Edgar, King of Scotland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edgar |
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Seal of King Edgar, styles Edgar Basileus ("sovereign") of the Scots
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| King of Scots | |
| Reign | 1097–1107 |
| Predecessor | Donald III |
| Successor | Alexander I |
| Born | c. 1074 |
| Died | 8 January 1107 Edinburgh |
| Burial | Dunfermline Abbey |
| House | Dunkeld |
| Father | Malcolm III of Scotland |
| Mother | Margaret of Wessex |
Edgar (born around 1074 – died January 8, 1107) was a King of Scotland. His full name was Étgar mac Maíl Choluim in Scottish Gaelic. He was sometimes called Probus, which means "the Valiant." Edgar ruled Scotland from 1097 until his death in 1107. He was the fourth son of Malcolm III and Margaret of Wessex. After his father passed away, Edgar was seen as the first of their sons who could become king.
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Becoming King of Scotland
Edgar wanted to become king in early 1095. This was after his half-brother, Duncan II, was killed in late 1094. Duncan was killed by a supporter of Edgar's uncle, Donald III. Edgar's older brother, Edmund, actually sided with their uncle Donald. Edmund probably did this to get some land and be recognized as Donald's heir. Donald was older and had no sons.
Support from England
Edgar got some help from William II of England, also known as William Rufus. William Rufus had also helped Duncan before. However, the English king was busy dealing with a rebellion in his own country. This rebellion was led by Robert de Mowbray. It seems Donald and Edmund might have supported this rebellion.
William Rufus spent much of 1095 fighting in northern England. During this time, Edgar was only able to take control of Lothian. A special document from that time, called a charter, shows this. It said Edgar was "... son of Máel Coluim King of Scots..." and that he had "the whole land of Lothian and the kingship of the Scots." It also said he got this "by the gift of my lord William, king of the English, and by paternal heritage."
Family Support
Edgar's claim to the throne was supported by his brothers, Alexander and David. Another brother, Ethelred, was a religious leader. Edmund was separated from his other brothers because he supported Donald. Edgar's uncle, Edgar Ætheling, also supported him. All these family members witnessed the charter in Durham.
William Rufus was in Normandy in 1096. He had bought Normandy from his brother, Robert Curthose. It wasn't until 1097 that Edgar got more help. This help led to the defeat of Donald and Edmund. Edgar Ætheling led this difficult campaign.
Life at the English Court
Some people thought Edgar had to serve William Rufus like a feudal lord. But this wasn't true. William Rufus actually agreed to pay Edgar money when Edgar visited the English court. This shows Edgar was not his servant.
Edgar did visit the English court a few times. For example, on May 29, 1099, Edgar carried the sword at a big celebration. This event was to open Westminster Hall. However, after William Rufus died, Edgar stopped going to the English court. He was not there when Henry I became king.
Edgar's Rule as King
The way the Scottish crown was passed down was not always clear. For example, Duncan II had a son who could have been king. But with Donald and Edmund out of the way, Edgar became the undisputed King of Scots. His time as king was quite peaceful. There were no major problems during his rule.
Compared to how he became king, not much is known about Edgar's daily reign. One interesting thing he did was give a camel (or maybe an elephant) to Muircheartach Ua Briain. Muircheartach was a powerful Irish king. The animal was probably a souvenir from the First Crusade.
Agreements and Religious Work
In 1098, Edgar made an important agreement with Magnus Barefoot, the King of Norway. This agreement set the border between Scottish and Norwegian lands in the west. Edgar gave up claims to the Hebrides and Kintyre islands to Magnus. This showed he accepted the way things already were.
Edgar also helped establish religious places. In 1098, he founded a priory at Coldingham. This priory was connected to the Convent of Durham. At Dunfermline Abbey, he sought help from Anselm of Canterbury. This was for his mother's foundation there. Monks from Canterbury might have been forced out by Donald III.
Death and Successors
Edgar died in Edinburgh on January 8, 1107. He was buried at Dunfermline Abbey. Edgar was never married and had no children. Before he died, he named his brother Alexander as the next king.
Edgar's will also gave his brother David some land. This land was in "Cumbria," which was the area of the old Kingdom of Strathclyde. David might have also received parts of southern Lothian. David later became known as Prince of the Cumbrians.
