Drest son of Donuel facts for kids

Drest son of Donuel was a king of the Picts, an ancient people who lived in what is now Scotland. He ruled from about 663 to 672. Drest was not fully in charge. He was a "puppet king" under the powerful King Oswiu of Northumbria. This meant Oswiu had the real power. Drest might have been the son of Domnall Brecc, a king from a different kingdom called Dál Riata.

Drest's Time as King

The exact length of Drest's rule is not fully known. Some old records say he ruled for six or seven years. Other records suggest he was king for eight or nine years. He became king around the time of the Battle of Luith Feirn in 664. This battle is mentioned in old Irish writings. It is thought that Drest's main power came from being king of Fortriu. This was a northern part of the Pictish kingdom.

Losing His Throne

Drest was removed from his kingdom in 671. This happened because the Picts tried to fight against Northumbrian rule. They wanted to be free from King Oswiu's control. However, the Picts lost badly in a battle known as the Battle of Two Rivers. This battle was against King Ecgfrith of Northumbria, who was Oswiu's son.

Old writings say that Drest had gathered many different groups to fight with him. This shows that he tried to unite various peoples against Northumbria. After Drest was removed, Ecgfrith's cousin, Bridei son of Beli, became the new Pictish king. Bridei later defeated and killed Ecgfrith. He also ended Northumbrian control at the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685.

Even after he was no longer king, Drest was still mentioned in Irish records. This suggests he remained connected to important places like the Iona Abbey. Drest died in 677.