Gartnait son of Donuel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gartnait son of Donuel |
|
|---|---|
| King of the Picts | |
| Reign | 657–663 |
| Predecessor | Talorgan son of Eanfrith |
| Successor | Drest son of Donuel |
| Died | 663 |
| Father | Possibly Domnall Brecc |
| Mother | Unknown |
Gartnait son of Donuel was a king of the Picts. He ruled from 657 until his death in 663. The Picts were an ancient people who lived in what is now Scotland.
Gartnait became king after Talorgan son of Eanfrith died in 657. He was not a fully independent ruler. Instead, he was a "puppet king." This means another, more powerful king controlled him. That powerful king was Oswiu, the king of Northumbria. Northumbria was a large kingdom in what is now northern England and southern Scotland.
Gartnait's Time as King
Gartnait's rule was during a time when the powerful Northumbrian king Oswiu had a lot of influence over the Picts. Oswiu wanted to control the Pictish lands.
A King Under Control
Gartnait, like the king before him, Talorgan, and the king after him, Drest son of Donuel, was a puppet king. This meant King Oswiu of Northumbria made many of the important decisions. Oswiu likely used these Pictish kings to help him manage the Pictish people and their lands.
Some historians think Gartnait and Drest might have been the sons of Domnall Brecc. Domnall Brecc was a king of Dál Riata, another kingdom in Scotland. He ruled from about 629 until 642.
Northumbria's Influence
A writer named Bede lived in Northumbria. He wrote that King Oswiu took control of "the greater part of the Picts" in 658. This suggests that Oswiu attacked the Picts after Talorgan died in 657. This attack might have helped Oswiu put Gartnait on the throne as a puppet king.
Records from the past, like the Pictish Chronicle, say Gartnait ruled for five, six, or six and a half years. This matches other old records, like the Annals of Ulster and the Annals of Tigernach. These records state that Gartnait died in 663.
The End of His Rule
After Gartnait died, the old king lists say his brother, Drest, became king. However, King Oswiu of Northumbria might have stopped anyone from ruling for a few years. This period without a king might have lasted from 663 to 666.
Some old records also mention a Gartnait whose family went to Ireland in 668. This might have been Gartnait son of Donuel's family, but we cannot be sure.
