Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair facts for kids

Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair was a son of Alexander I of Scotland. He was not born in marriage, but he still tried to become the King of Scotland. However, he was not successful. We don't know much about him because there aren't many old writings that mention him. The ones that do often call him a "bastard," which means he was born outside of marriage.

Máel Coluim's Claim to the Throne

When King Alexander I died in 1124, Máel Coluim's uncle, David I, became king. David had help from King Henry I of England and his own Norman knights. An old writer named Orderic Vitalis said that Máel Coluim tried to "snatch the kingdom" from David. They fought two fierce battles. But David was smarter, stronger, and richer, so he defeated Máel Coluim and his supporters.

Máel Coluim's fight against David and Henry might have been connected to the death of David's oldest son. Before talking about the war, Orderic Vitalis wrote about this son's death. It was caused by a priest who had been exiled from Norway. The priest was reportedly part of David's household and was put to death in a very harsh way. It's not clear if these two events were linked. Máel Coluim managed to escape safely into parts of Scotland that David didn't control yet. There, he found safety and some support. Six years later, when Máel Coluim tried to claim the throne again, he had the help of the King of Moray.

The Battle of Stracathro

In 1130, Máel Coluim appears in the old records again. This time, he had the strong support of Óengus of Moray. King Óengus was a very powerful leader, and he also had a claim to the Scottish throne because he was the grandson of King Lulach of Scotland.

Máel Coluim and Óengus led their armies into a region called Angus. There, they met David's chief officer, Edward. The battle that followed, known as the Battle of Stracathro, happened near Brechin. According to the Annals of Ulster, about 1,000 of Edward's soldiers died. But Óengus's army lost around 4,000 men, and Óengus himself was killed.

After Óengus died, Edward marched north into Moray. Orderic Vitalis wrote that Moray "lacked a defender and lord." So, Edward took control of that large area. However, this wasn't the end of the conflict. Máel Coluim escaped again. This led to four more years of what was like a "civil war" in Scotland. For King David, this time was a "struggle for survival."

Capture and Imprisonment

King David asked his supporter, King Henry of England, for a lot of military help. A writer named Ailred of Rievaulx said that Henry sent a large fleet of ships and a big army of Norman knights, including Walter l'Espec. They were sent to Carlisle to help David defeat his Scottish enemies.

The ships seemed to have been used in the Irish Sea, the Firth of Clyde, and along the entire Argyll coast. Máel Coluim was probably hiding in these areas among his supporters. But by 1134, Máel Coluim was captured. He was then imprisoned in Roxburgh Castle.

We don't know what happened to Máel Coluim after he was imprisoned. For a long time, people often confused him with another person named Máel Coluim mac Áeda, who later became the leader of Ross.