Máel Coluim MacDomnall (MacAlpin) King of Scots (abt. 897 - 954)

Born about 0897 in Province of Moray, Kingdom of Alba

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 0954 at about age 57 in Fetteresson, Kincardineshire, Scotland [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Scotland Project WikiTree [send private message] and Clyde Perkins [send private message]

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

Biography

Malcolm I (MacAlpin) King of Scots is a member of House of Alpin.

"Badhudh Gall, battler of Gaill (Northmen)," "Biodhba Breton, enemy of Britons (Cumbrians)," "Dasachtach, the Madman," "Loingseach lls is Arann, exile to Islay and Arann," "Máel Coluim, devotee of Columba," "Red Crow," "Rí Alban"

House of Alpin

Clann Chausantan (Northern Branch)

Birth and Parents

Máel Coluim MacDomnall MacAlpin was born about 897 (See Research Notes), the son of Donald II, King of Scots ^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

Children of Máel Coluim MacAlpin and an Unknown Wife

"The name of Malcolm's wife is unknown." ^[2]

1. Dubh MacAlpin, 961, Duff I, King of Scots; 20 Jul 966, killed by Cuilén MacAlpin, Forres in Moray ^[2][6]
2. Kenneth MacAlpin, 971, Kenneth II, King of Scots; 995, assassinated by Finella, daughter of Cuncar, Earl of Angus, in conspiracy with Constantine III and Kenneth MacAlpin, later, Kenneth III, King of Scots in Fettercairn; buried on the Isle of Iona ^[2][6][7]

Alpinid Dynasty (Clann Chausantan and Clann Áeda)

From about 889, the kingship of Alba (Scotland) rotated between the descendants of Kenneth I (Cináed), King of the Picts and Scots. The children of his two sons, Constantine I, King of the Picts (Clann Chausantan) and Aedh, King of the Picts (Clann Áeda) formed competing branches of the Alpinid Dynasty, Clann Chausantan and Clann Áeda. This practice was probably intended to avoid monopoly of the monarchy by one clan, and it may have originated in the earlier Kingdom of the Picts. ^[8] However, succession became more intensely competitive and eventually violent after Malcolm I advocated the abdication of Constantine II in 942, ^[9] and the suspected involvement of Colin I, King of Scots in the killing of Duff I, King of Scots in 966. ^[10][11][12]

Malcolm I, King of Scots

He reigned from 943 to 954, ^{[13][1][14][5]} succeeding as Malcolm I, King of Scots. ^[1][2][15] after his 1st cousin, Constantine II, King of Scots retired in 942, "possibly under duress," and became a monk at St Andrews. ^[9][16] In the tradition of new medieval kings, he led an army into Moray and killed Cellach (unknown, likely a Mormaer or warrior in Moray); further results of this raid are unknown. ^{[2][6][17][18][3][19]}

In 945, Edmund I, King of England invaded Strathclyde (Cumbria) to disrupt links between the Norse-dominated Kingdom of Jórvík (York) and the Norse-dominated Kingdom of Dublin. With insufficient resources to independently control Strathclyde, and facing possible Scottish interference, he formally declared Malcolm I as ruler of the subdued kingdom on the condition that he "should be his co-worker on land and sea." This agreement was renewed with Eadred "Edred," King of England, upon the death of Edmund I in 946. ^{[20][6][21][2][22][23][24][25][15][19]}

Hoping to placate the Clann Áeda branch of the House of MacAlpin, Malcolm I appointed Indulf, the son of Constantine II, King of Scots as sub-king of Strathclyde (Cumbria, Cumbraland). ^[26] This also established the practice of appointing heirs to the crown of Scotland as sub-kings of the "dower kingdom of Strathclyde-Cumbria." ^[27]

Malcolm I's subsequent expeditions often supported English attempts to exercise its frequently-disputed control over the overlapping territories of Northumbria, York, and Strathclyde. However, during this period of great political uncertainty, alliances shifted according changing goals, and, in 949, he plundered the English ^[28] as far as the River Tees, ^[29] capturing many prisoners and seizing herds of cattle, "perhaps in support of the attempt of King Olaf (Amlaíb) "Cuarán" Sigtryggsson, to take York." ^{[6][3][30][31][19]} In 952, he joined an alliance of "Scots, Britons (from Strathclyde), and Saxons" against York, which was defeated by the Scandinavians, possibly commanded by Erik Bloodaxe. ^[6][19]

Death

Malcolm I was assassinated in 954 by his own people, the men of Moray, in Fetteresso [Fodresach] in Claideom, or Ulum, ^[5] and buried on the Isle of Iona. ^{[32][3][2][33][34][15][19]} He was succeeded by a 2nd cousin, Indulph, the son of Constantine II ^[1]

Research Notes

1. Estimated birth year, 897. He succeeded as king in 942 and died in 954. His impatience with retirement of his predecessor suggests the possibility that he may been ageing into his flourishing years. The unsourced birth year of 897 would make him 45 years old at succession and 57 at death; possible and not unlikely.
2. With no supporting reliable source the profile of Mogallus Unknown was disconnected as child.
3. With no supporting reliable sources the profiles of Unknown "The Lady" Malcolm Mac Donald and Aelgifu Sigurdsdottir aka Gunnarsson, were disconnected as wives. "The name of Malcolm's wife is not known." ^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. (Edinburgh: D. Douglas, 1899), 280.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8} Cawley, Charles Medieval Lands: a Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families. (Hereford, UK: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, 2006), chap. 1, Malcolm,
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Anderson, Allan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1922), [943-954, Chronicle of the Kings of England, version A; Skene's Picts and Scots, p. 10], 452-453.
4. ↑ Duncan, A A M. Kingship of the Scots, A.D.842-1292: Succession and Independence. (Edinburgh Classic Editions). Kindle edition. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002), 41. [Kindle]
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} The Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England, Baldwin, Stewart, ed., Farmerie, Todd, ed., Cináed mac Ailpín (Kenneth I, (Online https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/, 2001), Máel Coluim mac Domnaill (Malcolm I)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Broun, Dauvit. Malcolm I [Mael Coluim mac Domnaill] (d. 954). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2004), Malcolm I [Mael Coluim mac Domnaill (d. 954) [Subscription]
7. ↑ Smyth, Alfred P, Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD80-1000, The New Edinburgh History of Scotland, Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh, Edinburgh University Press, 1984), 192.
8. ↑ Woolf, Alex. From Pictland to Alba, 789-1070. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008), 223-224.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Broun, Dauvit. Constantine II [Causantín mac Aeda] (d. 952). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (United Kingdom: Oxford University Press, 2004), Constantine II (Causantín mac Aeda) (d. 952). [Subscription]
10. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alba Volume I. History and Ethnology, (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1886), Kindle edition. This edition (Paisley PA: Grian Press, 2014), loc. 4465. [Kindle]
11. ↑ Smyth, Alfred P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD80-1000. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1984), 223.
12. ↑ Robertson, Eben William. Scotland under her early kings: a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth century. (Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, 1862), 77, 126
13. ↑ Anderson, Marjorie O[gilvie]. Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland. (Edinburgh: Berlinn, 1973), 48-50, 71, 251, 254, 256, 263, 267, 275, 283, 288, 291.
14. ↑ Duncan, A A M. Kingship of the Scots, A.D.842-1292: Succession and Independence. (Edinburgh Classic Editions). Kindle edition. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002), 42. [Kindle]
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1 15.2} Oram, Richard. The Kings & Queens of Scotland. Kindle edition. (Gloucestershire, UK: The History Press, 2001). 58. [Kindle]
16. ↑ Anderson, Allan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1922), [900-952, Prose and Verse Chronicles inserted in the Chronicle of Melrose, pp. 26, 225, s.a. 908], 447.
17. ↑ Woolf, Alex. The "Moray Question" and the Kingship of Alba in the Tenth and Eleventh Centuries. (The Scottish Historical Review 79, no. 208, 2000), 157, http://www.jstor.org/stable/25530971.
18. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alba. Edinburgh: David Douglas (1886). Kindle edition. (Paisley PA: Grian Press, 2014). Volume I. History and Ethnology, chap. VII. The Kingdom of Alban, loc. 4385. [Kindle]
19. ↑ ^{19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4} Robertson, Eben William. Scotland under her early kings: a history of the kingdom to the close of the thirteenth century. (Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, 1862), 69-78
20. ↑ Woolf, Alex. From Pictland to Alba, 789-1070. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008) [Anglo-Saxon Chronicle], 183.
21. ↑ Skene. William F. The Four Ancient Books of Wales… (Edinburgh: Edmonton and Douglas, 1868), 144. [Kindle]
22. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alba. (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1886). Kindle edition. (Paisley PA: Grian Press, 2014). Volume I. History and Ethnology, chap. VII. The Kingdom if Alban, loc. 4410. [Kindle]
23. ↑ Stevenson, Joseph. The Church historians of England: Pre-Reformation period. The chronicle of Florence of Worcester. (London: Seeleys, 1853), 66.
24. ↑ Duncan, A A M. Kingship of the Scots, A.D.842-1292: Succession and Independence. (Edinburgh Classic Editions). Kindle edition. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002), 45. [Kindle]
25. ↑ Clarkson, Tim. Strathclyde and the Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age. Kindle edition. (Edinburgh: Berlinn, 2014), 165, 166. [Kindle]
26. ↑ Cannon, John; Hargreaves, Anne. The Kings and Queens of Britain (Oxford Quick Reference). Kindle edition. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 95-96. [Kindle]
27. ↑ Smyth, Alfred P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD80-1000. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 1984), 223.
28. ↑ Woolf, Alex From Pictland to Alba, 789-1070. The New Edinburgh History of Scotland. Mason, Roger, gen. ed. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2008), 178, 180.
29. ↑ Duncan, A A M. Kingship of the Scots, A.D.842-1292: Succession and Independence. (Edinburgh Classic Editions). Kindle edition. (Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2002), 46. [Kindle]
30. ↑ Mackay, Aeneas James George. Malcolm I. The Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900 (DNB) Wikisource. (London: Smith, Elder, 1885), Malcolm I
31. ↑ Lynch, Michael, editor. The Oxford Companion to Scottish History. Anglo-Scottish relations. (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2011), 9,10.
32. ↑ Maguire, Cathay Mac Magnusa. Annals of Ulster… (Dublin: A. Thomas, 1887, 471.
33. ↑ Anderson, Allan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1922), [Chronicle of the Kings of Scotland, Version D; Skene's Picts and Scots, p. 151], 453.
34. ↑ Anderson, Allan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286. [943-954, Prose and Verse Chronicles inserted in the Chronicle of Melrose, pp. 29, 225, s.a. 943], 453.

See also:

• Anderson, Allan Orr. Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286. (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1922). Volume 1.
• Goodey, Emma. Malcolm I (r.943-954)). The Royal Family. London: The Royal Household (2016). Malcolm I (r.943-954).
• Ó Corráin, Professor Donnchadh; Morgan, Dr Hiram, CELT; Corpus of Electronic Texts, (Cork, Ireland: University College, 2023), Index.
• Wikipedia contributors. House of Alpin. Wikipedia. The Free Encyclopedia, House of Alpin
• Wikipedia contributors. Malcolm I of Scotland. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, Malcolm I of Scotland