Kenneth II of Scotland

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Kenneth II
Malcolm I
, King of Alba

Cináed mac Maíl Coluim (

Modern Scottish Gaelic: Coinneach mac Mhaoil Chaluim,[a] anglicised Kenneth II, and nicknamed An Fionnghalach, "The Fratricidal";[1] died 995) was King of Alba (Scotland) from 971 to 995. The son of Malcolm I (Máel Coluim mac Domnaill), he succeeded King Cuilén (Cuilén mac Iduilb) on the latter's death at the hands of Rhydderch ap Dyfnwal
in 971.

Primary sources

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba was compiled in Kenneth's reign, but many of the place names mentioned are entirely corrupt, if not fictitious.[2] Whatever the reality, the Chronicle states that "[h]e immediately plundered [Strathclyde] in part. Kenneth's infantry were slain with very great slaughter in Moin Uacoruar." The Chronicle further states that Kenneth plundered Northumbria three times, first as far as Stainmore, then to Cluiam and lastly to the River Dee by Chester. These raids may belong to around 980, when the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records attacks on Cheshire.[3]

In 973, the

Edgar the Peaceable[4] at a council in Chester. It may be that Edgar here regulated the frontier between the southern lands of the kingdom of Alba and the northern lands of his English kingdom. Cumbria was English, and the western frontier lay on the Solway. In the east, the frontier lay somewhere in later Lothian, south of Edinburgh.[5]

The

Mormaer of Moray
. The Mormaerdoms or kingdoms ruled by the two Cellachs cannot be identified.

The feud which had persisted since the death of

King Indulf (Idulb mac Causantín) between his descendants and Kenneth's family persisted. In 977 the Annals of Ulster report that "Amlaíb mac Iduilb [Amlaíb, son of Indulf], King of Scotland, was killed by Cináed mac Domnaill." The Annals of Tigernach give the correct name of Amlaíb's killer: Cináed mac Maíl Coluim, or Kenneth II. Thus, even if only for a short time, Kenneth had been overthrown by the brother of the previous king.[6]

Sigurd Hlodvisson, Earl of Orkney, and the Mormaers, or Kings, of Moray.[7]

The Chronicle says that Kenneth founded a great monastery at Brechin.

Kenneth was killed in 995, the Annals of Ulster say "by deceit" and the Annals of Tigernach say "by his subjects". Some later sources, such as the

Mormaer of Angus, in revenge for the killing of her only son.[8]

The

Strathmore.[9]

Children

Kenneth's son

Gall Gaidheil
 who died in 1034.

Interpretation

Kenneth's rival Amlaíb, King of Scotland is omitted by the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and later Scottish king-lists. The Irish Annals of Tigernach appear to better reflect contemporary events. Amlaíb could be a direct predecessor of Kenneth who suffered damnatio memoriae, or the rival king recognized in parts of Scotland. A period of divided kingship appears likely.[12]

Amlaíb was the heir of his brother Cuilén, who was killed in a hall-burning. He might have served as a regent north of the River Forth, during the absence of his brother. Kenneth was brother to the deceased Dub, King of Scotland and was most likely an exile. He could claim the throne due to the support of friends and maternal kin. He was likely older and more experienced than his rival king.[12] Amlaíb is the Gaelic form of Óláfr, suggesting maternal descent from Norsemen. He could possibly claim descent from the Uí Ímair dynasty. Alex Woolf suggests he was a grandson of Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Dublin or his cousin Olaf Guthfrithson, which suggests his own group of supporters.[12]

Death

According to

Mormaer of Angus, to kill the king. She reportedly did so to achieve personal revenge, as Kenneth II had killed her own son. Entries in the Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, collected by William Forbes Skene, provide the account of Finnela killing Kenneth II in revenge, but not her affiliation to Constantine or his cousins. These entries date to the 12th and 13th centuries.[13] The Annals of Ulster simply record "Cinaed son of Mael Coluim [Kenneth, son of Malcolm], king of Scotland, was deceitfully killed", with no indication of who killed him.[14]

In the account of John of Fordun,

stream-goddess.[17] A later passage of John of Fordun mentions Finele as mother of Macbeth, King of Scotland (reigned 1040–1057), but this is probably an error based on the similarity of names. Macbeth was son of Findláech of Moray, not of a woman called Finella.[17][18]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Cináed mac Maíl Coluim is the Mediaeval Gaelic form.

References

  1. ^ Skene, Chronicles, p. 96.
  2. ^ Duncan, p. 21.
  3. ^ ESSH, p. 512; Duncan, p.25.
  4. ^ ESSH, pp. 478–479; SAEC, pp. 75–78.
  5. ^ Duncan, pp.24–25.
  6. ^ Duncan, pp. 21–22; ESSH, p. 484.
  7. ^ See ESSH, pp. 483–484 & 495–502.
  8. ^ The name of Cuncar's daughter is given as Fenella, Finele or Sibill in later sources. John of Fordun credits Constantine III (Causantín mac Cuilén) and Kenneth III (Cináed mac Duib) with the planning, claiming that Kenneth II planned to change the laws of succession. See ESSH, pp. 512–515.
  9. ^ ESSH, p. 516.
  10. ^ Annals of the Four Masters, s.a. 998: "Dúngal Cináed's son, was killed by Gille Coemgáin, Cináed's son." It is not clear if the Cináeds (Kenneths) referred to are Cináed mac Maíl Coluim (Kenneth II) or his nephew and namesake Cináed mac Duib (Kenneth III). Smyth, pp. 221–222, makes Dúngal following ESSH p. 580.
  11. ^ Compare Duncan, p.345 and Lynch (ed), Genealogies, at about p. 680. See also ESSH, p. 580.
  12. ^ a b c Woolf (2007), p. 205-206
  13. ^ The name of Cuncar's daughter is given as Fenella, Finele or Sibill in later sources. John of Fordun credits Constantine III (Causantín mac Cuilén) and Kenneth III (Cináed mac Duib) with the planning, claiming that Kenneth II planned to change the laws of succession. See ESSH, pp. 512–515.
  14. ^ Annals of Ulster, online translation. Entry U995.1
  15. ^ Skene, John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation, Book IV, Chapters XXXII-XXXIV (32-34), pages 165-169
  16. ^ Smyth, Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000, p. 224-225
  17. ^ a b Anderson, Early sources of Scottish history, A.D. 500 to 1286, p. 515
  18. ^ Skene, John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation, Book IV, Chapters XLIV (44), pages 180

For primary sources see also External links below.

External links
Kenneth II of Scotland
 Died: 995
Regnal titles
Preceded by
King of Alba

971–995 		Succeeded by
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