Constantine I (Scotland)
Constantine I ( Causantín mac Cináeda ; * 836 ; † 877 ) was King of Scotland from 863 to 877 and succeeded Donald I , his uncle.
He was the son of King Kenneth I. Constantine I was a warlike king. For most of his reign he was busy fending off the Vikings or expanding the Scottish kingdom south. In 864 the Vikings launched a campaign from Dublin , their leader was Olaf the White . Constantine defeated him and also the troops of Thorsten the Red in the year 875. In 872 Constantine had his brother-in-law Rhun executed and thereby annexed the kingdom of Strathclyde .
Although Constantine showed great skill on the battlefield, he often resorted to bribery to calm his rivals and temporarily keep the peace. This kind of peacekeeping was later adopted by the English kings, namely by Æthelred II around 1000.
In the end, however, Constantine was defeated by the Vikings. Dublin looters, known as the Black Strangers, set up a base in Fife from which to launch their attacks. Constantine was killed in 877 during a defensive battle at the "Black Cave" (Inverdovat) in Forgan. He was succeeded by his brother Aedh .
Constantine had a son Donald, who ascended the throne as Donald II himself after the joint rule of Eochaid and Giric .
See also
Web links
- Biography on www.fmg.ac (English)
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Ross, Stewart: Monarchs of Scotland. Lochar Publishing, 1990. ISBN 0-948403-38-1 , p. 23
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Donald I. |
King of Scotland 863–877 |
Aedh |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Constantine I. |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Causantín mac Cináeda |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | King of Scotland |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 836 |
| DATE OF DEATH | 877 |