The House of MacAlpin

The MacAlpin Clan

Dark age Scotland was occupied by several races. The Picts, the aboriginal inhabitants of the country, occupied the northeast of Scotland, they were a short race of Celtic stock and were reported to have arrived in Britain from Europe during the Celtic migrations in the first millennium B.C. The Scots, who were Gaelic Celts, arrived later, they crossed the sea from Northern Ireland in the third and fourth centuries A.D. taking over the area of the West Highlands, which they termed Dalraida.

The Britons of Strathclyde, another Celtic race, known as Brythonic Celts, controlled the southwest from the Clyde to the Solway and into Cumbria. To this melting pot was added the Vikings, of Norway and Denmark, originally raiders who became settlers, who largely occupied the islands of Shetland and Orkney and lastly the Angles, who came north across the border from England to inhabit the Scottish lowlands.

The MacAlpin dynasty, which ruled Scotland throughout the Dark Ages, united the warring races of Picts and Scots as one nation. Early Scottish Kings were appointed by the Celtic system of tanistry, a tanist or tanaise (literally the expected one) the successor to the King, was not necessarily his eldest son but was designated from among a group of his kindred, chosen during the life of the reigning King. This pattern of succession can be previously discerned amongst the ancient Kings of Dalraida. The House of MacAlpin continued to occupy the Scottish throne for the next two hundred years, which was marked by bitter dynastic conflict over tanist successors between rival branches of the dynasty.

Kenneth MacAlpin

Kenneth MacAlpin

Born around 810, son of Alpin mac Echdach. r. 843-858

King Donald I

King Donald I

C. 812 son of Kenneth MacAlpin

Constantine I

Constantine I

Son of Kenneth MacAlpin, r. 862-877

Aodh

Aodh

Born before 858 son of Kenneth MacAlpin, r. 877-878

Eochaid and Giric

Eochaid and Giric

Born c 832 possible son of Dúngal r. 878-889

>Donald II

Donald II

Born 1284 Son of Constantín I r. 899-900

King Constantine II

King Constantine II

Born before 879 son of Áodh, King of the Picts r. 900-943

Malcolm I

Malcolm I

Son of Donald II r. 943-954

Indulf

Indulf

Son of Constantine II r. 954-962

Dubh

Dubh

Son of Malcolm I r. 962-967

Colin King of Scots

Colin King of Scots

Son of Indulf r. 967-971

Kenneth II

Kenneth II

Son of Malcolm I, r. 971-995

Constantine III

Constantine III

Son of Colin r. 995-997

Kenneth III

Kenneth III

Born before 967 son of Dubh r. 997-1005

Malcolm II

Malcolm II

Son of Kenneth II, r. 1005-1034

Additional Information on the era

The Picts

The Scots

Dunadd Hillfort

The Stone of Destiny

Iona Abbey

Monymusk Reliquary

Battle of Carham