General Notes

REFN: 1597AN
REFN: P1597
Killed in battle.  Ascended to the throne 889.
Donald II of Scotl and (Domnall mac Causantín) was king of Scotland from
889 to 900. He was the son of King Constantine I and first cousin of the
previous king Eochaid and o f his successor Constantine II.
Donald took the throne of Scotland in battle a s an act of revenge. King
Giric I of Scotland (who ruled jointly with Donald' s predecessor Eochaid
had murdered Donald's uncle, Aed, in 878. Upon Giric's death, Donald
expelled Eochaid from the country, thereby taking rulership of Scotland
for himself.
It was under the rule of King Donald II that the Briti sh kingdom of
StrathclyDe came under Scottish dominance to create the Kingdom of Alba,
thus being recognized in the Annals of Ulster as "ri Alban" as oppo sed to
"rex Pixtorum," as his predecessors had been known. His reign coinciDe d
with renewed invasions by the Danes, who came less to plunder and more to
occupy the lands bordering Scotland and the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. The
Danish had conquered all of northern Scotland through the leadership of
'Sigurd the Mighty'. Donald was also embroiled in efforts to reduce the
Highland robber tribes.
His death is very mysterious. By one account he was slain at Dunnottar
while meeting a Danish invasion; by another he died of infirmity brought
o n by his campaigns against the Highlanders, a natural death that is very
unco mmon in this period. He was buried on the Isle of Iona, the historic
resting place of all Dalriadan and early Scottish kings. He was succeeded
by his cous in Constantine II. His son, Malcolm, later became King Malcolm
I of Scotland.