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| Drest VII | |
|---|---|
| King of the Picts | |
| Reign | 724–726 |
| Predecessor | Nechtan III |
| Successor | Alpín I of the Picts |
| Died | 732 |
Drest wasking of the Picts from 724 until 726.[1] He succeededNechtan mac Der-Ilei when the latter abdicated and entered amonastery in 724.[2]
Neither theAnnals of Ulster nor theAnnals of Tigernach, name Drest's father. The earlier versions of thePictish Chronicle king lists simply name "Drest and Elpin" as kings after Nechtan. However, a late version, which includes Nechtan's second reign in 728–729, makes Drest's father one Talorgan.[3] This version includes the otherwise unknown Carnach son of Ferach and Óengus son of Bridei and is generally not such as would inspire great confidence.
Since Nechtan abdicated in favour of Drest, some kinship between them seems probable. A number of Nechtan's sons are reported to have died, so that Drest, whether a nephew, a son-in-law or cousin may have been Nechtan's nearest male kin. It may be that Drest was the son of the Talorg son of Drostan, "brother of Nechtan" – a half-brother or perhaps a foster brother – who had been imprisoned in 713.
Whatever his descent, Drest's rule appears to have been quickly challenged. In 725, Simul son of Drest was imprisoned, but by whom is unknown. In 726 Nechtan was imprisoned by Drest, following whichAlpín, the Alpín of the king lists, deposed Drest.[4]
By 728 it appears that Drest, Nechtan, Alpín andÓengus mac Fergusa were engaged in a war for the Pictish throne. Drest was killed in battle against Óengus atDromo Dergg Blathuug (possibly Drumderg, nearBlairgowrie) in 729.
Whether there is any relationship between this Drest and the Talorgan son of Drest, king ofAtholl, who was killed by drowning in 739, can only be speculation. Drest, Talorgan, and their variants are common Pictish names, too common for any argument on the basis ofanthroponymy to be entirely convincing.
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | King of the Picts 724–726 | Succeeded by |
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