Battle of 839 facts for kids

The Battle of 839 is also known as the Disaster of 839. Some even call it the Picts’ Last Stand. This important battle happened in 839. It was fought between the Vikings and two groups of people: the Picts and the Gaels. The Vikings won a huge victory.

During this battle, three important leaders were killed. They were Uuen, who was the King of the Picts, his brother Bran, and Aed son of Boanta, the King of Dál Riata. Their deaths changed history. It led to the rise of Kenneth I. He helped form the Kingdom of Scotland. This battle also led to the Pictish people losing their unique identity. Because of these big changes, many historians call it "one of the most decisive and important battles in British history."

What Happened Before the Battle?

Vikings started raiding Britain a long time ago, in the late 700s. For example, in 793, they attacked a church and monastery called Lindisfarne. Another important place, Iona Abbey, was also attacked many times by Vikings.

Records show these attacks. In 802, a historical book called the Annals of Ulster said "Iona was burned by the heathens." In 806, it recorded that "sixty-eight" people from Iona were killed by the Vikings. Later, in 825, a monk named Blathmac was killed during a Viking raid.

At this time, two main kingdoms were powerful in northern Britain. These were Pictland and Dál Riata. Even though Vikings raided the coasts, there are no records of big battles between these kingdoms and the Vikings until 839.

The Battle Itself

We don't know much about the Battle of 839. The only information from that time comes from the Annals of Ulster. For the year 839, it simply says:

"The heathens won a battle over the men of Fortriu and Uuen son of Onuist and Bran son of Onuist and Aed son of Boanta and others almost innumerable fell there."

The mention of Aed and "almost innumerable others" suggests this was a very large battle. It was probably the end of a long fight. King Uuen likely had enough time to gather a big army. Aed fighting alongside the "men of Fortriu" also tells us something. It means Aed had promised loyalty to Uuen. This suggests that the Kingdom of Dál Riata was under the control of the Picts.

Where Did the Battle Happen?

The exact place where the battle took place is still a mystery. The old record in the Annals of Ulster does not mention a location. However, it probably happened in a place called Fortriu. This area was the main part of Pictland. It was likely around the regions of Moray and Easter Ross. So, a possible location could be near the shores of the Moray Firth. This is a large bay on the coast.

What Happened Next?

Uuen was the last king from the family of Fergus. This family had ruled Pictland for at least 50 years. His big defeat against the Vikings caused a time of trouble in northern Britain. Into this chaos, a new leader appeared: Kenneth I.

Later historical writings give us some clues about the years after the battle. A list of Pictish Kings, written around the late 900s, says that after Uuen, Uurad son of Bargoit ruled for 3 years. Then Bred ruled for 1 year. After Bred, Kenneth became king.

Another list, sometimes called the Q list, suggests Kenneth's early years as king were not easy. It says that after Bred, Kenneth son of Uurad ruled for 1 year. Then Bridei son of Fochel ruled for 2 years. After that, Drest son of Uurad ruled for 3 years. The first record from that time to mention the Picts after the battle says that in 858, "Kenneth son of Alpin, King of the Picts, died."

Kenneth brought peace and order to northern Britain. He joined the Kingdoms of Pictland and Dál Riata together. Many people see him as the founder of Scotland. Under his family, the House of Alpin, people from other lands stopped talking about the Picts. The Pictish language and ways of life slowly disappeared. This process is called Gaelicisation. In the 1100s, a writer named Henry of Huntingdon wrote that "the Picts, however, appear to have been annihilated and their language utterly destroyed." He felt that stories about them seemed like fiction.