See also
- Donald KING OF SCOTLAND's father: Constantine I KING OF SCOTLAND ( -877)
Donald KING OF SCOTLAND (c. 860-900)
1. Donald II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND, son of Constantine I KING OF SCOTLAND ( -877), was born circa 0860. He died of Killed in action. in 0900 in Dunfother, Scotland. He was buried in Isle of Iona, Scotland.
He succeeded to the title of King Donald II of Scotland in 889.
Succeeded the joint rule of Giric and Eochaid. Succeeded by Constantine II. At this time, after the deaths of Eochaid and Giric, the throne alternated between the two parts of the Alpin House, both of which were descendants of the sons of Kenneth MacAlpin, Constantine I and Aed. Constantine's son Donald II now ruled the land and he didn't pick the best time to be King. The Danish had conquered the whole of the north of Scotland led by 'Sigurd the Mighty'. Sigurd claimed the lands and slayed his adversary 'Melbrigda Tonn', cut off his head and ceremoniously hung it from his saddle. This however was not such a great idea, because, as the head bounced around, it banged against his leg and a tooth punctured Sigurds leg; he quickly died of blood poisoning. The now departed Melbrigda Tonn was renamed 'The Tooth'.
Donald II, after spending his time fending off the Danish from the north (which used to be lead by Sigurd), and from the south (led by the Danish leader 'Guthrum'), died near Forres in 900. Some say he was poisoned.".
Donald II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND had the following children:
| +2 |
Second Generation
2. Malcolm I of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND (also known as Mael Coluim 1), son of Donald II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND, was born before 0900. He died in 0954 in Fordourn in the Mearns. He was buried in Isle of Iona, Scotland.
He reigned 943-954.
Malcolm I of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND had the following children:
| +3 | |
| +4 |
Third Generation
3. Kenneth II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND, son of Malcolm I of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND, was born in 0930. He died of possibly murdered in 0995 in Finella's Castle, Fettercain, Scotland (Fetteresso).. He was buried in Isle of Iona, Scotland.
He gained the title of King Kenneth of Alba. He succeeded to the title of King Kenneth II of Scotland in 971.
He was possibly killed by Finvela, a noblewoman whose son was killed by the king. She is said to have lured Kenneth into her home promising to unmask traitors. In one room, a statue was connected to several hidden crossbows which were set to fire bolts from every side when a golden apple on the statue was lifted. After a great feast, at which wine flowed freely, Finvela took her drunken guest into the fatal room and offered him the golden apple as a gesture of peace. As he lifted the apple, he was struck by a hail of bolts. He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.3
King Kenneth of Scotland was killed in 995 and his throne taken by King Constantine
The reign of Kenneth II lasted from 971-995. In 994, he tried to march into Northumbria on some conquest venture, and failed. He returned home to find an uprising in progress.
Here is a quote from the book "Monarchs of Scotland":
"There is a story that Kenneth met a startling death. For a long time the Scottish kings had found the Mearn a difficult area to control and in attempting to force his authority there Kenneth had slain the son of Finella; Finella was the wife of the Mormaer of the Mearns. The embittered woman planned a sinister revenge. In her castle she had a copper tower built, bedecked inside with rich and elaborate tapestries. Several loaded crossbows were secured behind these hangings. She then placed a statue of the king holding a golden apple in the center of the room, at which point the bows were aimed..."
Constantine III followed as king. His reign was "as unsuccessful as it was brief...some say that he was killed by an illegitimate son of Malcolm I...Constantine's death marks a low point in the early story of the Scottish monarchy...".
Kenneth II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND had the following children:
| 5 | Malcolm II of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND (c. 954-1034) (known as 'Malcolm MacKenneth'). Malcolm MacKenneth was born circa 0954. He died on [Julian] 25 November 1034 in Glamis. |
4. Dubh KING OF SCOTLAND, son of Malcolm I of Alba KING OF SCOTLAND, died in 0967.
reigned 962-967.
Dubh KING OF SCOTLAND had the following children:
| 6 |