Domnall mac Causantín (Modern Gaelic:Dòmhnall mac Chòiseim, IPA:[ˈt̪oːvnəɫ̪ˈmaʰkˈxoːʃɪm]),[1]anglicised asDonald II (died 900), wasKing of the Picts orKing of Alba in the late 9th century. He was the son ofConstantine I (Causantín mac Cináeda). Donald is given theepithetDásachtach, "the Madman", byThe Prophecy of Berchán.[2]
| Donald II | |
|---|---|
 | |
| King of the Picts /King of Alba | |
| Reign | 889 – April 900 |
| Predecessor | Giric |
| Successor | Constantine II |
| Born | c. 30 June 862Fordoun,Aberdeenshire |
| Died | April 900 Forres,Moray |
| Burial | |
| Issue | Malcolm I of Scotland |
| House | Alpin |
| Father | Causantín mac Cináeda, King of the Picts |
Donald usurped the throne from his cousin,Giric in 889 who killed his uncle Àed Mac Cináeda(r. 877–879). He continuously fought the Vikings in The North, winning victories but would be killed in 900 at War, possibly against KingHarald Fairhair. He was succeeded by his cousin Caustantín Mac Àeda (Constantine II)
Life
editDonald became king on the death or deposition ofGiric (Giric mac Dúngail), the date of which is not certainly known but usually placed in 889. TheChronicle of the Kings of Alba reports:
Doniualdus son of Constantini held the kingdom for 11 years [889–900]. TheNorthmen wastedPictland at this time. In his reign, a battle occurred between Danes and Scots at Innisibsolian where the Scots had victory. He was killed at Opidum Fother [modernDunnottar] by the Gentiles.[3]
It has been suggested that the attack onDunnottar, rather than being a small raid by a handful of pirates, may be associated with the ravaging ofScotland attributed toHarald Fairhair in theHeimskringla.[4] The Prophecy of Berchán places Donald's death at Dunnottar, but appears to attribute it to Gaels rather than Norsemen; other sources report he died atForres.[5] Donald's death is dated to 900 by theAnnals of Ulster and theChronicon Scotorum, where he is calledking of Alba, rather thanking of the Picts. He was buried onIona. Like his father, Constantine, he died a violent death at a premature age.
The change fromking of the Picts toking of Alba is seen as indicating a step towards thekingdom of the Scots, but historians, while divided as to when this change should be placed, do not generally attribute it to Donald in view of his epithet.[6] The consensus view is that the key changes occurred in the reign ofConstantine II (Causantín mac Áeda),[7] but the reign ofGiric has also been proposed.[8]
The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba has Donald succeeded by his cousin Constantine II. Donald's sonMalcolm (Máel Coluim mac Domnall) was later king as Malcolm I. The Prophecy of Berchán appears to suggest that another king reigned for a short while between Donald II and Constantine II, saying "half a day will he take sovereignty". Possible confirmation of this exists in the Chronicon Scotorum, where the death of "Ead, king of the Picts" in a battle against theUí Ímair is reported in 904. This, however, is thought to be an error, referring perhaps toÆdwulf, the ruler ofBernicia, whose death is reported in 913 by the otherIrish annals.[9]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^Domnall mac Causantín is the Mediaeval Gaelic form.
- ^ESSH, p. 358; Kelly,Early Irish Law, pp. 92–93, 308: "Thedásachtach is the person with manic symptoms who is liable to behave in a violent and destructive manner." Thedásachtach is not responsible for his actions. The same word is used for enraged cattle.
- ^ESSH, pp. 395–397.
- ^ESSH, p. 396, note 1; p. 392, quotingSt Olaf's Saga, c. 96.
- ^ESSH, pp. 395–398.
- ^Smyth, pp. 217–218, disagrees.
- ^Thus Broun and Woolf, among others.
- ^Duncan, pp. 14–15.
- ^ESSH, p. 304, note 8; however, the Annals of Ulster, s.a. 904, report the death ofÍmar ua Ímair (Ivar grandson of Ivar) inFortriu in 904, making it possible that Ead (Áed ?) was a king, if not the High King.
References
edit- Anderson, Alan Orr;Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections, Stamford: Paul Watkins, 1990.ISBN 1-871615-03-8
- Anderson, Marjorie Ogilvie;Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland, Edinburgh: Scottish Academic Press, revised edition 1980.ISBN 0-7011-1604-8
- Broun, Dauvit; "National identity: 1: early medieval and the formation of Alba" in Michael Lynch (ed.),The Oxford Companion to Scottish History, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001.ISBN 0-19-211696-7
- Duncan, A. A. M.;The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002.ISBN 0-7486-1626-8
- Kelly, Fergus (1988).A Guide to Early Irish Law. Early Irish Law Series 3. Dublin:DIAS.ISBN 0901282952.
- Smyth, Alfred P.;Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000, Reprinted, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 1998.ISBN 0-7486-0100-7
- Sturluson, Snorri;Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway, tr. Lee M. Hollander. Reprinted University of Texas Press, Austin, 1992.ISBN 0-292-73061-6
- Woolf, Alex; "Constantine II" in Michael Lynch (ed.) op. cit.
External links
edit- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts atUniversity College Cork includes theAnnals of Ulster,Tigernach,the Four Masters andInnisfallen, theChronicon Scotorum, theLebor Bretnach (which includes theDuan Albanach), Genealogies, and various Lives of Saints. Most are translated into English or translations are in progress.
- (CKA) The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
- Donald II at the official website of theBritish monarchy
Donald II of Scotland | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of Alba 889–900 | Succeeded by |