Style of the Scottish sovereign

The style of the Scottish sovereign refers to the styles and

monarchs of Scotland from the earliest to the present, including monarchs from the Pictish

period to the British period.

Earliest styles

Examples of the earliest styles are primarily found in sources originating from

historiographical

tradition called "King", are called king in the sources; moreover, they are sometimes called "kings of Alba".

Traditional Pictish period

Domangurt mac Nissi ri Alban (AT506)
Comgall mac Domanguirt ri Alban (AT537)
Gabrain maic Domanguirt ríg Alban (AT559)
Cindaeladh rex Pictorum (AT578)
Cennalath, rex Pictorum (AU, s.a. 580)
Bruidhe mac Maelchon, ri Cruithneach (AT, s.a. 581)
Bruide mc. Maelcon regis Pictorum (AU584)
Bridei mac Maelchon, Ard Rig Toí (ACC)
Ceannath K. of the Picts (AClon580)
Garnat King of the Picts (AClon590)
Gartnaidh regis Pictorum (AT597)
Aedhain m. Gabrain mc. Domangairt righ Alban (AU606)
Ægþan Scotta cyng (ASC603)
Echdach Buidhe, regis Pictorum, filii Aedain (AU629)
Conid Cerr, rex Dal Riati (AU629)
Cinedon filii Lugthreni, regis Pictorum (AU631)
Cined mac Luchtren, rex Pictorum (CS631)
Cenay mc Lachtren king of the Picts (AClon632)
Cinaed, rí Alban (AI 633)
Cínaetha maic Luchtren, regis Pictorum (AT633)
Octlarge m c Fogith K. of Picts (AClon649)
Tolairg m. Fooith regis Pictorum (AU653)
Tolairg mac Foóith regis Pictorum (AT653)
Tolorchan mc Anfrith K. of the Picts (AClon653)
Tolargain mc. Anfrith regis Pictorum (AU657)
Tolorcan mac Ainfrith, rí Cruithne (AT656)
Gartnait maic Domnaill, rig Cruithneach (AT663)
Gartnayt son of Donall king of Picts (AClon659)
Bruidhe mac Bile, rex Fortrend (AT693)
Bruide m. Bili, rex Fortrend (AU693)
Brude mac Derilei, ri Cruithintuathi (697 Cáin Adomnáin)
Neactain reigis Pictorum (AT724)
Drust regem Pictorum (AU729)
Aongas, rí Foirtreann (FA?729)
Drust, righ Alban (FA?729)
Aengus mac Fergusa, rex Picctorum (AT736)
Oengus m. Fergusso, rex Pictorum (AU736)
Owinus rex píctorum (ACamb~741)
Talargan rex pictorum (ACamb~750)
Aengus rí Alban (AT759)
Aengus mac Fergusa, rex Pictorum (AT761)
Oengus m. Fherghussa rex Pictorum (AU761)
Bruidhi rí Fortrenn (AT763)
Bruide, rex Fortrenn (AU763)
Cinadhon regis Pictorum (AU775)
Cemoid rex pictorum (ACamb~775)
Dub Tholargg rex Pictorum citra Monoth (AU782)
Causantín mac Fergussa, ri Alban (AI820)
Custantin m. Fergusa, rex Fortreinn (AU820)
Oengus m. Fergusa, rex Fortrenn (AU834)
Eoganán mac Oengusa rí Dáil Riatai (CGG)
Cináed mac Alpín, ri Alban (AI858)
Cinaedh m. Ailpin rex Pictorum (AU858)
Ceínod rex pictorum (ACamb~858)

Traditional Scottish period

Constantin mac Cinaeda ardri Alban (CGG)
Domnall m. Caustantin, ri Alban (AU 900)
Custantin m. Aedha ri Alban (AU 952)
Mael Coluim m. Domnaill, ri Alban (AU 954)
Dub m. Mael Coluim, ri Alban (AU 967)
Culen m. Illuilb, ri Alban (AU 971)
Amhlaim m. Ailuilbh, .i. ri Alban (AU 977)
Amlaim mac Illuilb, rí Alban (AT 977)
Cinaedh m. Mael Cholaim, ri Alban (AU 995)
Cináeth mac Mail Cholaim, rí Alban (AT 995)
Constantin mac Cuilindaín rí Alban (AT 997)
ri Alban, .i. Cinaedh m. Duibh (AU 1005)
Finnloech m. Ruaidhri, ri Alban (AU 1020)
Findlaech mac Ruadrí rí Alban (LL)
Mael Colaim mac Mael-Brighdi mac Ruaidrí, rí Alban (1029)
Mael Coluim m. Cinaedha, ri Alban (AU 1034)
Donnchad m. Crinan, rí Alban (AU 1040)
Donncadh mac Crínan, aird-rí Alban (AT 1040)
M. Beathadh m. Finnlaich airdrigh Alban (AU 1058)
Mac Bethadh mac Findlaich, aird-rí Alban (AT 1058)
Lulach, rí Alban (AT 1058)
Mael Snechtai m. Lulaigh ri Muireb (AU 1085)
Mael Coluim ri Alban (AU 1085)
Mael Coluim m. Donnchadha airdri Alban (AU 1093)
Mael Colaim mac Donnchadha, rí Alban (AT 1093)
Mael Coluim mac Dondchada ri Alban (LL)
Donnchadh m. Mael Coluim ri Alban (AU 1094)
Domnall mac Donnchada, rí Alban (AT 1099)
Etgair ri Alban (AU 1107)
Alaxandair m. Mael Choluim ri Alban (AU 1124)
Oenghus m. ingine Luluigh (ri Moréb) (AU 1130)
Dabid, rí Alban (AT 1152)
Dabid mac Mail Colaim, rí Alban & Saxan (AT 1153)
Mael Coluim Cennmor, mac Eanric, ardri Alban, in cristaidhe as ferr do bai do Gaidhelaibh re muir anair (AU 1165)
Ri Alban, Uilliam Garm (AU 1214)
Uilliam, ri Alban (AU 1214)
Roibert a Briuis, mormaer .. righ n-Alban (AU 1302 = 1306)
Roberd a Briuis mormaer .. rig a nAlbain (AC 1306)
Edubart Mor Ri Saxan & Bretan & Alban & Duice na Gascune & tigerna na hErend (AC 1307)
Roibeat a Briuis, ri Alban (AU 1314)
Righ Alban .i. Semus Sdibard (AC 1499)

Medieval Charter styles

The

St. Brigid at Abernethy

, c. early sixth century:

Latin: Nectonius magnus filius Uuirp rex omnium prouiciarum Pictorum[1]
- English: 'Great Nechtan, son of Uurp, King of all the provinces of the Picts'

In the Scottish period, the charter styles vary at first, but later become more formulaic. Here are some examples from the early charter period. The

Roman numeral which follows is the number given to the charter in Archibald C. Lawrie's Early Scottish Charters: Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow

, 1905):

Machbet filius Finlach et Gruoch filia Bodhe, rex et regina Scottorum (Lawrie, V.)
- English: 'Macbeth son of Findláech and Gruoch daughter of Bodhe, King and Queen of the Scots'. Source is the Registrum of the Priory of St Andrews, and the document is a Latin translation from an earlier Gaelic document, so the rex Scottorum style is not reliable
Malcolmus Dei gratia Scottorum basileus (X)
- 'Malcolm by the Grace of God, High King of the Scots'
Edgarus Dei gratia Rex Scottorum (XVII: 1095)
- 'Edgar by the Grace of God, King of the Scots'
Alexander Dei gratia Rex Scottorum (XXVII)
- 'Alexander by the Grace of God, King of the Scots'
David Dei gratia Rex Scotiae (LXIX)
- 'David by the Grace of God, King of Scotland'
David Dei gratia Rex Scottorum (CIV)
- 'David by the Grace of God, King of the Scots'

From David I onwards, the royal style is either rex Scottorum or rex Scotiae.

From the late Middle Ages to the Acts of Union

In the late Middle Ages, the titles "rex Scottorum" meaning 'king of the Scots' and "rex Scotiae" meaning 'king of Scotland' were used interchangeably. Similarly, the

Mary II and Anne, who became Queen of Great Britain after the Acts of Union in 1707

.

Your Grace

Scottish

monarchs were addressed as "Your Grace" before the Acts of Union of 1707, when Scotland became part of the Kingdom of Great Britain. From then on, British

monarchs were addressed as "Your Majesty".

Notes

^ , Anderson, Kings, (1973), p. 249

References

Anderson, Marjorie O., Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland, (Edinburgh, 1973)
Lawrie, Archibald C., Early Scottish Charters: Prior to A.D. 1153, (Glasgow, 1905):