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Sub-Project of MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND
MEDIEVAL MORAY
Moray was the territory of the northern Picts who maintained their independence when Kenneth MacAlpin became King of the Scots in [843/44]. Together with Ross, it was one of the seven original provinces of Scotland, covering the territory of what later became the counties of Inverness and Ross. Although the Mormaership of Moray was conquered by the Scots in 1130, it was not until 1312 that Robert I King of Scotland created the earldom of Moray, installing Thomas Randolph as first earl. (Cawley's Medlands)
OVERVIEW
RUAIDHRI. Mormaer of Moray.
m ---. The name of Ruaidhri´s wife is not known.
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:a) MACBETH ([1005]-killed in battle Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire 15 Aug 1057, bur Isle of Iona).
m ([after 1032]) [as her second husband,] GRUOCH, [widow of GILLACOMGAIN Mormaer of Moray daughter of BOITE[Bodhe] of Scotland & his wife --- ([1015]-).2. MAELBRIGTE.
m ---. The name of Maelbrigte´s wife is not known.
Maelbrigte & his wife had two children:a) MALCOLM (-1029).
b) GILLACOMGAIN (-burned alive 1032). Mormaer of Moray.
m [as her first husband, GRUOCH, daughter of BOITE--- ([1015]-)].
Mormaer Gillacomgain & his [wife] had [one child]:i) LULACH ([1032]-killed in battle Essie, Strathbogie 17 Mar 1058, bur Isle of Iona).
m ---. Finnghuala of Angus?
Lulach & his wife had two children:(a) MAELSNECHTAI (-1085).
(b) daughter.
m ---. One child:(1) ANGUS (-killed in battle Strickathrow 1130). Mormaer of Moray.
DETAILED DESCENT OF THE MORMAERS OF MORAY
Irish genealogies show the descent of Findlaech MacRory from "cenel Loairn, one of the ruling kindreds of Dalriada…in the 8th century"[477], but it is unknown how accurate this may be. (Cawley's Medlands)
RUAIDHRI. Mormaer of Moray. (Cawley's Medlands)
m ---. The name of Ruaidhri´s wife is not known.
Ruadhri & his wife had two children:
1. FINDLAECH MacRory (-[1018/20]). Thane of Angus, Mormaer of Moray. Orkneyinga Saga records that Sigurd Jarl of Orkney defeated “a Scottish earl called Finnleik”[478]. The Annals of Tigernach record that “Findlaech mac Ruaidhrí mormaer Moreb” was killed “a filiis fratris sui MaelBrighdi” in [1018/20][479]. The Annals of Ulster record the death in 1020 of "Finnlaech son of Ruadrí king of Alba…killed by his own people"[480]. (Cawley's Medlands)
m ---Donada?. The name of Findlaech´s wife is not known. Many secondary sources name the wife of Findlaech as Donada of Scotland, daughter of Malcolm II King of Scotland & his wife ---, adding that she was the mother of King Macbeth. It seems that the proof for this connection is slim. The only source so far identified which refers to Macbeth´s maternal origin is the Chronicle of Huntingdon which names "Maket Regem [=King Macbeth] nepotem dicti Malcolmi" when recording that he was expelled from Scotland after ruling 15 years[481]. The word "nepos" is of course treacherous, and could indicate a variety of relationships in addition to grandson. However, it appears that early historians assumed that "grandson" was the correct translation. For example, Ralph Holinshed´s 1577 Chronicle of Scotland names "Doada" as second daughter of Malcolm II King of Scotland and adds that she married "Sinell the thane of Glammis, by whom she had issue one Makbeth"[482]. Another variation is provided by the Cronykil of Andrew of Wyntoun, which records that "Makbeth-Fynlak, his systyr sowne" murdered King Duncan[483]. From a chronological point of view, it is unlikely that Macbeth could have been a nephew of King Duncan, but it is possible that the passage represents an interpretation of "nepos" from an earlier source and has confused the king with whom Macbeth enjoyed this relationship. No source earlier than Holinshed has been found which names her Donada. (Cawley's Medlands)
Mormaer Findlaech & [wife] had one child: (Cawley's Medlands)a) MACBETH ([1005]-killed in battle Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire 15 Aug 1057, bur Isle of Iona). The 12th century Cronica Regum Scottorum lists "…Macheth filius Findleg xvii…" as king[484]. The Annals of Tigernach names “Mac bethadh son of Findlaech overking of Scotland” when recording his death[485]. Mormaer of Moray [1029/32]. He succeeded in 1040 as MACBETH King of Scotland. He was defeated in battle 27 Jul 1054 by the army of Siward Earl of Northumbria who had invaded Scotland to support the claim to the throne of Malcolm son of King Duncan I. The Annals of Ulster record that "Mac Bethad son of Finnlaech, over-king of Scotland was killed by Mael Sechlainn son of Donnchad in battle" in 1058[486]. (Cawley's Medlands)
m ([after 1032]) [as her second husband,] GRUOCH, [widow of GILLACOMGAIN Mormaer of Moray daughter of BOITE[Bodhe] of Scotland & his wife --- ([1015]-). "Machbet filius Finlach…et Gruoch filia Bodhe, rex et regina Scottorum" made grants to the church of St Serf, although the document also names "Malcolmus Rex filius Duncani" which casts doubt on its authenticity[487]. Her possible first marriage appears to be based on the following logic. The Continuation of the Synchronisms of Flann Mainistreach records Lulach as son of Macbeth[488]. The Annals of Ulster record that "Lulach son of Gilla Comgain, over-king of Scotland was killed in battle by Mael Coluim son of Donnchad" in 1058[489]. Dunbar, basing his argument on this and the other sources which are quoted in this section, states that "from the above it seems most probable that Lulach was son of Gillacomgan and step-son of Macbeth"[490]. In addition, the 12th century Cronica Regum Scottorum lists "Lulac nepos filii Boide" ["nephew of the son of Boite"] as successor of King Macbeth[491]. However, there does not appear to be a surviving source which more specifically confirms that Macbeth´s queen was the widow of Gillacomgain and mother of Lulach. (Cawley's Medlands)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)
m [as her first husband, GRUOCH, daughter of BOITE--- ([1015]-)]. Her possible first marriage appears to be based on the following logic. The Continuation of the Synchronisms of Flann Mainistreach records Lulach as son of Macbeth[496]. The Annals of Ulster record that "Lulach son of Gilla Comgain, over-king of Scotland was killed in battle by Mael Coluim son of Donnchad" in 1058[497]. Dunbar, basing his argument on this and the other sources which are quoted in this section, states that "from the above it seems most probable that Lulach was son of Gillacomgan and step-son of Macbeth"[498]. In addition, the 12th century Cronica Regum Scottorum lists "Lulac nepos filii Boide" ["nephew of the son of Boite"] as successor of King Macbeth[499]. However, there does not appear to be a surviving source which more specifically confirms that Macbeth´s queen was the widow of Gillacomgain and mother of Lulach.
She married [secondly] ([after 1032]) Macbeth, who succeeded in 1040 as MACBETH King of Scotland. "Machbet filius Finlach…et Gruoch filia Bodhe, rex et regina Scottorum" made grants to the church of St Serf, although the document also names "Malcolmus Rex filius Duncani" which casts doubt on its authenticity[500]. (Cawley's Medlands)
Mormaer Gillacomgain & his [wife] had [one child]: (Cawley's Medlands)i) LULACH ([1032]-killed in battle Essie, Strathbogie 17 Mar 1058, bur Isle of Iona). As noted above, the primary sources are unclear concerning the parentage of Lulach. He succeeded [his stepfather] in 1057 as LULACH "the Simple" King of Scotland, crowned Aug 1057 at Scone Abbey, Perthshire. The Annals of Ulster record that "Lulach son of Gilla Comgain, over-king of Scotland was killed in battle by Mael Coluim son of Donnchad" in 1058[501].](Cawley's Medlands)
m ---. Finnghuala of Angus? The name of Lulach´s wife is not known. [We do know that The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, s.a. 1078, reports that "In this year Máel Coluim seized the mother of Máel Snechtai [Lulach’s son] ...and all his treasures, and his cattle; and he himself escaped [only] with difficulty." Sharon]
Lulach & his wife had two children: (Cawley's Medlands)(a) MAELSNECHTAI (-1085). A grant by "Maelsnecte son of Luloeg" to the church of Deer is recalled in a notice of grants between 565 and 1100[502]. Mormaer of Moray until 1078. Monk. (Cawley's Medlands)
(b) daughter. Her parentage is confirmed by the Annals of Ulster which record the death in 1130 of "Angus son of the daughter of Lulach” in a battle “between the men of Scotland and the men of Moray”[503]. The name of her husband is not known.
m ---. One child: (Cawley's Medlands)(1) ANGUS (-killed in battle Strickathrow 1130). Mormaer of Moray. Moray was conquered by the Scots in 1130 after Mormaer Angus's defeat at Strickathrow[504]. The Annals of Ulster record the death in 1130 of "Angus son of the daughter of Lulach” in a battle “between the men of Scotland and the men of Moray”[505]. John of Fordun´s Scotichronicon (Continuator) records that "Malcolmus filius Macheth" lied to claim he was "filium Angusii comitis Moraviæ" who was killed "tempore…regis David…apud Strucathroth a Scotis"[506]. (Cawley's Medlands)
Resources
- Charles Cawley's Medieval Lands: SCOTLAND
- Charles Cawley's Medieval Lands: IRELAND
- Stewart Baldwin & Todd Farmerie's 'Henry Project'
- Cairney, C.Thomas 'Clans and Families of Ireland and Scotland -An Ethnography of the Gael A.D. 500 - 1750'
- Annales Cambriae
- Annals of the Four Masters
- The Anglo Saxon Chronicle
- The Annals of Tigernach
- The Annals of Ulster
- Chronicum Scotorum
- Landnámabók The Book of the Settlement of Ireland - English Translation
- Orkneyjar is an easy introduction to the Orkneying Saga & the history of the Vikings in Orkney
- The Orkneyingers Saga
- 'The Story of Earl Magnus' from The Orkneyingers Saga