Died on this day in history 1034 - King Malcolm II of Scotland (with apologies, there is no known contemporary image of him)! Son of Kenneth MacAlpin (Cináed mac Ailpín), who murdered the second last holly king of Scotland (Alba), Holly King Causantín mac Cuiléain. Father: Kenneth II, King of Scotland (Kenneth II was killed in battle). His daughter Donada married Sigurd Norse king of Orkney who controlled Caithness, Sutherland and most of the Western Isles. The combined kingdom extended Scottish rule into Moray and previously Norse occupied lands Mother: a Princess of Leinster House of: Last of the House of MacAlpin Born: c. 954 Ascended to the throne: March 25, 1005 after the death of his father at the Battle of Clontarf in 1005, Malcolm took the throne, presumably at a young age. He quickly earned the name Malcolm the Destroyer on account of his cruel and vicious attacks on native Scots. His reign is marked by his obsession in trying to destroy every last remnant of the Cuileain, the Holly Family and king line his family slew. He successed in killing Ruadrí of Moray the younger brother of the slain King Constantine, but his family managed to escape. In some rare histories, there is evidence that Malcolm went to Rome during the reign of Pope Benedict VIII to seek a Papal blessing to make his family the rightful heirs to Alba. In 1032, Malcolm succeeded in killing another rightful heir of the throne of Alba (Scotland), Findláech mac Ruadrí, Holly King of Moray. The rightful heir then passed to his son Mac Bethad mac Findlaích, more famously known as MacBeth who earned the name Rí Deircc. It was MacBeth who was the last Holly King of Scotland, defeating Donnchad mac Crínáin, the son of Malcolm in 1039. Children: Daughters Bethoc (mother of Duncan I) and Donada Died: November, 1034, from injuries at Glamis castle, Angus Buried at: Isle of Iona Succeeded by: his grandson Duncan I King Malcolm II, known in Gaelic as Mael Coluim mac Cinaeda, who succeeded Kenneth III was the last of the ancient line of the House of MacAlpin. Malcolm, was much respected by his contemporaries, the Irish Annals refer to him as honoured among all men. He had succeeded to Scotlands throne after killing his predeccesor, Kenneth III in battle at Monzievaird, to the north of Crieff, on 25th March, 1005. Kenneths son, Giric, was also killed in the battle. Malcolm later had Kenneths grandson killed to ensure the succession of his grandson. Malcolm II of ScotlandTo his name was added the Gaelic epithet Forranach meaning the destoyer. Contemporary chroniclers record of him that He was skilled in brandishing the sword and hurling the spear and that he was A victorious warrior in battle. He was the first to reign over the extent of land equivalent to modern Scotland. Malcolm, an intelligent and ambitious man, married his daughter to Sigurd, the Viking Earl of Orkney. When his son-in-law was killed in battle in Ireland, his Scottish lands were divided between the Mormaer of Moray, who was married to Malcolms sister and Sigards son, who was also Malcolms grandson. He married his elder daughter, Bethoc, to Crinan, lay Abbot of Dunkeld, from this fateful union was to spring the House of Dunkeld. Malcolm II invaded England , believing the English too preoccupied with the Danish raids to successfully withstand a Scots invasion. Unfortunately he was wrong and they defeated him at Durham in 1006. Malcolm’s early raids into Northumbria in 1016 were defeated by Uhtred the Bold at Durham, however he defeated a force of English and Vikings at Carham, and extended Scottish rule into Lothian and Northumbrian lands down to Berwick. In 1032 King Cnut King of England secured the southern part of Northumbria for England settling the border between Scotland and northern England. The English were lead by Uhtred, the son of Waltheof I, ealdorman of Bamburgh, and known as Uthred the Bold. Uthred gathered men from all over the regions of Bernicia and Yorkshire to halt the King of Scots advance. The severed heads of the Scots killed in battle, after being washed by local women, were fixed on stakes to Durhams walls. Malcolm himself escaped from the bloody battlefield alive. Uhtred was rewarded by King Ethelred II with the ealdormanry of Bamburgh for his part in the victory. The King of Scots allied himself with Owen the Bald, the King of Strathclyde and together they burnt much of Northumbria. He defeated Earl Uhtred at the Battle of Carham on the river Tweed. Earl Uhtred was klled in the battle. Canute, the Danish king of England, appointed his brother-in-law, Eiríkr Hákonarson as Earl of Northumbria. Canute responded with alarm, sending an army north to deal with the troublesome Scots King and seized Lothian. According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Canute led an army into Scotland on return from his pilgrimage to Rome. Burgundian chronicler Rodulfus Glaber records that peace was made between Malcolm and Canute through the intervention of Richard, Duke of Normandy, who was Canutes brother-in-law. Malcolm died on 25th November 1034. The Annals of Tigernach record that Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, king of Scotland, the honour of all the west of Europe, died. John of Fordun states that Malcolm killed fighting bandits, The Prophecy of Berchán records that he died by violence, fighting the parricides, suggested to be the sons of Máel Brigte of Moray. Tradition states that the Pictish stone now known as Glamis is actually King Malcolms grave stone. The stone is formed by re-using a Bronze Age standing stone. Its dating is uncertain, with dates from the 8th century onwards having been suggested. An association with Malcolm has been proposed on the basis of the iconography of the carvings Malcolm left no sons and Malcolm had no son so he had the grandson of Kenneth III murdered to ensure that his daughter Bethroc’s son Duncan became heir to the throne. Malcolm died from battle injuries at Glamis Castle in 1034. Malcolm died from battle injuries at Glamis Castle in 1034.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 08:56:25 +0000
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