Neither the Annals of Ulster, nor the Annals of Tigernach, name Drest's father. The earlier versions of the Pictish Chronicle king lists simply name "Drest and Elpin" as kings after Nechtan. However, a late version, which includes Nechtan's second reign in 728–729, makes Drest's father one Talorgan. This version includes the otherwise unknown Carnach son of Ferach and Óengus son of Bridei, and is generally not such as would inspire great confidence.
Since Nechtan abdicated in favour of Drest, some kinship between them seems probable. A number of Nechtan's sons are reported to have died, so that Drest, whether a nephew, a son-in-law or cousin may have been Nechtan's nearest male kin. It may be that Drest was the son of the Talorg son of Drostan, "brother of Nechtan" — a half-brother or, perhaps a foster-brother — who had been imprisoned in 713.
Whatever his descent, Drest's rule appears to have been quickly challenged. In 725, Simul son of Drest was imprisoned, but by whom is unknown. In 726 Nechtan was imprisoned by Drest, following which Alpín, the Elpin of the king lists, deposed Drest.
By 728 it appears that Drest, Nechtan, Alpín and Óengus mac Fergusa were engaged in a war for the Pictish throne. Drest was killed in battle against Óengus at Dromo Dergg Blathuug (possibly Drumderg, near Blairgowrie) in 729.
Whether there is any relationship between this Drest and the Talorgan son of Drest, king of Atholl, who was killed by drowning in 739, can only be speculation. Drest, Talorgan and their variants are common Pictish names, too common for any argument on the basis of anthroponymy to be entirely convincing.
Kenneth MacAlpin or Kenneth I was King of Dál Riada (841–850), King of the Picts (843–858), and the first King of Alba (843–858) of likely Gaelic origin. He inherited the throne of Dál Riada from his father Alpín mac Echdach, founder of the Alpínid dynasty. Kenneth I conquered the kingdom of the Picts in 843–850 and began a campaign to seize all of Scotland and assimilate the Picts, for which he was posthumously nicknamed An Ferbasach. Forteviot became the capital of his kingdom, and he also fought the Britons of the Kingdom of Strathclyde and the invading Vikings from Scandinavia. Kenneth also relocated relics including the Stone of Scone from an abandoned abbey on Iona to his new domain.
Óengus mac Fergusa was king of the Picts from 820 until 834. In Scottish historiography, he is associated with the veneration of Saint Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. Although, this has not been proven.
Causantín or Constantín mac Fergusa was king of the Picts, in modern Scotland, from 789 until 820. He was until the Victorian era sometimes counted as Constantine I of Scotland; the title is now generally given to Causantín mac Cináeda. He is credited with having founded the church at Dunkeld which later received relics of St Columba from Iona.
Dúngal mac Selbaig was king of Dál Riata. His reign can best be placed in the years 723 to 726, beginning with the abdication of his father, Selbach mac Ferchair, who entered a monastery, and ending with the rise of Eochaid mac Echdach of the Cenél nGabráin. The High Medieval praise poem Duan Albanach names Dúngal the Impetuous, and claims that he ruled for seven years.
MacAlpin's treason is a medieval legend which explains the replacement of the Pictish language by Gaelic in the 9th and 10th centuries.
Talorgan son of Eanfrith was a King of the Picts from 653 to 657. As with his successors Gartnait son of Donuel and Drest son of Donuel, he reigned as a puppet king under the Northumbrian king Oswiu.
Óengus son of Fergus, was king of the Picts, of possible Gaelic origin, from 732 until his death in 761. His reign can be reconstructed in some detail from a variety of sources. The unprecedented territorial gains he made from coast to coast, and the legacy he left, mean Óengus can be considered the first king of what would become Scotland.
Naiton son of Der-Ilei, also called Naiton son of Dargart, was king of the Picts between 706–724 and between 728–729. He succeeded his brother Bridei in 706. He is associated with significant religious reforms in Pictland. He abdicated in 724 in favour of his nephew and became a monk. In 728 and 729 he fought in a four-sided war for the Pictish throne.
Uuen son of Onuist, commonly referred to by the hypocoristic Eóganán, was king of the Picts between AD 837–839.
Talorcan son of Uurguist was a king of the Picts. The Annals of Ulster report the death of Dub Tholarggking of the Picts on this side of the Mounth in 782. He is presumed to have been the son of Óengus mac Fergusa. He was succeeded by his son Drest.
Drest son of Talorcan, was king of the Picts from 782 until 783, succeeding his father Talorgan.
Bridei son of Der-Ilei was king of the Picts from 697 until 706. He became king when Taran was deposed in 697.
Nechtan grandson of Uerb, was king of the Picts from 595 to around 616, and may be the same person as the Neithon son of Guipno who ruled the kingdom of Alt Clut.
Gartnait son of Donuel was king of the Picts from 657 until 663.
Drest son of Donuel was king of the Picts from c.663 until 672. Like his brother and predecessor Gartnait son of Donuel, and Gartnait's predecessor Talorgan son of Eanfrith, he reigned as a puppet king under the Northumbrian king Oswiu. Gartnait and Drest may have been sons of Domnall Brecc, who was king of Dál Riata from c.629 until he was killed in 642.
Talorg son of Uuid was a king of the Picts from 641 to 653.
Alpín was king of the Picts from 726-728, together with Drest. The Pictish Chronicle king lists give Alpín and Drest a five-year joint rule.
Der-Ilei is believed to have been a daughter, or less probably a sister, of Bridei map Beli, king of the Picts. There are no explicit mentions of Der-Ilei in the Irish annals or other sources, and her existence and parentage are thus based on the implication of the surviving records.
The House of Óengus is a proposed dynasty that may have ruled as Kings of the Picts and possibly of all of northern Great Britain, for approximately a century from the 730s to the 830s AD. Their first ruler of Pictland was the great Óengus I of the Picts, who may be the figure carved into the St Andrews Sarcophagus pictured on the right.
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