Fergus Mór facts for kids

Fergus Mór mac Eirc (which means Fearghas Mòr Mac Earca in Scottish Gaelic) was a very important figure in the early history of Scotland. His name means Fergus the Great. He was possibly a king of Dál Riata, an ancient kingdom that included parts of western Scotland and northern Ireland. Fergus Mór was the son of a man named Erc of Dalriada.

Even though historians aren't completely sure if Fergus Mór was a real person, he became a huge part of Scotland's national story. Many Scottish rulers, from Cináed mac Ailpín onwards, claimed to be his descendants. This made him a legendary founder of Scotland.

Early Stories About Fergus Mór

Old writings mention Fergus Mór, showing that his story is quite old. For example, a text from the 8th century, found in the Book of Armagh, talks about him. This shows that the idea of Fergus Mór wasn't just made up much later.

What Old Records Say

One important old record is the Annals of Tigernach. For the year 501, it says: "Fergus Mór mac Eirc, with the people of Dál Riata, held part of Britain, and he died there." This suggests he might have led his people from Ireland to Scotland. However, the names used in this record were written down much later than the 6th century. So, while it's an old story, it's hard to know exactly what happened.

Family Trees and King Lists

Fergus Mór's family tree is found in old lists of kings from Dál Riata and later Scotland. Two examples are the Senchus Fer n-Alban and the Duan Albanach. These lists say that Fergus Mór was also known as Mac Nisse Mór. These old documents probably date from the 10th and 11th centuries. This means they were written hundreds of years after Fergus Mór might have lived.

These old sources show how important Fergus Mór was to people in the Middle Ages. But they don't fully prove that he was a real king who lived exactly as described. In fact, we only know for sure about a few kings in Scotland from that time. Kings like Fergus's grandsons, Gabrán mac Domangairt and Comgall, or his great-grandson Áedán mac Gabráin, are more certain to have existed.

Some old stories also mention that Erc, Fergus's father, had twelve sons.

Later Stories and Legends

Over time, more stories were added to the legend of Fergus Mór.

Andrew of Wyntoun's Account

In the early 1400s, a writer named Andrew of Wyntoun wrote a book called Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland. He said that Fergus was the first Scot to rule in Scotland. He also wrote that Fergus brought the famous Stone of Scone with him from Ireland. This stone was used for crowning Scottish kings.

George Buchanan's Version

Later, in the late 1500s, another writer named George Buchanan added even more details. In his version, the Scots had been forced out of Scotland by the Romans. Fergus, sometimes called Fergusius II in this story, grew up far away in Scandinavia. He fought alongside the Franks, a powerful group in Europe. Eventually, he came back to Scotland and took back the Scottish lands. Buchanan wrote that Fergus was killed in a battle against the Picts, another group living in Scotland.

Fergus Mór's Legacy

Many later Scottish rulers believed they were directly related to Fergus Mór. For example, King James VI of Scotland (who later became King James I of England) proudly called himself a "Monarch sprung of Ferguse race."

The Great Gallery in the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh shows how important this belief was. It has eighty-nine portraits of Scottish monarchs, starting from Fergus Mór all the way to Charles II. These paintings were made to show the long line of Scottish kings, all supposedly descended from Fergus. Even much later, people continued to celebrate Fergus Mór as the legendary founder of the Scottish royal line.

See also

• Gofraid mac Fergusa, a figure said to be a son of Fergus
• Clan Fergusson, a Scottish clan
• Origins of the Kingdom of Alba