Kingdom of Cat facts for kids
Cait was an ancient kingdom in what is now northern Scotland. It was a land ruled by the Picts, a mysterious group of people who lived in Scotland long ago. This kingdom started around the year 800 AD, during a time called the Early Middle Ages.
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The Ancient Kingdom of Cait
Cait was a kingdom of the Picts. The Picts were a group of people who lived in eastern and northern Scotland during the Early Middle Ages. The kingdom of Cait began around the year 800 AD.
Where Was Cait Located?
The kingdom of Cait was mostly in an area we now call Caithness. This is in the very north of Scotland. The kingdom also included parts of southeast Sutherland. If you look at a map, these places are near the top of Scotland.
How Cait Got Its Name
The name Caithness comes from Cait. This old name is also found in the Gaelic name for Sutherland, which is Cataibh. It means "land of the Cat people." The name Cait also appears in some other old place names in that area. Even the earliest name for Shetland was Inse Catt, meaning "islands of the Cat people."
Historians think that names like Cait (Cat people) and Innse Orc (islands of the boars for Orkney) were tribal names. This means that ancient groups of people might have named themselves after animals.
The Legend of Cait's Beginning
According to old Pictish stories, the kingdom of Cait was founded by a person named Caitt. He was said to be one of the seven sons of a very important ancestor figure called Cruithne. This legend helps us understand how the Picts saw their own history and origins.
See also
- Fortriu
- Kingdom of Ce
- Scotland in the Early Middle Ages
