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The House Of Dunkeld |
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At the dawn of the Middle Ages the House of Dunkeld, in the person of Duncan I (1001-1040) replaced the line of Gaelic kings known as the MacAplin dynasty which had ruled Scotland since the ninth century. Succession to the throne of Scotland gradually changed towards the system of primogeniture (descent of the eldest son) which replaced the Irish-Celtic tradition of tanistry.
The family produced such varying characters as the warlike Malcolm III 'Canmore' (1057-1093), the devout David I (1124-1153) and Alexander I (1107-1024), known as 'the Fierce'. The Dunkeld family could also boast a real saint in its midst in the person of Margaret, wife of Malcolm III 'Canmore' and a descendant of the Saxon House of Wessex.
The House of Dunkeld became extinct in 1286, when Alexander III (1249-1286) died as a result of an accident, leaving only a young granddaughter, Margaret of Norway, to suceed him. Margaret, known as the 'Maid of Norway', died on the journey to Scotland to take up the throne, leaving a number of claimants to dispute their right to Scotland's crown.
Duncan I
1001-1040
King Duncan I of Scotland or Ddonnchad mac Crinian was born on 5th August, 1001, the son of Bethoc, the daughter of Malcolm II MacAlpin and Crinan, lay Abbot of Dunkeld. He allied himself in marriage to Aelflaed of Northumbria, cousin of Siward Digera, Earl of Northumbria. There were many rival claimants to contest his claim to the Scottish throne, one of which one was murdered and the other died shortly after, a third, Lulach, being only an infant at the time , was not considered to be an immediate threat to the new regime.
The reign of Duncan 'the Gracious' was destined to be a troubled and tumultuous one. The Earl of Bernica invaded Cumbria in 1038. Duncan proceeded south with a large army and laid siege to Durham, but met with disastrous defeat.
A further threat to his rule was posed by Macbeth, Mormaer (Earl) of Moray, Malcolm's grandson by his other daughter, Donada. Shakespeare was later to immortalize both him and Duncan in his play of the same name. He was married to Gruoch, the widowed mother of Lulach.
Macbeth did not, as reported by Shakespeare, murder the innocent Duncan in his sleep, but during or after a battle in contest for the throne at Bothganowan, near Elgin, on 15th August, 1040.