Malcolm I of Scotland facts for kids

Máel Coluim mac Domnaill (also known as Malcolm I) was a king of Alba. Alba was an early name for the Kingdom of Scotland. He ruled from before 943 until 954. Malcolm became king when his cousin, Constantine II, decided to leave the throne and become a monk. Malcolm I was the son of Donald II.

Becoming King of Alba

Malcolm was born in 897 in Auchencairn. His father, Donald II, had been king from 889 to 900. By the 940s, Malcolm was an older man. He may have been eager to become king.

In 943, King Constantine II gave up his throne. He chose to become a monk instead. This meant that Máel Coluim became the new king of Alba. Some old stories say that Constantine did not want to give up his throne.

Important Events During His Reign

Alliance with England

In 945, Edmund I of England was the King of England. He had taken control of Northumbria. He also attacked Cumbria and hurt two sons of the king of Strathclyde.

After this, King Edmund gave control of Strathclyde to Malcolm I. This was likely in exchange for an alliance between Alba and England. It probably meant that Malcolm was already the main ruler of Strathclyde. King Edmund simply agreed to this, while taking some lands in southern Cumbria for himself.

Malcolm seems to have kept his agreement with the English king. This agreement was likely renewed with the next English king, Eadred. King Edmund was killed in 946, and his brother Eadred became king.

Actions in Moray

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba tells us that Malcolm took his army into Moray. There, he killed a person named Cellach. We do not know much about Cellach, as his name is not in the records of the rulers of Moray.

Raids and Battles

In 948, a Viking leader named Eric Haraldsson took control of York. But King Eadred soon drove him out. Then, another Viking leader, Amlaíb Cuarán, took York in 949–950.

During this time, Malcolm I led a raid into Northumbria. His army went as far south as the Tees. They took "a multitude of people and many herds of cattle."

In 952, the Annals of Ulster reported a battle. It was fought between "the men of Alba and the Britons [of Strathclyde] and the English" against "the foreigners." The "foreigners" were likely Vikings or Norse-Gaels. This battle might have been related to the Vikings being driven out of York.

Death of Malcolm I

The Annals of Ulster state that Malcolm I was killed in 954. Other old writings say he died in the area of Mearns. This might have been at Fetteresso or Dunnottar.

Malcolm I was buried on Iona, an island known for its ancient abbey. He was the third person in his family to die in battle. His father, Donald II, and his grandfather, Constantine I, had also died in battle many years before him.

Family

We do not know the name of Malcolm's wife. However, we know he had two sons:

• Dub, King of Scotland: He was also known as Dub mac Maíl Coluim. He became King of Alba from 962 to 967.
• Kenneth II of Scotland: He was also known as Cináed mac Maíl Coluim. He became King of Alba from 971 to 995.

See also

In Spanish: Malcolm I de Escocia para niños