Conall mac Taidg facts for kids

Conall mac Taidg (died around 807 AD) was a king of the Picts from 785 to 789. We don't know much about Conall. He is mentioned a couple of times in old Irish records called Irish annals, which are very helpful for understanding the history of northern Britain around 800 AD. He also appears in later lists of kings.

Who Was Conall mac Taidg?

Conall mac Taidg was a ruler in ancient Scotland. He was known as a king of the Picts, a group of people who lived in what is now Scotland a long time ago. He ruled for about four years, from 785 to 789 AD.

We don't have many details about Conall's life or what he did as king. Most of what we know comes from very old writings. These writings are like historical notes kept by monks in Ireland.

What Do Old Records Say?

Historians learn about Conall from old documents. These documents are called "annals." Annals are like yearly diaries that record important events.

The Annals of Ulster

The Annals of Ulster are a very important set of these old records. They tell us two main things about Conall:

• In 789 AD, there was a big battle between the Picts. Conall mac Taidg was defeated in this battle but managed to escape. The winner of this battle was another powerful king named Caustantín mac Fergusa. He was the king of a place called Fortriu.
• Later, in 807 AD, the annals report that Conall mac Taidg was killed. He was killed by someone named Conall mac Áedáin in a place called Kintyre. Kintyre is a peninsula in western Scotland.

What Do King Lists Tell Us?

Besides the annals, there are also "king lists." These are old lists that name the kings who ruled different areas. They help us understand the order of rulers.

Flann Mainistrech's List

Some of the oldest king lists were put together in the 800s. One important list was linked to an Irish writer named Flann Mainistrech, who lived in the 1000s. His work tried to match up the kings of Ireland with the kings of Scotland.

His lists mention that there were "sixteen kings in Scotland" between two other important kings. These lists sometimes mention two kings named Conall. They are said to have ruled between Domnall mac Caustantín and his father, Caustantín mac Fergusa. This is the same Caustantín who defeated Conall in 789 AD.

Other King Lists

Another old text, the Duan Albanach, also mentions two Conalls. It places them after Domnall and before Caustantín. Historians think these lists might be talking about kings of Dál Riata. Dál Riata was an ancient kingdom that covered parts of western Scotland and northern Ireland.

Conall mac Taidg is not found in family trees from that time. However, this is common for many people from this period. One old Pictish king list, found in the Poppleton Manuscript, includes a king named Canaul. Many historians believe this Canaul is the same person as Conall mac Taidg. This list says he ruled for five years before Caustantín mac Fergusa became king.

Was Conall a King of Picts or Dál Riata?

Historians have different ideas about Conall mac Taidg. This is because they have different ideas about King Caustantín mac Fergusa and how the Kingdom of Alba (which became Scotland) was formed.

• Some historians, like William Forbes Skene, believed Conall was a king of the Picts.
• Later, some thought he was first a Pictish king. After being defeated by Caustantín, they thought he became a king in Dál Riata.
• More recently, some historians suggest he might have been a king in the area of Argyll (part of Dál Riata) all along. They think he might not have been the main king, but still an important ruler.