Domnall mac Ailpín (Modern Gaelic: Dòmhnall mac Ailpein,^[1] anglicised sometimes as Donald MacAlpin, and known in most modern regnal lists as Donald I); (812 – 13 April 862) was king of the Picts from 858 to 862. He followed his brother Kenneth I to the Pictish throne.

Reign [edit]

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba says that Domnall reigned for four years, matching the notices in the Annals of Ulster of his brother's death in February 858 and his own in April 862.^[2] The Chronicle notes:

In his time the Gaels with their king made the rights and laws of the kingdom, [that are called the laws] of Áed, Eochaid's son in Forteviot.^[3]

The laws of Áed Find are entirely lost, but it has been assumed that, like the laws attributed to Giric and Constantine II (Causantín mac Áeda), these related to the church and in particular to granting the privileges and immunities common elsewhere.^[4] The significance of Forteviot as the site of this law-making, along with Kenneth's death there and Constantine's later gathering at nearby Scone, may point to this as being the heartland of the sons of Alpín's support.

The Chronicle of Melrose says of Domnall, "in war he was a vigorous soldier ... he is said to have been assassinated at Scone."^[5] No other source reports Domnall's death by violence.

The Prophecy of Berchán may refer to Domnall in stanzas 123–124:

Evil will be Scotland's lot because of [the death of Kenneth MacAlpin]; long will it be until his like will come. Long until the king takes [sovereignty], the wanton son of the foreign wife. He will be three years in the kingdom and three months (although thou countest them). His tombstone will be above Loch Awe. He dies of disease.^[6]

Although Domnall is generally been supposed to have been childless, it has been suggested that Giric was a son of Domnall, reading his patronym as mac Domnaill rather than the commonly supposed mac Dúngail.^[7] This, however, is not widely accepted.^[8]

Domnall died, either at the palace of Cinnbelachoir (location unknown), or at Rathinveralmond (also unknown, and may be the same place, presumed to be near the junction of the Almond and the Tay, near Scone).^[9] He was buried on Iona.

Notes [edit]

See also [edit]

• Kingdom of Alba
• Origins of the Kingdom of Alba

References [edit]

External links [edit]

• Annals of Ulster, part 1, at CELT
• The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba

v t e Pictish and Scottish monarchs Monarchs of the Picts (traditional) Drest I Talorc I Nechtan I Drest II Galan Erilich Drest III Drest IV Gartnait I Cailtram Talorc II Drest V Galam Cennalath Bridei I Gartnait II Nechtan II Cinioch Gartnait III Bridei II Talorc III Talorgan I Gartnait IV Drest VI Bridei III Taran Bridei IV Nechtan III Drest VII Alpín I Óengus I Bridei V Ciniod I Alpín II Talorgan II Drest VIII Conall Constantine (I) Óengus II Drest IX Uuen Uurad Bridei VI Ciniod II Bridei VII Drest X Monarchs of the Scots (traditional) Kenneth I MacAlpin Donald I Constantine I (II) Áed Giric Eochaid (doubtful) Donald II Constantine II (III) Malcolm I Indulf Dub Cuilén Amlaíb Kenneth II Constantine III (IV) Kenneth III Malcolm II Duncan I Macbeth Lulach Malcolm III Canmore Donald III Duncan II Donald III Edgar Alexander I David I Malcolm IV William I the Lion Alexander II Alexander III Margaret (disputed) First Interregnum John Second Interregnum Robert the Bruce (I) David II Robert II Robert III James I James II James III James IV James V Mary I James VI1 Charles I1 Charles II1 James VII1 Mary II1 William II1 Anne1 1 also monarch of England and Ireland.