Domnall mac Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata

How are you related to Domnall mac Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata?

Connect to the World Family Tree to find out

Domnall mac Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata's Geni Profile

Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love

  • Build your family tree online
  • Share photos and videos
  • Smart Matching™ technology
  • Free!

Domnall mac Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata

Birthdate:
Birthplace: Scotland
Death: circa April 13, 863 (46-55)
Kinn Belachoir palace or killed in battle Scone (suspicious death murdered as were 10 Kings )
Place of Burial: possibly Isle of Iona
Immediate Family:

Son of Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata and N.N.
Brother of Kenneth I Mac Alpine, king of the Picts

Occupation: King of Scotland from 858 to 862, King of Picts 858-862, King of Scotland, King of Scotland (859 - 863), King of Alba, Roi d'Ecosse de 858 à 862, established an ancient corpus of laws and rights (Aed/Aedh), King of Argylshire
Managed by: Sharon Doubell
Last Updated:

About Domnall mac Alpín, Rí na Dál Riata

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#KennethIIIB 1. [EOCHAID . m ---. The name of Eochaid’s wife is not known. Eochaid & his wife had [one child]:]

a) [ALPIN (-killed in battle against the Picts in Galloway [20 Jul/Aug] 834). The Chronicle of John of Fordun records the accession of "Alpin the son of Achay" in 831, his reign of three years, and his defeat by the Picts "20 July" after which he was beheaded[14]. The 12th century Cronica Regum Scottorum lists "Alpin filius Eochal venenosi iii, Kynedus filius Alpini primus rex Scottorum xvi…" as kings, dated to the 9th century[15]. It should be noted that Alpin’s parentage is not stated in the earlier chronicles.] m ---. The name of Alpin's wife is not known. Alpin & his wife had two children:

i) KENNETH [Cinaed] MacAlpin (-Forteviot, Perthshire 13 Feb [858], bur [Isle of Iona]). His parentage is confirmed by the Annals of Ulster which record the death in 858 of "Cinaed son of Ailpín king of the Picts"[16]. He succeeded as KENNETH I King of Scotland.

- see below.

ii) DONALD [Domnall] (-Kinn Belachoir palace or killed in battle Scone 13 Apr [863], bur [Isle of Iona]).

The 10th century Pictish Chronicle Cronica de Origine Antiquorum Pictorum records that "Kinadius…filius Alpini, primus Scottorum…Dunevaldus frater eius" ruled for four years[17].
The 12th century Cronica Regum Scottorum lists
"Alpin filius Eochal venenosi iii,
Kynedus filius Alpini primus rex Scottorum xvi,
Dolfnal filius Alpini iiii…"
as kings, dated to the 9th century[18].

The Chronicle of John of Fordun records that
"Donald, also a son of Alpin," succeeded his brother in 854, reigned for four years, died "at Scone" and was buried "in Iona beside his brother"[19]. He succeeded his brother as DONALD I King of Scots.

The 11th century Synchronisms of Flann Mainistreach name, in order:
"Cinaet mac Ailpin…
Domnall mac Ailpin,
Custantin mac Cinaeta,
(Aedh mac Cinaedha),
Girg mac Dungaile,
Domnall Dasachtach (mac Custantin)"
as Scottish kings, dated to the 9th and 10th centuries[20].

The Annals of Ulster records the death, in 862, of "Domnall son of Ailpín king of the Picts"[21].

The 10th century Pictish Chronicle Cronica de Origine Antiquorum Pictorum records that
"Dunevaldus [died] in palacio Cinn Belachoir idus Aprilis"[22].

The Chronicle of the Scots and Picts dated 1177 records that
"Douenald mac Alpin" reigned for 4 years, died "in Rathinueramon" and was buried "in Iona insula"[23].

An additional case can be made for the historicity of Domnall mac Alpin (Donald I), thought his celebrated father is considered legendary, and can be found here: https://www.geni.com/people/Alpín-mac-Echdach-Rí-na-Dál-Riata-Fictitious/6000000001041459819?through=6000000034415896368

Domnall mac Ailpín (Modern Gaelic: Dòmhnall mac Ailpein), [1] anglicised sometimes as Donald MacAlpin, and known in most modern regnal lists as Donald I (died 13 April 862), was king of the Picts from 858 to 862. He followed his brother Kenneth MacAlpin (Cináed mac Ailpín) to the Pictish throne.

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba says that Domnall reigned for four years, matching the notices in the Annals of Ulster of his brother's death in February 858 and his own in April 862.[2] The Chronicle notes:

“ In his time the Gaels with their king made the rights and laws of the kingdom, [that are called the laws] of Áed, Eochaid's son in Forteviot.[3] ”

The laws of Áed Find are entirely lost, but it has been assumed that, like the laws attributed to Giric and Constantine II (Causantín mac Áeda), these related to the church and in particular to granting the privileges and immunities common elsewhere.[4] The significance of Forteviot as the site of this law-making, along with Kenneth's death there and Constantine's later gathering at nearby Scone, may point to this as being the heartland of the sons of Alpín's support.

The Chronicle of Melrose says of Domnall, "in war he was a vigorous soldier ... he is said to have been assassinated at Scone."[5] No other source reports Domnall's death by violence.

The Prophecy of Berchán may refer to Domnall in stanzas 123–124:

“ Evil will be Scotland's lot because of [the death of Kenneth MacAlpin]; long will it be until his like will come. Long until the king takes [sovereignty], the wanton son of the foreign wife. He will be three years in the kingdom and three months (although thou countest them). His tombstone will be above Loch Awe. He dies of disease.[6] ”

Although Domnall is generally been supposed to have been childless, it has been suggested that Giric was a son of Domnall, reading his patronym as mac Domnaill rather than the commonly supposed mac Dúngail.[7] This, however, is not widely accepted.[8]

Domnall died, either at the palace of Cinnbelachoir (location unknown), or at Rathinveralmond (also unknown, and may be the same place, presumed to be near the junction of the Almond and the Tay, near Scone).[9] He was buried on Iona.



Donald suceeded his brother, Kenneth, as king. He reigned for three years and was suceeded by Kenneth's son, Constantine.


Donald I (Donald mac Alpin, død 863) var konge av Skottland fra 858 til sin død. Han var sønn av Alpin II av Dalriada, og etterfulgte sin eldre bror Kenneth, som var den første konge av et samlet Skottland.

Han ble av samtiden beskrevet som en «vellystig sønn av en utenlandsk kvinne». Ettersom Kenneth Is mor skal ha vært en skotsk prinsesse må de ha vært halvbrødre. En teori som har vært fremmet er at moren var av norrøn opprinnelse. Han skal ha opprettet en lovsamling, kjent som Aedhs lover, som blant annet omfattet tanisteri, en ordning for tronfølge hvor kongen selv valgte sin etterfølger, normalt blant sin familie. Han valgte selv sin nevø Konstantin som etterfølger. Denne ordningen var i bruk inntil Malcolm IIs tid.

Det er uklarhet omkring omstendighetene for hans død. Han døde enten i et slag ved Scone eller i Perthshire, eller fredelig i sitt slott ved Kinn Belachoir. Han var ikke gift, og hadde ikke barn. Det er ikke kjent hvor han ble gravlagt.