Constantine III of Scotland facts for kids

Constantine, son of Cuilén (also known as Constantine III) was a king of Scots from 995 to 997. He was born around 970 and died in 997. Constantine was the son of King Cuilén. Some historians called him Constantine the Bald. This was a nickname, like many rulers in Ireland and Scotland had back then.

Becoming King of Scotland

The way kings were chosen in Scotland during this time was a bit different. It was called tanistry. This meant that any adult male from the royal family could become king. The kingship often switched between different branches of the same family.

Constantine became king even though his cousin, Kenneth II, had a son. The next two kings, Kenneth III and Malcolm II, were also his cousins. They even took the throne by defeating the previous king. This system made sure there was always an adult king. But it also meant kings often faced rivals from their own family. This led to many battles and early deaths for kings.

During the 900s, there were two main royal families fighting for the Scottish throne. One family came from Causantín mac Cináeda (Constantine I). The other came from his brother Áed mac Cináeda. Constantine III belonged to the second family. His ancestors included Áed, Constantine II of Scotland, Indulf, and Cuilén. His uncle was Amlaíb of Scotland. At first, the two families shared the throne peacefully. But by the 960s, they started fighting. This might have been about who controlled the Kingdom of Strathclyde.

Constantine's Time as King

According to some old stories, Kenneth II of Scotland (who ruled before Constantine) tried to change the rules for who would become king. He wanted his own son to take the throne next. This would have stopped Constantine and Kenneth (III) from becoming king.

The stories say that Constantine and Kenneth (III) then worked together against Kenneth II. They convinced a woman named Lady Finella to kill the king. Finella wanted revenge because Kenneth II had killed her son. Other old writings just say that Kenneth II was "deceitfully killed," without saying who did it.

One story tells how Finella tricked Kenneth II. She invited him to her home, saying she had secret information about a plot. She led him to a small cottage. Inside, there was a statue connected to crossbows. If anyone touched the statue, the crossbows would fire arrows. Kenneth II touched the statue and was killed. Finella then escaped. His hunting friends found the king and burned Finella's home. Many historians think the details of this story are just legends. But they agree that Kenneth II's plans for the throne likely led to his death.

After Kenneth II died, Constantine the Bald, son of King Cullen, took the throne. He had the support of many nobles. But Malcolm II, Kenneth II's son, also wanted to be king. This caused a lot of conflict in Scotland.

Constantine III ruled for about a year and a half. During this time, he was constantly troubled by Malcolm II and another man named Kenneth. This Kenneth was a skilled soldier who wanted to kill Constantine. Some old records say Constantine's reign was only one year and four months. Historians are not sure if this "Kenneth" was actually Kenneth III.

The End of His Reign

Old records say that Constantine was killed in a battle between the Scots in 997. One record says: "A battle between the Scots, in which fell Constantine son of Culannan, king of Scotland, and many others." Another record adds that Constantine was killed by "Kenneth, son of Malcolm" at a place called Rathinveramon. Constantine's body was taken to Iona for burial.

Another old text says that King Constantine was "slain by the sword" near the mouth of the Almond. Again, the killer is named as "Kenneth, son of Malcolm." One detailed story says Constantine and Kenneth met near the River Almond in Lothian. They fought a big battle, and both leaders died. Constantine's guards then fled to Gryme (Kenneth III), who became the next king.

Malcolm II, who was in Cumbria at the time, heard about the battle. He gathered his forces to fight Gryme, but he was defeated at first.

Some historians believe that John of Fordun, who wrote many of these stories, sometimes got confused about events from this period. The conflict might have been between Æthelred, the King of England, and Kenneth III. They might have been fighting over control of Strathclyde. Æthelred wanted to regain control of the area, while the Scots wanted to keep it.

Where Constantine Died

There are different ideas about where Constantine died. Most stories say the battle was near a River Almond. But there are two rivers named Almond in Scotland. One is in Perthshire and the other in Lothian. Some historians think it was the one in Perthshire. Others, like John of Fordun, point to the one in Lothian. Some records even mention other rivers, like the River Avon.

Many sources place the battle at the mouth of the Almond River, where it joins the River Tay near Scone. This area, including Forteviot, was very important to the Pictish kings before Scotland was formed. It was a key royal center for a long time.

In the 1700s, some people thought a stone monument called the Cat Stane in Kirkliston might be connected to Constantine's last battle. They believed it was a memorial for him. However, later research showed that this idea was based on a mistake in reading the stone's old writing. It's unlikely such a monument would have been built for a king who died in a civil war.

What People Thought of Him

An old poem called "The Prophecy of Berchán" doesn't speak highly of Constantine III. It says he was a "king who will not be king" and that Scotland would suffer during his short rule. It calls him "weak" and says he was surrounded by "feeble men." The poem also says he would fight big battles and that his death would lead to his people falling.

This poem suggests that Constantine was not a strong king. His short reign of 18 months seems to confirm this. The poem also mentions his death near the River Tay. This fits with other accounts, as the River Almond flows into the Tay not far from Scone. Scone was also where a previous king, Domnall mac Ailpín, died.

The poem's line about Constantine falling with his people might mean that his family line ended with him. After Constantine, the rivalry for the throne changed. It was no longer between the families of Causantin and Áed. Instead, it was between two new royal lines, both from Causantin: one from Kenneth II (represented by Malcolm II) and one from his brother Dub, King of Scotland (represented by Kenneth III).

Images for kids

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  A 17th-century portrait of Constantine III.

See also

In Spanish: Constantino III de Escocia para niños