Kenneth MacAlpin

                                        King of Alba

Kenneth MacAlpin also known as Kenneth I (Gaelic: Coinneach mac Ailpein) 810 – 858 is one of the most important figures in Scottish history but also one of the most enigmatic. He was King of Dal Riada before becoming King of the Picts from 843 – 858. From then on he tried to take over more territories acquiring the title of ‘the Conqueror’ (Gaelic; An Ferbasach). He had considerable success fighting against external enemies such as the Welsh Kingdom of Strathclyde but his most important victories were against the invading Vikings from Scandinavia.

                            The Takeover of Pictavia

There has been much ink spilled by historians over how he took over the Pictish kingdom also known as Pictavia and how it developed in to the future Kingdom of Alba or Scotland. Kenneth I is thought to have had a claim to the Pictish throne and that his takeover was helped by the major invasions of Pictavia by the Vikings and their heavy defeat of the Picts. There was also the large scale movement of population from the Gaelic speaking areas of the Viking threatened western coast to the east. Kenneth I built a prominent palace at Forteviot which was central to the new kingdom that began to be formed known in Gaelic as Alba, later known as Scotia or Scotland in English. These developments took place over some time and the final form of the kingdom is thought to have emerged a century later in the reign of one of Kenneth I’s successors.

                           Movement of Population

From 850 onwards there was the general movement of population mentioned above from the west coast of Dal Riada which was exposed to Viking attack to the east. As well as this largescale movement of population Kenneth I moved sacred relics including the coronation stone (the Stone of Scone), from the abbey of Iona which had been abandoned due to incessant Viking assaults to the new capital at Scone. Kenneth I continued to confront the Viking invaders while also attempting to attack Lothian then held by the Northumbrians. Alba itself came under intense attack by the Vikings who destroyed much of the kingdom, in particular the territory of Perthshire and also by the King of Strathclyde who is known to have burnt Dunblane. Kenneth I later also made successful marriages with neighbouring rulers in Strathclyde and Ireland which gave added security to his kingdom. Kenneth I died in 858 and was succeeded by his brother Donald I and thereafter by his son who continued the the Alpinid dynasty in to the 11th century.