Province of Moray facts for kids
Moray was a very important area in what is now Scotland. For a long time, up until the 1100s, it might have been its own independent kingdom. Or, it could have been a strong base for different people who wanted to rule the main Kingdom of Alba (which was an early name for Scotland). Moray was much bigger back then than the modern area called Moray. It stretched from the River Spey in the east to the River Beauly in the north. It also included places like Badenoch, Lochaber, and Glenelg in the south and west.
Moray became important in the 900s. It followed the powerful Pictish kingdom of Fortriu. The leaders of Moray had different titles. Sometimes they were called mormaers (which means 'great stewards'). Other times, they were called Kings of Moray, or even Kings of Alba. A ruling family from Moray, sometimes called the House of Moray, actually became Kings of Alba between 1040 and 1058. This included Mac Bethad mac Findláich (who you might know as Macbeth) and his stepson Lulach. After Lulach was killed and Máel Coluim mac Donnchada took over, Lulach's son Máel Snechtai and grandson Óengus kept ruling Moray. They continued to challenge the kings to the south. But Óengus was defeated and killed at the Battle of Stracathro in 1130.
After this, David I of Scotland and the kings who came after him worked to bring Moray under their control. They stopped the office of mormaer. They also started monasteries, burghs (towns), and sheriffdoms (areas controlled by a sheriff) in Moray. They gave large parts of the land to loyal followers. However, Moray remained a place where rebellions happened. These were led by the Meic Uilleims, who were descendants of the last mormaer, William fitz Duncan. These rebellions continued until the last of their line was killed in 1230.
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What's in a Name? The Meaning of "Moray"
The name "Moray" might come from either the Pictish or Gaelic languages. But its oldest known form, Moreb, makes a Pictish origin more likely. Moreb is similar to the Middle Welsh word moreb and the Cornish word morab. These words mean "low land near the sea". This makes sense because Moray is close to the coast.
Historians think that the names of Moray and Ross might have originally been Mureb Fortrenn and Ros Fortrenn. This would mean "Coastland of Fortriu" and "Headland of Fortriu". Fortriu was a powerful Pictish kingdom. Even though there's no direct proof, it's an interesting idea about how these places got their names.
Where Was Moray? Its Ancient Borders
A century or two before 1130, Moray was a much larger area than the county or council area we know today.
The exact borders of Moray were written down in a special document by Robert the Bruce in 1312. This document gave the new earldom to Thomas Randolph. The western border followed the River Spey south from its mouth. It included all the lands of Fochabers, Rathenach, Rothes, and Boharm. It also included the areas of Badenoch, Kincardine, Glencarnie, and Lochaber. These areas also had land on the east side of the river. North of Lochaber, Moray included Glenelg on the west coast. This area was even called "Argyll of Moray." From there, the northern border followed the River Beauly to the Moray Firth.
Before the early 1200s, Moray was not seen as part of "Scotland" (or Scotia). Scotland was thought to only stretch between the Firth of Forth and the River Spey. As late as 1214, a record called the Gesta Annalia said that William the Lion "returned from Moray to Scotland." This shows that Moray was considered a separate place. Even the names people used for themselves suggest that people in Moray did not think of themselves as "Scots."
Moray's Story: From Origins to Challenges
How Moray Began
Moray and its neighbor Ross were the main parts of the strong Pictish kingdom of Fortriu. This kingdom was last mentioned in records around 900 AD. Moray and Ross likely grew out of Fortriu in the 900s. Moray is first mentioned in a record called the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba. It says that Malcolm I of Scotland, who ruled from 943 to 954, "crossed into Moray and slew Cellach." We don't know who Cellach was. He might have been a ruler of Moray. This record suggests that Moray was not part of Malcolm I's home territory at that time.
There are no other direct mentions of Moray in the 900s. But some clues suggest that Moray was probably the home area for some of the early Kings of Alba. From 889 to 997, the kingship of Alba switched between two different families. These families were always fighting. Records show that kings from one family, Clann Chausantin, were often in conflict with the men of Moray. For example, Donald II died at Forres in 900. Malcolm I was "killed by the Moravians by treachery" near Forres in 954. And King Dub was killed in Forres in 967. This suggests that Moray was likely the power base for the other family, Clann Aeda.
Forres seems to have been the main political center of Moray during this time. It probably became important after Burghead Fort was destroyed by Vikings in the 800s. A large carved stone called Sueno's Stone near Forres might remember this important past.
The Dynasty of Macbeth and His Family (1014 to 1130)
Moray was ruled by a family who spoke Gaelic. The most famous of these rulers was King Macbeth of Scotland, who ruled from 1040 to 1057. These rulers were sometimes called Ri (meaning 'king') or mormaer (meaning 'great steward').
Irish records mention the killing of Findláech, the 'mormaer of Moray', in 1020. He was killed by his brother's sons. Findlaech's relative, Gillie Coemgáin, was also called Mormaer of Moray.
Gillie Coemgáin's cousin, Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaig), became his successor. Macbeth likely also killed him. Macbeth married Gillie Coemgáin's widow, Gruoch. She was a princess from an old royal family. Macbeth became king of Scots in 1040 after defeating and killing Duncan I of Scotland in battle. Macbeth's family history shows he was related to the old Kings of Dál Riata.
This family history suggests that Moray might have been a separate kingdom for a while, independent of the main Kings of Alba. However, it seems the rulers of Moray were generally under the loose control of the Kings of Alba. Moray also helped protect Alba from attacks from the north by Scandinavians.
Macbeth himself was killed in 1057. After this, his stepson Lulach briefly claimed the Scottish throne. But Lulach was also killed in 1058. Lulach's son, Mael Snechtai, died in 1085 as 'king of Moray'. The last ruler from this family, called 'king' or 'earl' of Moray, was Óengus. Óengus challenged David I of Scotland in battle. But he was defeated and killed at Stracathro in 1130. This event ended the independent Kingdom of Moray.
After 1130: Moray Becomes Part of Scotland
Even after David I of Scotland defeated the Kingdom of Moray in 1130, Moray remained important. It was still seen as a land separate from the main part of Scotland in the early 1200s. Even when Scotland was recognized as stretching north to Caithness, Moray was still one of the main northern areas.
The kings of Scotland worked to bring Moray under their control. They focused on the coastal areas between the River Spey and Inverness. They set up sheriffdoms (areas ruled by a sheriff) in places like Inverness, Nairn, Forres, and Elgin. This helped the king's power grow in the area.
New people also settled in Moray. The king gave land to his supporters. One important supporter was Freskin, who came from a Flemish-Norman background. Freskin started the 'de Moravia' or 'Moray family'. This family later became important, with some branches becoming Earls of Sutherland and chiefs of Clan Murray.
Religion also changed in Moray after 1130. There was a Bishop of Moray before this time. But a proper Diocese of Moray with a main center at Elgin Cathedral was only fully set up in the 1200s. New religious houses were also built at Beauly, Pluscarden, and Kinloss.
While the coastal areas of Moray came under the king's control, the inland parts of the province remained difficult. Attempts to bring back the old earldom of Moray and challenge the king found support in these areas. Leaders like Wimund and the MacWilliam family were able to gather allies from the Gaelic uplands of Moray. This led to fighting in the region from the 1140s to the 1220s. The kings usually left it to their powerful nobles to defeat these enemies. The inland part of Moray was divided among several families. The most powerful of these was the Clan Comyn, who were lords of Badenoch and Lochaber.
Moray During the Wars of Independence (1296 to 1346)
Moray's importance to Scotland was clear during the major wars between 1296 and 1340. These were the Wars of Scottish Independence. The province was not directly affected by much fighting. English armies only entered Moray three times. This safety meant that Moray was a vital place for Scottish leaders to hide and find new soldiers. It also gave Robert I of Scotland a base and allies during his campaign against the Comyns in 1307–08.
In 1312, Robert I re-established the earldom of Moray for his nephew, Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray. This new earldom included all of the old province and the king's lands along the coast.
Thomas's son, John Randolph, was killed in 1346. He had no heir. Other noble families, like the Comyns, had also left the province by the mid-1300s. With no strong noble leaders, power went to smaller groups based on families, like the Clan Donnachaidh and the Chattan Confederation. This also brought in lords from outside Moray, like the Dunbars and Stewarts, who wanted to rule the province. In 1372, the earldom of Moray was divided between them. John Dunbar received the coastal areas, and Alexander Stewart, the son of Robert II of Scotland, became lord of Badenoch in the uplands.
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