1085

EMPEROR CONSTANTINE I of SCOTLAND
Causantín or Constantín mac Cináeda (Modern Gaelic Còiseam mac Choinnich) (died 877), was a king of the Picts. He is often known as Constantine I, in reference to his place in modern lists of kings of Scots, though contemporary sources described Constantín only as a Pictish king. A son of Cináed mac Ailpín ("Kenneth MacAlpin"), he succeeded his uncle Domnall mac Ailpín as Pictish king following the latter's death on 13 April 862. Reckoned Constantine I Constantín's reign witnessed increased activity by Vikings, based in Ireland and Northumbria, in northern Britain and he died fighting one such invasion.Very few records of ninth century events in northern Britain survive. The main local source from the period is the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, a list of kings from Cináed mac Ailpín (died 858) to Cináed mac Maíl Coluim (died 995). The list survives in the Poppleton Manuscript, a thirteenth century compilation. Originally simply a list of kings with reign lengths, the other details contained in the Poppleton Manuscript version were added from the tenth century onwards.[1] In addition to this, later king lists survive.[2] The earliest genealogical records of the descendants of Cináed mac Ailpín may date from the end of the tenth century, but their value lies more in their context, and the information they provide about the interests of those for whom they were compiled, than in the unreliable claims they contain.[3] The Pictish king-lists originally ended with this Constantín, who was reckoned the seventieth and last king of the Picts.[4] For narrative history the principal sources are the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and the Irish annals. While Scandinavian sagas describe events in 9th century Britain, their value as sources of historical narrative, rather than documents of social history, is disputed.[5] If the sources for north-eastern Britain, the lands of the kingdom of Northumbria and the former Pictland, are limited and late, those for the areas on the Irish Sea and Atlantic coasts-the modern regions of north-west England and all of northern and western Scotland-are non-existent, and archaeology and toponymy are of primary importance.[6] [edit] Languages and names Writing a century before Constantín was born, Bede recorded five languages in Britain. Latin, the common language of the church, Old English, the language of the Angles and Saxons, Irish, spoken on the western coasts of Britain and in Ireland, Brythonic, ancestor of the Welsh language, spoken in large parts of western Britain, and Pictish, spoken in northern Britain. By the ninth century a sixth language, Old Norse, had arrived with the Vikings. [edit] Fall of the House of Wrguist The Pictish kingdom of Fortriu was dominated by the family of Constantín son of Wrguist from 789 to 839. Constantín expelled Conall mac Taidg from power in 789, and ruled until his death in 820. Early in Constantín's reign attacks by Vikings are recorded, first in Northumbria in 793, where Lindisfarne was a target, and then in Ireland in 795 and 798. It is thought possible that these Vikings conquered the British part of the western kingdom of Dál Riata, perhaps in 793, and remained in control until about 806 when they relocated southwards to the wealthier and more populous parts of the Irish Sea. Constantín's old enemy Conall may have established himself as king in Dál Riata for he was killed in Kintyre by one Conall mac Áedáin in 807. The second Conall may, if the later Dál Riata king lists have any value, have replaced the first Conall as king there for four years, after which Constantín installed his son Domnall to rule over Dál Riata, perhaps until 835. On Constantín's death in 820 he was succeeded by his brother Onuist who ruled until about 834. Onuist's reign was followed by the joint rule of Constantín's son Drest and Talorcan son of Wthoil, which lasted about two years, to be followed by Onuist's son Wen known to Irish chroniclers as Eóganan mac Óengusa. In Dál Riata, Domnall appears to have been succeeded by one Áed mac Boanta. The half century of dominance of northern Britain by the family of Constantín son of Wrguist ended in 839. In this year the Annals of Ulster record the death of Wen, of his brother Bran, and of Áed mac Boanta, in a bloody battle against Vikings. While Áed cannot be linked to the descendants of Wrguist, his presence at the decisive defeat suggests that Dál Riata in Britain remained subject to the kings of Fortriu until 839. The next king named by the king lists is Wrad son of Bargoit, who ruled for three years. Following this, the lists disagree as to the length of time that Wrad's son Bruide ruled, either a year or a month, and whether he was succeeded directly by Cináed mac Ailpín, or whether there were in fact multiple competing candidates, including Bruide's brothers Ciniod and Drest, and Bruide son of Wthoil, presumably a brother of the Talorcan who had shared power with Drest son of Constantín. [edit] Amlaíb and Ímar Viking activity in northern Britain appears to have reached a peak during Constantín's reign. Viking armies were led by a small group of men who may have been kinsmen. Among those noted by the Irish annals, the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle are Ívarr-Ímar in Irish sources-who was active from East Anglia to Ireland, Halfdán-Albdann in Irish, Healfdene in Old English- and Amlaíb or Óláfr. As well as these leaders, various others related to them appear in the surviving record.[7] Viking activity in Britain increased in 865 when the Great Heathen Army, probably a part of the forces which had been active in Francia, landed in East Anglia.[8] The following year, having obtained tribute from the East Anglian King Edmund, the Great Army moved north, seizing York, chief city of the Northumbrians.[9] The Great Army defeated an attack on York by the two rivals for the Northumbrian throne, Osberht and Ælla, who had put aside their differences in the face of a common enemy. Both would-be kings were killed in the failed assault, probably on 21 March 867. Following this, the leaders of the Great Army are said to have installed one Ecgberht as king of the Northumbrians.[10] Their next target was Mercia where King Burgred, aided by his brother-in-law King Æthelred of Wessex, drove them off.[11] While the kingdoms of East Anglia, Mercia and Northumbria were under attack, other Viking armies were active in the far north. Amlaíb and Auisle (Ásl or Auðgísl), said to be his brother, brought an army to Fortriu and obtained tribute and hostages in 866. Historians disagree as to whether the army returned to Ireland in 866, 867 or even in 869.[12] Late sources of uncertain reliability state that Auisle was killed by Amlaíb in 867 in a dispute over Amlaíb's wife, the daughter of Cináed. It is unclear whether, if accurate, this woman should be identified as a daughter of Cináed mac Ailpín, and thus Constantín's sister, or as a daughter of Cináed mac Conaing, king of Brega.[13] While Amlaíb and Auisle were in north Britain, the Annals of Ulster record that Áed Findliath, High King of Ireland, took advantage of their absence to destroy the longphorts along the northern coasts of Ireland.[14] Áed Findliath was married to Constantín's sister Máel Muire. She later married Áed's successor Flann Sinna. Her death is recorded in 913.[15] In 870, Amlaíb and Ívarr attacked Dumbarton Rock, where the River Leven meets the River Clyde, the chief place of the kingdom of Alt Clut, south-western neighbour of Pictland. The siege lasted four months before the fortress fell to the Vikings who returned to Ireland with many prisoners, "Angles, Britons and Picts", in 871. Archaeological evidence suggests that Dumbarton Rock was largely abandoned and that Govan replaced it as the chief place of the kingdom of Strathclyde, as Alt Clut was later known.[16] King Artgal of Alt Clut did not long survive these events, being killed "at the instigation" of Constantín son of Cináed two years later. Artgal's son and successor Run was married to a sister of Constantín.[17] Amlaíb disappears from Irish annals after his return to Ireland in 871. According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba he was killed by Constantín either in 871 or 872 when he returned to Pictland to collect further tribute.[18] His ally Ívarr died in 873.[19] [edit] Last days of the Pictish kingdom In 875, the Chronicle and the Annals of Ulster again report a Viking army in Pictland. A battle, fought near Dollar, was a heavy defeat for the Picts; the Annals of Ulster say that "a great slaughter of the Picts resulted". Although there is agreement that Constantín was killed fighting Vikings in 877, it is not clear where this happened. Some believe he was beheaded on a Fife beach, following a battle at Fife Ness, near Crail. William Forbes Skene read the Chronicle as placing Constantín's death at Inverdovat (by Newport-on-Tay), which appears to match the Prophecy of Berchán. The account in the Chronicle of Melrose names the place as the "Black Cave" and John of Fordun calls it the "Black Den". Constantín was buried on Iona. [edit] Aftermath Constantín's son Domnall and his descendants represented the main line of the kings of Alba and later Scotland.

Soucre: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constant%C3%ADn_mac_Cin%C3%A1eda