Origins of the Kingdom of Alba facts for kids
.jpg)
The origins of the Kingdom of Alba tell us how the Kingdom of Alba began. This kingdom was also known as the Gaelic Kingdom of Scotland. Its beginnings are a mix of old stories and real history from the Early Middle Ages. Understanding how Alba started helps us learn about Scotland's early days.
Contents
How Scotland's Kingdom Began
People have wondered for a long time how the Scots came to be. Many different ideas have been shared over the centuries. Some of these ideas were quite imaginative!
Old Stories and Legends
One old story comes from Walter Bower, an abbot (a leader of a monastery). In his book Scotichronicon, he wrote that the Scots were related to an Egyptian pharaoh. He said they came from a legendary princess named Scota. She supposedly traveled from Egypt to Spain, then to Ireland, and finally to Scotland.
These traditional Scottish origin stories were inspired by other old books. These included the Historia Regum Britanniae, the Lebor Gabála Érenn, and the Historia Brittonum. These ideas were also influenced by ancient Roman stories like Virgil's Aeneid and even the Bible. But they were also unique stories created by the Scots themselves.
The Tale of St. Cathróe
In a very old book about St. Cathróe of Metz, the writer tells a mythical story about the Gaels. The Gaels were the people of St. Cathróe. The story says they landed near a place called Cruachan Feli, which was known as the Mountain of Ireland.
The Gaels then conquered Ireland after fighting many battles with the Picts. After Ireland, they invaded Britain. They took over Iona first. Then they conquered cities like Rigmonath (which is St Andrews) and Bellathor (an old Pictish palace). Their leader, a Spartan named Nel (or Niall), named the land and people after his Egyptian wife, Scota.
This story is very important because it was written around the year 980. That's a very early date for such a detailed tale. It also shows that Scottish people were telling these stories. St. Cathróe himself was Scottish and came from a noble family. He was educated in Armagh, Ireland. Later, he served King Constantine II of Scotland.
Family Trees and Ancient Texts
Old Scottish family trees trace the Scots back to Fergus Mór mac Eirc. He was a legendary founder of the kingdom of Dál Riata. An even older document, the Senchus fer n-Alban, also mentions the myth of Fergus. This document might be from the 600s, but later parts were added, including the myths.
Another text, the Genelaig Albanensium, lists the family trees of Gaelic rulers in Scotland. It goes up to King Constantine III (who ruled from 995–997). This material was likely added to the Senchus around the early 1000s.
The Duan Albanach (meaning 'Poem of the Scots') also supports these traditions. It was written during the time of King Malcolm III. It tells the early history of the Picts. Then it celebrates how the Gaedhil (Gaels) conquered the Picts. It calls the Scottish Gaels the "children of Conaire." It also traces the Scottish kings back to Fergus mac Eirc. This poem was often read after another poem, the Duan Eireannach (meaning 'Irish Poem'). That poem had already told the story of the Gaels from Scythia (a region in Eastern Europe) through Egypt to Ireland.
These mythical stories were even included in the Declaration of Arbroath. This important document was written in 1320. For the first time, it left out the idea that the Scots came from Ireland. These stories were believed for many centuries. Even King James VI of Scotland (who also became James I of England) said he was a "Monarch sprung of Ferguse race."
Understanding the Changes in Scotland
Historians have looked at how Scotland changed over time. One idea was the "Goth versus Gael" model.
Goth Versus Gael: A Historical Debate
This idea came about when there was a big cultural and language difference in Scotland. It was created during the time of the Anglo-Scottish Union and the Jacobite risings in the 1700s.
The debate was about which part of Scotland's past was more important: the Germanic (Goth) or the Celtic (Gaelic). Some people, called "Gothicists," tried to separate the Gaels and their language from Scotland's past. For example, John Pinkerton strongly believed that the people and language of lowland Scotland came from a Gothic language spoken by the Picts. He even made up old stories to support this idea.
However, in the 1800s, scholars like William Forbes Skene showed that this "Gothicist" idea was not accurate. They brought serious study to medieval Scottish history. But this idea still affects how some people think about Scotland's past. For instance, some popular historians still believe that English became the main language of Lowland Scotland during the reign of King Malcolm III. They think this happened because of his wife, Saint Margaret, who was Anglo-Hungarian. But this change actually took a few more centuries to happen.
The Real Origins of Alba
Historians now look at how the Picts and Gaels interacted to form Alba.
Gaelic and Pictish Kings
It is clear that some Pictish kings had Gaelic connections. One early example was Nechtan mac Derile. His father was a Gaelic lord named Dargart mac Finguine. His mother was the Pictish princess Derile.
It's also likely that some Pictish kings spoke Gaelic and were poets. There is a Gaelic poem mourning the Pictish king Bridei, son of Bili. This poem might be from the late 600s or early 700s. Another poem celebrates the same king's victory over the Northumbrians at the Battle of Dun Nechtain in 685.
The King Óengus I
In the early 700s, a powerful Pictish king was Óengus mac Fergusa. He conquered the kingdom of Dalriada. Some experts think that "Óengus" and "Fergus" might just be Gaelic versions of Pictish names, like Onuist and Urguist. These names are found in some Pictish king lists.
However, these names are rare in other Celtic languages. Also, an old stone inscription about Causantín, son of Fergus, reads:
|
CV[…]NTIN/FILIUSFIRCU/S. |
This inscription is from the Dupplin Cross. It was found in the heart of southern Pictland, near Forteviot. It dates from the late 700s or early 800s. If the name was truly the Pictish Urguist, it's strange that a Pictish inscription would use the Gaelic form, starting with the Gaelic letter 'F'. This suggests that some later Pictish kings likely spoke Gaelic as their first language.
From Fortriu to Moray
Historian Alex Woolf has suggested that the Kingdom of Fortriu was actually north of the Mounth (the Grampians). Before, people thought it was in the south. But Woolf pointed out that this idea was based on a single passage. That passage said the "Men of Fortriu" fought a battle in Strathearn. This is not strong evidence, as there are two places called Strathearn. Also, battles often happen outside a kingdom's own land.
A northern version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle clearly states that Fortriu was north of the Mounth. This is the area visited by Columba, a famous saint. So, it is now widely accepted that the main part of Fortriu was north of the Grampian Mountains. This means it was in areas like Moray, Ross, and perhaps Mar and Buchan.
Moving Fortriu to the north makes the Vikings more important to its history. The Vikings had a greater impact in the north of Scotland. They actually conquered and kept control of land there.
From Pictland to Alba
It's possible that "Alba" is simply a Gaelic translation of the Pictish name for Pictland. Both the Welsh and Irish languages use old words for "Briton" to describe the Picts. So, it's likely the Picts did this too. Or, if they didn't at first, they started to. In that case, the Pictish word for Pictland would have been the same as their word for Britain, or an old term. "Alba" was exactly this kind of old word in Old Irish. So, it's very possible that "Alba" is just a Gaelic translation.
The name change first appears around the early 900s. This was not long before King Constantine II supposedly made the "Pictish" Church more Scottish. It was also during a time of many Viking raids.
Later records, especially the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, tell us that the Picts were simply conquered by King Kenneth MacAlpin. This is the traditional explanation that many historians have repeated. What is certain is that before the year 900, the Cruithentuath (the Gaelic name for Pictland), and perhaps Fortriu, became Gaelic-speaking Alba.
See also
- Fortriu
- Gille Coluim the Marischal
- MacAlpin's Treason
- Mormaer of Moray
- Scotland in the High Middle Ages
