.
26. ↑ Anderson, Alan Orr. Scottish Annals from English Chroniclers. London: D. Nutt (1908), p. 83.
27. ↑ ^{27.0 27.1 27.2} Ashley, Mike. The Mammoth Book of British Kings & Queens. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers (1998), pp. 392-293.
28. ↑ Robertson, Eben William. Scotland Under Her Early Kings. Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1862), reprt. by Forgotten Books (2018), vol. 1, p. 111.
29. ↑ ^{29.0 29.1} Robertson, Eben William. Scotland Under Her Early Kings. Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1862), reprt. by Forgotten Books (2018), vol. 1, p. 114.
30. ↑ Barrow, G.W.S. Kingship and Unity. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (1961), p. 31.
31. ↑ Skene, William F. Chronicle of the Picts and Scots. Edinburgh: Her Majesty's General Register House (1898): "Doncliath mac Trim abbatis de Dunkelden et Betli- ocli filije Malcolmi mac Kinoth 6 annis. Interfectus a Mackbeth mac Fialeg in Botligauenan et sepultus in lona...." p. 175.
32. ↑ Regnal List I, Anderson, Marjorie Ogilvy. Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland. Edinburgh (1973), cited in Baldwin, Stewart. Suthen (Wife of king Duncan I of Scotland). The Henry Project (2001), rv 20 Jun 2010.
33. ↑ Luard, H.R. (ed). Matthæi Parisiensis, Monarchi Sancti Albani, Chronica Majorca. London (1874), vol. 2 (1092), p. 33, cited in Cawley, Charles. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Database. Duncan I.
34. ↑ Thorpe, Benjamin. Florentii Wigomiensis Monachi Chronicon, Tamus II. London (1849), p. 32, cited in Cawley, Charles. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Database. Duncan I.
35. ↑ Annals of Innisfallen (1094), vol. 4, p. 249, cited in Cawley, Charles. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Database. Duncan I.
36. ↑ Fordun, John. John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation. Skene, William F. (ed). Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1872), bk. 5, chap. xxiv, p. 213.
37. ↑ Anderson, Joseph (ed.). The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1873), p. 3 and chart #1, p. cxxxiii.
38. ↑ Lawrie, Archibald. Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1143. Glasgow: J. MacLehose (1905)180-181.
39. ↑ ^{39.0 39.1} Leslie, Colonel KH of Balquhain. Historical Records of the Family of Leslie. Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1869), vol. 1, p. 7.
40. ↑ Betham, Rev. William. Genealogical Tables of the Sovereigns of the World. London: by the author (1795), Table DCXIX, p. 460.
41. ↑ Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 7, pp. 264-265.
42. ↑ Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy website : Duncan I, King of Scotland (accessed 14 Sep 2020).

See also:

• Burton, John Hill. The History of Scotland. Edinburgh: William Blackwood and Sons (1874), reprt by Elibron Classics (2006), vol. 1, p. 343.

• Duncan, A.A. M. Scotland, the Making of the Kingdom. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd (1975). p. 99.

• Pryde, E.B. (ed.) Handbook of British Chronology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (3rd ed. 1986), rv. 1996, p. 56.

• Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Families. London: The Bodley Head (1989), pp. 180-181.

• Wikipedia: Duncan I of Scotland

• Wikipedia: House of Dunkeld

• Goodey, Emma. Duncan I (r. 1034-1040). The Royal Family. London: The Royal Household (2016). Duncan I (r. 1034-1040).

• Clan MacFarlane and associated clans genealogy website : Duncan I, King of Scotland (accessed 14 Sep 2020).