Máel Coluim of Moray (or Máel Coluim mac Máil Brigti) was King or Mormaer of Moray (1020–1029), and, as his name suggests, the son of a Máel Brigte. As with his predecessor Findláech mac Ruaidrí, sources call him "King of Scotland."

Rather confusingly for some of our sources and for some historians, Máel Coluim held the kingship contemporaneously with another Máel Coluim, Máel Coluim II (mac Cináeda) of Scotland. The Orkneyinga Saga for instance tells us that Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney was the son of the daughter of Máel Coluim, king of Scotland. Some historians have argued that this was Máel Coluim mac Cináeda of Scotland, but Hudson has suggested that Máel Coluim mac Máil Brigti is the more likely candidate (p. 135).

His death date derives from the Annals of Tigernach, which notes s.a. 1029, "Mael Colaim mac Mael-Brighdi mac Ruaidrí, rí Alban mortuus est (="Máel Coluim, son of Máel Brigte, son of Ruadrí, King of Scotland, dies")." As can be seen, if it were not for the mac Mael-Brighdi, we could easily assume we were being given an inaccurate date for the death of King Máel Coluim II. Máel Coluim mac Máil Brigti seems to have been succeeded by his brother Gille Coemgáin. Domnall mac Máil Coluim, "son of the King of Scotland", whose death is reported by the Annals of Ulster s.a. 1085, may have been a son of this Máel Coluim, or perhaps of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada (Malcolm III).

Bibliography

• Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History: AD 500-1286, 2 Vols, (Edinburgh, 1922)
• Hudson, Benjamin T., Kings of Celtic Scotland, (Westport, 1994)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A1el_Coluim_of_Moray

Rather confusingly for some of our sources and for some historians, Máel Coluim held the kingship contemporaneously with another Máel Coluim, Máel Coluim II (mac Cináeda) of Scotland. The Orkneyinga Saga for instance tells us that Thorfinn Sigurdsson, Earl of Orkney was the son of the daughter of Máel Coluim, king of Scotland. Some historians have argued that this was Máel Coluim mac Cináeda of Scotland, but Hudson has suggested that Máel Coluim mac Máil Brigti is the more likely candidate (p. 135).

His death date derives from the Annals of Tigernach, which notes s.a. 1029, "Mael Colaim mac Mael-Brighdi mac Ruaidrí, rí Alban mortuus est (="Máel Coluim, son of Máel Brigte, son of Ruadrí, King of Scotland, dies")." As can be seen, if it were not for the mac Mael-Brighdi, we could easily assume we were being given an inaccurate date for the death of King Máel Coluim II.

Máel Coluim mac Máil Brigti seems to have been succeeded by his brother Gille Coemgáin.

Domnall mac Máil Coluim, "son of the King of Scotland", whose death is reported by the Annals of Ulster s.a. 1085, may have been a son of this Máel Coluim, or perhaps of Máel Coluim mac Donnchada (Malcolm III).

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Ruadhri & his wife had two children:

1. FINDLAECH MacRory (-[1018/20]). Thane of Angus, Mormaer of Moray.
m ---Donada?.
Mormaer Findlaech & [wife] had one child: (Cawley's Medlands)

a) MACBETH ([1005]-killed in battle Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire 15 Aug 1057, bur Isle of Iona).

2. MAELBRIGTE. The Annals of Tigernach record that “Findlaech mac Ruaidhrí mormaer Moreb” was killed “a filiis fratris sui MaelBrighdi” in [1018/20][492]. (Cawley's Medlands)
m ---. The name of Maelbrigte´s wife is not known.
Maelbrigte & his wife had two children:(Cawley's Medlands)

a) MALCOLM (-1029). A grant by "Maelcoluim son of Maelbrigte" to the church of Deer is recalled in a notice of grants between 565 and 1100[493]. The Annals of Tigernach record the death in 1029 of “Mael Colaim mac Mael-Brighdi maic Ruaidrí, rí Alban”[494]. (Cawley's Medlands)
b) GILLACOMGAIN (-burned alive 1032). Mormaer of Moray. The Annals of Ulster record that "Gilla Comgán son of Mael Brigte, earl of Moray was burned together with fifty people" in 1032[495]. (Cawley's Medlands)