Rhun ab Arthgal | |
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King of Strathclyde | |
Predecessor | Arthgal ap Dyfnwal |
Issue | |
Father | Arthgal ap Dyfnwal |
Rhun ab Arthgal was a ninth-century King of Strathclyde. [note 1] He is the only known son of Arthgal ap Dyfnwal, King of Alt Clut. In 870, during the latter's reign, the fortress of Alt Clut was captured by Vikings, after which Arthgal and his family may have been amongst the mass of prisoners taken back to Ireland. Two years later Arthgal is recorded to have been slain at the behest of Causantín mac Cináeda, King of the Picts. The circumstances surrounding this regicide are unknown. The fact that Rhun seems to have been Causantín's brother-in-law could account for Causantín's interference in the kingship of Alt Clut.
The Viking destruction of the capital fortress of the Kingdom of Alt Clut appears to have brought about a reorientation of the kingdom towards the valley of the River Clyde. In consequence, the realm came to be known as the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Either Rhun or his father could have been the first kings of Strathclyde. In the years following the fall of Alt Clut, Rhun's realm may have endured periods of Pictish and Viking overlordship. Despite his kinship with the Pictish king, there is reason to suspect that the two clashed at some point.
It is unknown when Rhun's reign came to an end or when he died. One possibility is that he fell with Causantín, who seems to have been killed warring against the Vikings in 876. Certainly, Rhun's son, Eochaid, is recorded to have succeeded Causantín's successor, Áed mac Cináeda, King of the Picts, after 878. Whether Eochaid's succession reflects the end of Eochaid's reign and life is unknown.
Rhun's patrilineal ancestry is evidenced by a pedigree preserved within a collection of tenth-century Welsh genealogical material known as the Harleian genealogies . According to this source, Rhun was a son of Arthgal ap Dyfnwal, King of Alt Clut, and descended from a long line of kings of Alt Clut. [11] Rhun is Arthgal's only known son. [12]
In about 849, the ninth- to twelfth-century Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reports that Britons burned Dunblane, an ecclesiastical centre seated on the southern Pictish border. [13] This attack took place during the reign of Cináed mac Ailpín, King of the Picts, [14] and may have been overseen by either Arthgal [15] or his father, Dyfnwal ap Rhydderch. [16] The razing of Dunblane could be evidence that the Kingdom of Alt Clut was in the process of extending its authority at the expense of the Pictish regime. If so, the British kings would appear to have seized upon the chaos wrought by contemporaneous Viking attacks upon the Picts. [17]
According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, Rhun was married to a daughter of Cináed. [19] This alliance may have been contracted between the Britons and Picts as a way of repairing international relations following the attack on Dunblane in 849. [20] Rhun is the last listed king in the Harleian pedigree. [21] This could indicate that the genealogy was originally compiled during his floruit [22] —perhaps at the time of his marriage to his Alpínid wife, or upon the outset of his reign as king. [23] According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, a product of the marriage was a son named Eochaid. [24] The twelfth-century Prophecy of Berchán describes Eochaid as "the son of the woman from Dún Guaire". [25] The fact that ninth-century Historia Brittonum identifies Bamburgh as Din Guoaroy could indicate that Dún Guaire too refers to Bamburgh. [26] Another possibility is that Dún Guaire refers to one of two similarly-named sites in the Hebrides (on Mull and Islay), [27] In any event, the association of Rhun's wife with the fort could be evidence that she had been previously married. [28]
In 870, during the reign of Rhun's father, the fortress of Alt Clut was captured and destroyed by the insular Scandinavian kings Amlaíb and Ímar, following a naval blockade of four months. [30] In the following year, the twelfth-century Chronicon Scotorum , [31] the fifteenth- to sixteenth-century Annals of Ulster , [32] and the eleventh-century Fragmentary Annals of Ireland reveal that Amlaíb and Ímar returned to Ireland with a fleet of two hundred ships, and a mass of captives composed of English, Britons, and Picts. [33] [note 2] The exportation of these people to Ireland is also attested by Annales Xantenses , a ninth-century German source. [35] The captives could have been meant for ransom, [36] or may have been intended for the Dublin slave market. [37] It is possible that Arthgal and his family were amongst those imprisoned. [38]
Arthgal died in 872. [40] The Annals of Ulster [41] and Chronicon Scotorum reveal that he was slain at the behest of Causantín mac Cináeda, King of the Picts. [42] [note 3] If Rhun succeeded Arthgal—as seems likely [44] —it is uncertain how long he outlived him. [45] Although the circumstances surrounding Arthgal's assassination are unknown, [46] the familial relationship between Causantín and Rhun could be evidence that Arthgal's demise was orchestrated to allow Rhun to gain the throne. [47] One possibility is that Rhun had been exiled from his father's realm, and had been living at the Pictish royal court when his father's realm was overcome by Amlaíb and Ímar. [48] This could mean that Causantín acted to offset any rival Rhun had in regard to the British kingship. [49] Conversely, if there was no strife between Rhun and Arthgal, Causantín's actions against the latter may have been carried out in the context of an intrusive and aggressive neighbour. [48] Arthgal's elimination may have been carried out in the context of an attempt by Causantín to capitalise upon the political turmoil wrought by the Viking onslaught. [50]
Another possibility is that, following the conquest of Alt Clut, Arthgal ruled as a puppet king under Amlaíb and Ímar. Certainly, the Vikings utilised royal puppets in the conquered kingdoms of Northumbria and East Anglia. If so, it could explain Causantín's role in Arthgal's demise, and could explain why his brother-in-law (or future brother-in-law) eventually succeeded to the throne. [54] In any event, Arthgal's elimination at Causantín's instigation would appear to have rid the latter of a neighbouring adversary, and would have also increased his own authority and reputation. [55]
Although the Harleian pedigree identifies the listed rulers as those of the Kingdom of Alt Clut, [56] it is apparent that one aftereffect of the destruction of the eponymous fortress was that the capital of the realm shifted up the River Clyde to the vicinity of Govan [57] and Partick. [58] [note 4] Whilst Govan—seated on the Southern bank of the River Clyde—appears to have been utilised by Arthgal and Rhun's eighth-century predecessors, [60] [note 5] Partick—situated on the Northern bank—could well have been used at least a century earlier. [62]
The relocation is partly exemplified by a shift in royal terminology. Until the fall of Alt Clut, for example, the rulers of the realm were styled after the fortress; whereas following the loss of this site, the Kingdom of Alt Clut came to be known as the Kingdom of Strathclyde in consequence of its reorientation towards Ystrat Clut (Strathclyde), the valley of the River Clyde. [63] Arthgal himself is styled King of the Strathclyde Britons upon his death in 872 [64] —the first use of this terminology by Irish sources. [65] Although it is possible that Arthgal ultimately met his end in Ireland at the hands of his Viking captors, [66] this title could instead be evidence that he had briefly ruled the new Kingdom of Strathclyde. [48] Either he or Rhun could have been the first monarch to rule this reconstructed realm. [67]
Rhun's reign probably commenced not long after his father's death, in 872. [69] The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba identifies Rhun as rex Britannorum ("king of the Britons"). [70] Hostility between Rhun and his brother-in-law may be evidenced by the Prophecy of Berchán. [71] According to this source, Causantín won four victories over his enemies. Whilst the first three victories are stated to have been won against Vikings, the fourth is described as that of Cath Lures—a location possibly identical to Glasgow—where he overcame the "king of the Britons of the green mantles". [72] Although it is possible that the unnamed king in question was Arthgal—which could in turn cast light upon this man's demise [73] —another possibility is that the prophecy refers to Rhun himself. If Rhun is indeed the prophecy's mantled monarch, his conflict with Causantín may have occurred in the aftermath of his father's demise, and may have been undertaken in an attempt to ensure his kingdom's independence from Pictish overlordship. [71]
If a garbled passage preserved by the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba is to be believed, Amlaíb was killed by Causantín in 872/874/875, whilst in the midst of extracting tribute from the Picts. [75] Upon Ímar's death in 873, the Annals of Ulster styles him "king of the Northmen of all Ireland and Britain", [76] a title that may partly exemplify Viking overlordship of regions inhabited by the Picts, Strathclyde Britons, and the Welsh. [77] In 875, seemingly during Rhun's reign, [78] the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reports that the Picts suffered a devastating loss to insular Scandinavians at Dollar after which the invaders are said to have occupied the vicinity for one year. [79] This Viking conquest—seemingly corroborated by the Annals of Ulster [80] —may be related to the campaigns of Hálfdan against the Picts and Strathclyde Britons in 875/876, as recorded by the ninth- to twelfth-century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle . [81] This northern campaigning by Hálfdan could have been conducted in the context of the insular Scandinavians not only avenging Amlaíb's killing but of regaining Ímar's authority in the region. [82] At any rate, these clashes with the Britons seem to show that the Kingdom of Strathclyde was not permanently subjected. [83] [note 6]
It is uncertain when Rhun's reign and life ended. [88] One possibility is that Rhun died in 876, when Causantín seems to have been slain by Vikings. [89] Causantín's death is dated to 876 by the Annals of Ulster. [90] The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba appears to locate his fall in Atholl, [91] whilst several king-lists locate his demise to a place variously called Inverdufat, [92] an otherwise uncertain location [93] that could refer to Inverdovat in Fife. [94] [note 7] If Causantín indeed enjoyed overlordship of Strathclyde at this date, Rhun could have fallen alongside him as a supporting vassal. [96] It is likewise unknown who succeeded to the kingship of Strathclyde. [97] If Rhun and Causantín both died in 876, Eochaid could well have inherited the British kingship in their absence. [98] Certainly, Causantín's brother, Áed mac Cináeda, succeeded as King of the Picts, and ruled as such upon his death two years later. [99] Whilst it is possible that the Pictish kingship was then assumed by a certain Giric, another possibility is that Eochaid succeeded to the throne. [100]
If the Prophecy of Berchán is to be believed, Eochaid ruled as king until he was expelled and replaced by Giric. [101] The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, however, states that Eochaid and Giric shared the kingship between themselves, and that Giric was the alumnus ("foster-father" or "foster-son") and ordinator ("governor" or "king-maker") of the former, before both men were expelled from office. [102] One possibility is that Giric indeed succeeded Áed, and that Eochaid succeeded Rhun. [100] Another possibility is that Giric and Eochaid jointly succeeded Áed, with Giric holding a more senior position (as the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba appears to evince). [103] Whilst Eochaid's maternal Alpínid ancestry could well have ensured him a claim to the Pictish throne, [100] the ancestry of Giric is uncertain. [104] [note 8] Another son of Rhun could have been Dyfnwal, who ruled the Kingdom of Strathclyde into the second decade of the tenth century. [107]
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Causantín mac Cináeda was a king of the Picts. He is often known as Constantine I in reference to his place in modern lists of Scottish monarchs, but contemporary sources described Causantín only as a Pictish king. A son of Cináed mac Ailpín, he succeeded his uncle Domnall mac Ailpín as Pictish king following the latter's death on 13 April 862. It is likely that the reign of Causantín witnessed increased activity by Vikings, based in Ireland, Northumbria and northern Britain. He died fighting one such invasion.
Cuilén was an early King of Alba (Scotland). He was a son of Illulb mac Custantín, King of Alba, after whom he is known by the patronymic mac Illuilb of Clann Áeda meic Cináeda, a branch of the Alpínid dynasty.
Eochaid ab Rhun was a ninth century King of Strathclyde, who may have also been King of the Picts. He was a son of Rhun ab Arthgal, King of Strathclyde, and descended from a long line of British kings. Eochaid's mother is recorded to have been a daughter of Cináed mac Ailpín, King of the Picts. This maternal descent from the royal Alpínid dynasty may well account for the record of Eochaid reigning over the Pictish realm after the death of Cináed's son, Áed, in 878. According to various sources, Áed was slain by Giric, whose ancestry is uncertain and who then proceeded to usurp the Alban throne.
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Suibne mac Cináeda was an eleventh-century ruler of the Gall Gaidheil, a population of mixed Scandinavian and Gaelic ethnicity. There is little known of Suibne as he is only attested in three sources that record the year of his death. He seems to have ruled in a region where Gall Gaidheil are known to have dwelt: either the Hebrides, the Firth of Clyde region, or somewhere along the south-western coast of Scotland from the Firth of Clyde southwards into Galloway.
Arthgal ap Dyfnwal was a ninth-century king of Alt Clut. He descended from a long line of rulers of the British Kingdom of Alt Clut. Either he or his father, Dyfnwal ap Rhydderch, King of Alt Clut, may have reigned when the Britons are recorded to have burned the Pictish ecclesiastical site of Dunblane in 849.
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Owain ap Dyfnwal was an early tenth-century King of Strathclyde. He was probably a son of Dyfnwal, King of Strathclyde, who may have been related to previous rulers of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Originally centred in the valley of the River Clyde, this realm appears to have undergone considerable southward expansion in the ninth or tenth century, after which it increasingly came to be known as the Kingdom of Cumbria.
Dyfnwal ab Owain was a tenth-century King of Strathclyde. He was a son of Owain ap Dyfnwal, King of Strathclyde, and seems to have been a member of the royal dynasty of Strathclyde. At some point in the ninth- or tenth century, the Kingdom of Strathclyde expanded substantially southwards. As a result of this extension far beyond the valley of the River Clyde, the realm became known as the Kingdom of Cumbria. By 927, the kingdom seems to have reached as far south as the River Eamont.
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Domnall mac Áeda, also known as Domnall Dabaill, was a King of Ailech. He was a son of Áed Findliath mac Niall, High King of Ireland. Domnall was a half-brother of Niall Glúndub mac Áeda, a man with whom he shared the kingship of Ailech. From Domnall would descend the Mac Lochlainn dynasty.
Tomrair was a ninth-century Viking active in Ireland. He is one of the first Vikings recorded by Irish sources. Tomrair is reported to have been killed at the Battle of Sciath Nechtain, a conflict in which twelve hundred Vikings were slain, battling the combined forces of Ólchobar mac Cináeda, King of Munster and Lorcán mac Cellaig, King of Leinster, in 848.
Domnall mac Eimín meic Cainnig was an eleventh-century Mormaer of Mar. He is attested by numerous accounts of the Battle of Clontarf in which he is said to have lost his life supporting the cause of Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig, High King of Ireland, a king whose forces fought against those of Sitriuc mac Amlaíb, King of Dublin, Máel Mórda mac Murchada, King of Leinster and Sigurðr Hlǫðvisson, Earl of Orkney. Domnall is the first Mormaer of Mar on record, and the Irish sources that note him are the earliest sources to note the province of Mar. Domnall is the only Scottish combatant recorded to have in the Battle of Clontarf. His motivations for fighting are uncertain.
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