Óengus son of Fergus (Pictish: *Onuist map Vurguist;^{[note 1]}Old Irish:Óengus mac Fergusso,lit. 'Angus son of Fergus'; died 761) wasking of the Picts from 732 until his death in 761. His reign can be reconstructed in some detail from a variety of sources. The unprecedented territorial gains he made from coast to coast, and the legacy he left, mean Óengus can be considered the first king of what would become Scotland.

Óengus mac Fergusa
The figure of theOld Testament KingDavid shown killing alion on theSt Andrews Sarcophagus is thought to represent King Óengus. The figure is dressed as a Roman emperor ofLate Antiquity and wears afibula like that of the EmperorJustinian on the mosaic atSan Vitale,Ravenna.[1][2][3]
King of the Picts
Reign	732–761
Predecessor	Nechtan III
Successor	Talorgan II
Died	761
Issue	Bridei Talorgan
House	Óengus

Wresting power from his rivals, Óengus became the chief king inPictland following a period of civil war in the late 720s.

The most powerful ruler inScotland for more than two decades, kings from Óengus's family dominated Pictland for a century, until defeat at the hands ofVikings in 839 began a new period of instability, ending with the coming to power of another Pictish dynasty, that ofCináed mac Ailpín.^[5][6]

Surviving Pictish sources for the period are few, limited to king lists, the original of which was prepared in the early 720s,^[7] and a number of accounts relating to the foundation ofSt Andrews, then called Cennrígmonaid.^[8] Beyond Pictland, the principal sources are theIrish annals, of which theAnnals of Ulster and theAnnals of Tigernach are the most reliable. These include materials from an annal kept at the monastery ofIona in Scotland.^[9] Óengus and the Picts appear occasionally inWelsh sources,^[10] such as theAnnales Cambriae,^[11] and more frequently inNorthumbrian sources, of which the Continuation ofBede's chronicle^[12] and theHistoria Regum attributed toSymeon of Durham are the most important.^[13]

ThePicts were one of four political groups in northBritain in the early 8th century.^[14] Pictland ran from theRiver Forth northwards, includingOrkney,Shetland and theWestern Isles. Prior to theViking Age, the main power in Pictland appears to have been the kingdom ofFortriu.^[15] Known high-status sites in Fortriu includeBurghead^[16] andCraig Phádraig byInverness.^[17] Pictland appears to have had only one bishop with his seat atRosemarkie.^{[18][19][note 2]}

From the Forth south to theRiver Humber lay thekingdom of Northumbria.^[24] Once the dominant force in Britain, it remained a powerful kingdom, but the end of the old dynasty of kings with the death ofOsric in 729 led to conflict between rival families for the throne.^[25] The growing power of theMercian kingdom to the south added to the problems faced by Northumbrian kings.^[26] For most of Óengus's reign Northumbria was ruled by KingEadberht Eating.^{[27][note 3]}

To the south-west of Pictland were theGaels ofDál Riata^[30] where the kingship was disputed between theCenél Loairn of northernArgyll and theCenél nGabráin ofKintyre.^[31][32] In 723Selbach mac Ferchair abdicated as head of the Cenél Loairn and king of Dál Riata in favour of his sonDúngal,^[33] who was driven out asking of Dál Riata byEochaid mac Echdach of the Cenél nGabráin in 726. Dúngal and Eochaid were still in conflict as late as 731, when Dúngal burntTarbert.^[34]

The history of the fourth group, theBritons ofAltclut, later the kingdom of Strathclyde, leaves little trace in the record.^[35] KingTeudebur map Beli had ruled fromDumbarton Rock since 722, and continued to do so until his death in 752 when his sonDumnagual succeeded him.^{[36][note 4]}

An early medieval Irish genealogy tract claims Óengus is a descendant of the Eoganachta of Mag Gergind and that they, in turn, are descendants of, or kin with, theEóganachta ofMunster, and that both are descended from Cairpre Cruithnecháin or "Cairbre the little Pict", but the genealogical link here was likely invented as propaganda supporting an alliance around 735 between Óengus andCathal, the king of Munster and paramount king of Ireland at the time.^[38] The Éoganachta of Mag Gergind are generally accepted as having been located in modernAngus and theMearns.^{[39][40][note 5]} Óengus — also called Unust, Unuist or Onuist in Pictish andOld Gaelic, was the son of Vurguist in Pictish or, in modern English, Fergus.^[42]

Óengus thus appears to have been a native of the Mearns,^[43] PictishCircin, possibly born into an establishedVerturian kindred there.^[44] It is relatively nearby, at the hill of Moncrieffe, nearPerth, that he first appears in the records, defeating his rival,Alpin (or Pictish Elphin), in battle.^[45] That the Irish annals envision his kin as "Eóganachta" suggests he was the descendant of an obscure "Vuen" (or Wen), the Pictish British cognate of Gaelic Éogan.^[46]

Much of Óengus' early life is unknown; he was middle-aged by the time he entered into history.^[47] His close kin included at least two sons, Bridei (died 736) andTalorgan (died 782), and two brothers, Talorgan (died 750) andBridei (died 763).^{[48][note 6]}

KingNechtan son of Der-Ilei abdicated to enter a monastery in 724^[51] and was imprisoned by his successorDrest in 726.^[52] In 728 and 729, four kings competed for power in Pictland:^[53] Drest; Nechtan;Alpín, of whom little is known; and Óengus, who was a partisan of Nechtan,^[54][47] and perhaps his acknowledged heir.^[52]

Four battles large enough to be recorded in Ireland were fought in 728 and 729. Alpín was defeated twice by Óengus, after which Nechtan was restored to power. In 729 a battle between supporters of Óengus and Nechtan's enemies was fought at Monith Carno (traditionallyCairn o' Mount, nearFettercairn) where the supporters of Óengus were victorious.^[55] Nechtan was restored to the kingship, probably until his death in 732.^[56] On 12 August 729 Óengus defeated and killed Drest in battle at Druimm Derg Blathuug,^[55] a place which has not been identified.^[57]

In the 730s, Óengus fought against Dál Riata whose traditional overlords and protectors in Ireland, theCenél Conaill,^[58] were much weakened at this time.^[59] A fleet from Dál Riata fought forFlaithbertach mac Loingsig, chief of the Cenél Conaill, in his war withÁed Allán of theCenél nEógan, and suffered heavy losses in 733.^[47][60] Dál Riata was ruled by Eochaid mac Echdach, possibly of the Cenél nGabráin^[61] who died in 733, and the king lists are unclear as to who, if anyone, succeeded him as overking.^[62] The Cenél Loairn of north Argyll was ruled by Dúngal mac Selbaig whom Eochaid had deposed as overking of Dál Riata in 726.^[62]

Fighting between the Picts, led by Óengus's son Bridei, and the Dál Riata, led by Talorgan mac Congussa, is recorded in 731.^[63] In 733, Dúngal mac Selbaig "profaned [the sanctuary] ofTory Island when he dragged Bridei out of it".^[62] Dúngal, previously deposed as overking of Dál Riata, was overthrown as king of the Cenél Loairn^[64] and replaced by his first cousinMuiredach mac Ainbcellaig.^[65]

In 734 Talorgan mac Congussa was handed over to the Picts by his brother and drowned by them.Talorcan son of Drestan was captured nearDún Ollaigh. He appears to have been the King ofAtholl and was drowned on Óengus's order in 739.^{[66][note 7]} Dúngal too was a target in this year. He was wounded, the unidentified fortress of Dún Leithfinn was destroyed, and he "fled into Ireland, to be out of the power of Óengus".^[68]

The annals report a second campaign by Óengus against the Dál Riata in 736.^[62] Dúngal, who had returned from Ireland, and his brother Feradach, were captured and bound in chains.^[69] The fortresses of Creic andDunadd were taken and burnt.^[69] Muiredach of the Cenél Loairn was no more successful, defeated with heavy loss by Óengus's brother Talorgan mac Fergusa,^[70] perhaps byLoch Awe.^[71] A final campaign — known as the "smiting" — in 741 saw the Dál Riata again defeated.^[72] With this Dál Riata disappears from the record for a generation.^[73][74][75]

It may be that Óengus was involved in wars in Ireland, perhaps fighting with Áed Allán,^[76] or against him as an ally ofCathal mac Finguine.^[77] The full extent of his involvement, though, is unknown. There is the presence of Óengus's son Bridei at Tory Island, on the north-west coast ofDonegal in 733, close to the lands of Áed Allán's enemy Flaithbertach mac Loingsig.^[78] Less certainly, theFragmentary Annals of Ireland report the presence of a Pictish fleet from Fortriu fighting for Flaithbertach in 733 rather than against him.^{[47][79][note 8]}

In 740, a war between the Picts and the Northumbrians is reported, during whichÆthelbald,King of Mercia, took advantage of the absence ofEadberht of Northumbria to ravage his lands,^[83] and perhaps burnYork.^[84] The reason for the war is unclear, but it has been suggested that it was related to the killing of Earnwine son ofEadwulf^[85] on Eadberht's orders. Earnwine's father had probably been an exile in the north after his defeat in the civil war of 705–706,^[86] and it may be that Óengus, or Æthelbald, or both, had tried to place him on the Northumbrian throne.^{[87][88][89][90]}

Battles between the Picts and the Britons of Alt Clut, orStrathclyde, are recorded in 744^[91] and again in 750, whenKyle was taken from Alt Clut by Eadberht of Northumbria. Thebattle of Catohic between the Britons and the Picts is reported at a place named Mocetauc (perhapsMugdock nearMilngavie)^[92] in which Talorgan mac Fergusa, Óengus's brother, was killed.^[93][94][48] Following the defeat in 750, theAnnals of Ulster record "the ebbing of the sovereignty of Óengus".^[95][96] This is thought to refer to the coming to power ofÁed Find, son of Eochaid mac Echdach, in all or part of Dál Riata, and his rejection of Óengus's overlordship.^[97][98]

A number of interpretations have been offered of the relations between Óengus, Eadberht and Æthelbald in the period from 740 to 750, which due to the paucity of sources remain otherwise unclear.^[99] One suggestion is that Óengus and Æthelbald were allied against Eadberht,^[12] or even that they exercised a joint rulership of Britain,^[100] orbretwaldaship,^[101] Óengus collecting tribute north of the River Humber and Æthelbald south of the Humber. This rests largely on a confused passage in Symeon of Durham'sHistoria Regum Anglorum, and it has more recently been suggested that the interpretation offered byFrank Stenton — that it is based on a textual error and that Óengus and Æthelbald were not associated in any sort of joint overlordship^[102] — is the correct one.^[94][97]

In 756, Óengus is found campaigning alongside Eadberht of Northumbria.^[103] The campaign is reported as follows:^[104][105]

In the year of the Lord's incarnation 756, King Eadberht in the eighteenth year of his reign, and Unust, king of Picts led armies to the town ofDumbarton. And hence the Britons accepted terms there, on the first day of the month of August. But on the tenth day of the same month perished almost the whole army which he led from Ouania to Niwanbirig.^[104][105]

That Ouania isGovan is now reasonably certain,^[106][107] but the location of Newanbirig is less so.^[108] Newburgh-on-Tyne nearHexham has been suggested.^[89] An alternative interpretation of the events of 756 has been advanced: it identifies Newanbirig withNewborough byLichfield in the kingdom of Mercia. A defeat here for Eadberht and Óengus by Æthelbald's Mercians would correspond with the claim in the Saint Andrews foundation legends that a king named Óengus son of Fergus founded the church there as a thanksgiving toSaint Andrew for saving him after a defeat in Mercia.^[109] Marjorie Anderson supports this version of the St Andrews foundation legend.^[110]

The story of the foundation of St Andrews, originallyCennrígmonaid,^[111] is not contemporary and may contain legend.^[112] The Irish annals report the death of "Tuathalán, abbot of Cinrigh Móna", in 747,^[113] making it certain that St Andrews had been founded before that date, probably by Óengus or by Nechtan son of Der-Ilei.^{[114][13][115][note 9]} It is generally presumed that theSt Andrews Sarcophagus was executed at the command of Óengus.^[54][117] Later generations may have conflated this king Óengus with the 9th centuryking of the same name.^[118][119] The choice ofDavid as a model is,Alex Woolf suggests, an appropriate one, as David too was an usurper.^[120]

The cult of Saint Andrew may have come to Pictland from Northumbria,^[121] as had the cult ofSaint Peter which had been favoured by Nechtan,^[122] and in particular from themonastery atHexham which was dedicated to Saint Andrew. This apparent connection with the Northumbrian church may have left a written record. Óengus, like his successors and possible kinsmenCaustantín^[123] andEógan, is recorded prominently in theLiber Vitae Ecclesiae Dunelmensis, a list of some 3000 benefactors for whom prayers were said in religious institutions connected withDurham.^[124][125] However, argues Simon Taylor, there is "no absolute proof" that the cult existed before the 11th century.^[126]

Óengus died in 761, "aged probably more than seventy, ... the dominating figure in the politics of Northern Britain".^[127] His death is reported in the usual brief style by the annalists, except for the continuator of Bede in Northumbria, possibly relying upon a Dál Riata source, who wrote,^{[128][129][88]} "Óengus, king of the Picts, died. From the beginning of his reign right to the end he perpetrated bloody crimes, like a tyrannical slaughtered".^[126] ThePictish Chronicle king lists have it that he was succeeded by his brother Bridei.^[130] His son Talorgan was also later king,^[103][48] reigning from around 780 until his death in 782. Talorgan is the first son of a Pictish king known to have become king, if not immediately upon his father's death.^[131][132]

The following 9th century Irish praise poem from theBook of Leinster is associated with Óengus:^[40]

Good the day when Óengus took Alba,
hilly Alba with its strong chiefs;
he brought battle to palisaded towns,
with feet, with hands, with broad shields.^[40]

An assessment of Óengus is problematic, not least because annalistic sources provide very little information on Scotland in the succeeding generations.^[133] His apparent Irish links add to the long list of arguments which challenge the idea that the "Gaelicisation" of eastern Scotland began in the time of Cináed mac Ailpín; indeed there are good reasons for believing that process began before Óengus's reign.^{[134][note 10]} Many of the Pictish kings until the death of Eógan mac Óengusa in 839 belong to the family of Óengus, in particular the 9th-century sons of Fergus, Caustantín and Óengus.^{[120][137][note 11]}

Historians have noted Óengus's decisive military victories — particularly as these ranged over a broad geographical area,^[139] his cultural patronage^[140][117] and religious foundation at St Andrews.^[97] The historian Keith Coleman describes Óengus as an "exceptionally powerful" Pictish king,^[141] whileMurray Pittock has argued that not only was he more successful than any of his predecessors in uniting "all Scotia, Scotland north of the Forth, to his authority", but in doing so he "foreshadow[ed] a future united Scottish kingdom".^[142] Kings from his broader family continued to rule the Picts until they suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Vikings in 839 when Óengus's great-grandson — and men "almost without number" — was killed.^[143] This was followed by a period with numerous kings reigning briefly and in quick succession, most dying at the hands of rivals, until the accession ofKenneth I orCináed mac Alpin (Kenneth MacAlpin) in 842.^[144] While Óengus may have foreshadowed rulership over a united Scotland, Pittock argues that it is in Kenneth I that "by tradition" the first King of Scotland is found.^[142]

• Aitchison, Nick (2006).Forteviot: A Pictish and Scottish Royal Centre. Stroud: Tempus.ISBN 978-0-75243-599-2.
• Bannerman, J. (1974).Studies in the History of Dalriada. Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press.ISBN 978-0-70112-040-5.
• Bede (1990). D. H. Farmer (ed.).Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Translated byLeo Sherley-Price. Revised byR. E. Latham. London: Penguin.ISBN 0-14-044565-X.
• Clarkson, T. (2014).Strathclyde: And the Anglo-Saxons in the Viking Age. Edinburgh: Birlinn.ISBN 978-1-90790-925-2.
• Woolf, Alex (2006). "Dún Nechtain, Fortriu and the geography of the Picts".The Scottish Historical Review.85 (2):182–201.doi:10.1353/shr.2007.0029.S2CID 201796703.

• CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts atUniversity College Cork including the Annals of Ulster, the Annals of Tigernach, the Chronicon Scotorum and genealogies from Rawlinson B 502.
• Annals of Clonmacnoise atCornell University, seep. 113ff.
• Bede's Ecclesiastical History and the Continuation of Bede (pdf), atCCEL, tr. A.M. Sellar.
• Annales Cambriae (translated) at theInternet Medieval Sourcebook.
• The Rolls edition of the Brut y Tywyssogion (PDF) atStanford University Library.