At the dawn of the Middle Ages the House of Dunkeld, in the person of Duncan I (1001-1040) replaced the line of Gaelic kings known as the MacAplin dynasty which had ruled Scotland since the ninth century. Succession to the throne of Scotland gradually changed towards the system of primogeniture (descent of the eldest son) which replaced the Irish-Celtic tradition of tanistry.
The family produced such varying characters as the warlike Malcolm III 'Canmore' (1057-1093), the devout David I (1124-1153) and Alexander I (1107-1024), known as 'the Fierce'. The Dunkeld family could also boast a real saint in its midst in the person of Margaret, wife of Malcolm III 'Canmore' and a descendant of the Saxon House of Wessex.
The House of Dunkeld became extinct in 1286, when Alexander III (1249-1286) died as a result of an accident, leaving only a young granddaughter, Margaret of Norway, to succeed him. Margaret, known as the 'Maid of Norway', died on the journey to Scotland to take up the throne, leaving several claimants to dispute their right to Scotland's crown.
1001, son of Bethoc daughter of Malcolm II & Crinan, Abbot of Dunkeld 1001-1040 Aelflaed of Northumbria
Malcolm III 'Canmore'1031, son of Duncan I and Aelflaed of Northumbria 1057- 93 (i) Ingeborg of Halland (ii) St. Margaret
Donald IIIcirca 1033, son of Duncan I 1093-1097 (deposed 1094)
Duncan IIson of Malcolm III and Ingeborg of Halland 1094 Ethelreda of Dunbar
Edgarcirca 1074, son of Malcolm III 'Canmore' and St. Margaret 1097-1107
Alexander Icirca 1078, son of Malcolm III 'Canmore' and St. Margaret 1107-1124 Sybilla, daughter of Henry I.
David Icirca 1080, son of Malcolm III 'Canmore' and St. Margaret 1124-1153
Maud of HuntingdonMalcolm IV 'the Maiden'circa 1141, son of Prince Henry of Scotland and Ada de Warrene 1153-65
William the Lioncirca 1143, son of Henry of Scotland, Earl of Huntingdon and Ada de Warrene
1165-1214 Ermengarde of Beaumont-le-Maine
Alexander II1198, son of William the Lion and Ermengarde of Beaumont 1214-1249 (i) Joanna of England (ii) Marie de Coucy
Alexander III1241, son of Alexander II and Marie de Coucy 1249-1286 (i) Margaret of England (ii) Yvette de Dreux
Margaret 'Maid of Norway'1283, daughter of Eric II of Norway and Margaret of Scotland 1286-1290