550. Kenneth I MacAlpin , King of All Scotland
The first king of te united Scots of teh Dalriada and the Picts, and so of Scotland north of a line between the Forth and the Clyde Rivers.
Of his father Alpin little is known, though tradition credits him with a signal victory over the Picts by whom he was killed three months later (c.834). Kenneth succeeded in the Dalriada and ruled in Pictavia also, ruling for sisteen years. The period is obscure. The gradual union of the two kingdoms from 843 doubtless owes much to intermarriage. By the Pictish marriage custom, inheritance passed through the female. Nevertheless, Kenneth probably made some conquests among the eastern Picts and possibly invaded Lothian and burned Dunbar and Melrose. After attacks on Iona by Vikings he removed the relics of St. Columba, probably in 849 or 850 to Dunkeld, which became headquarters of the Scottish Columban church. He was buried in the Island of Iona.
(Enc. Brit. 6:801)
© 2001, Saul M. Montes-Bradley. All Rights Reserved