THE Royal House of Scotland arose from the union in 843 of the Kingdom of the Scots, Dalriada with Caledonia, the kingdom of the Picts, which latter comprised the northern and eastern parts of the country. The Kings of the Picts, ARD RIGH ALBANN, according to their chroniclers, derived from CRUITHNE, King of the Picts (from whose seven younger sons the original Seven Earls or provincial Kings of Caledonia were deduced) through seventy kings (of whom the 49th, BRUDE MACMAELCON, 565, and NECTAN MACDERILI, 596-617, were converted to Christianity), to the 71st, CONSTANTINE MACANGUS, whose successor, Angus II (821-833) had a son EOGHAIN MACANGUS (73rd) and a daughter, Fergusia, married to Eocha, of the Royal House of Dalriada, and had ALPIN, who claimed the Pictish throne on Eoghain's death in 839, and was father of KENNETH MACALPIN, of whom presently as 74th ARD RIGH ALBANN.

The official genealogy of the Kings of Dalriada, declaimed by the Royal Sennachie at the Scottish Coronation, traces their succession from FERGUS MOR MACERC (circa 496), a scion of the Royal House of the High Kings of Ireland, down to the above mentioned.

KENNETH I, surnamed MacAlpin, in whose person from 844 the Crowns of Dalriada and Caledonia were united as first King of Scots. In both realms tribal Kingship was hereditary in the Royal race but selective as regards the individnal, passing primarily to the Tanistair or nominee of the reigning Sovereign, and at the death of Kenneth I in 859 he was succeeded by his brother,

DONALD I, who reigned from 859 to 863 and was succeeded by his nephew,

CONSTANTINE I, son of Kenneth I, reigned from 863 to 877. He fell in a battle with the Danes, and was succeeded by his brother,

AEDH, who reigned but one year, 877-8, and is said to have been 'slain by his people.' His successor was

EOCHA, son of Run, King Of Strathclyde, by the daughter of Kenneth I. He reigned 878-889. CRIC or GRIG, son of Dungail, being associated with him. Their successor,

DONALD II, son of Constantine I, reigned from 889-900. He was slain in a Danish invasion, and was succeeded by

CONSTANTINE II, son of Aedh, who reigned 42 years, 900-942, and, being harassed by the ravages of the Northmen, retired in 942 to the Monastery of St. Andrews. His successor,

MALCOLM I, son of Donald II, reigned from 942-954. His cousin,

INDULPH, son of Constantine II, reigned from 954-962. His cousin,

DUBH, son of Malcolm I, reigned from 962-967. His cousin, 

CUILEAN, son of Indulph, reigned from 967-971. His cousin,

KENNETH II, son of Malcolm I, reigned from 971-995. His cousin,

CONSTANTINE III, son of Cuilean, reigned from 995-997. His cousin,

KENNETH III, son of Dubh, reigned from 997-1005, and was slain at Monzievaird circa 25 March, 1005, by his cousin, who succeeded as,

MALCOLM II (styled Malcolm MacKenneth), son of Kenneth II, who reigned from 1005-34. He died 25 November 1034, having had issue,

1. Bethoc, married circa 1000, Crinan, the Thane, Hereditary Abbot of Dunkeld, in the Celtic Church, who was slain 1045, leaving issue,

1. DUNCAN I, afterwards King.

2. Maldred, married Edith, daughter of Uchtred, Earl of Northumberland, and was father of Cospatrick, Earl of Northumberland.

1. A daughter, who was mother of Moddan.

2. Donada, married Finlaec, Mormaer of Moray, and had issue, a son,

MACBETH, afterwards King.

3. Another daughter married Sigurd, Earl of Orkney, and had issue.

MALCOLM II was succeeded by his grandson,

DUNCAN I, son of Crinan, Hereditary Abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethoc his wife, daughter of MALCOLM II. He reigned 1034-40. He married a cousin of Siward, Earl of Northumberland, and had three sons, MALCOLM III, DONALD BANE, and MELMARE. In his reign the north and west of Scotland were conquered by the Northmen, under Thorfinn, Jarl of the Orkneys. His cousin, Macbeth, Mormaer of Moray, joining his fortunes to those of the invader, put DUNCAN to death 14 Aug. 1040, and ascended the throne,

MACBETH, son of Finlaec, Mormaer of Moray, reigned from 1040-57; married Gruoch, widow of Gillacomgan and daughter of Bode, son of Kenneth III. His kingdom seems to have been confined to the country south and west of the Tay, Thorfinn ruling over the rest. He was slain by Malcolm, son of Duncan I, at Lumphanan, Aberdeenshire, 15 August 1057, without issue.

MACBETH was succeeded by his stepson,

LULACH, son of Gillacomgan, Mormaer of Moray, and Gruoch his wife, daughter of BODE, son of Kenneth III, was made King by Macbeth's party, and after reigning seven months, was slain at Essie, in Strathbogie, 17 March, 1057-58. He had a son, Malsnechtai, and also a daughter, whose son, Angus, succeeding to the Earldom of Moray, was associated with Malcolm, natural son of Alexander I, in an insurrection against David I, but was defeated and slain in 1130.

MALCOLM III, Canmore, or Great Head, born circa 1031, eldest son of Duncan I, ascended the throne, 17 March 1057-58. Under him, the provinces acquired by Thorfinn, fell again under native rule. He married 1stly, circa 1059, Ingibjorg, daughter or widow of Thorfinn, Earl of Orkney, and had issue,

1. DUNCAN II, afterwards King

2. Malcolm, living 1094.

3. Donald, died 1085.

MALCOLM III married 2ndly, 1068-69, Saint Margaret (died 16 November 1093, and was canonised as St. Margaret), daughter of Edward Atheling and sister of Edgar Atheling, who had fled to Scotland with his sisters, and by her had issue,

4. Edward, wounded with his father at Alnwick, died 16 November 1093.

5. EDMUND, died a monk.

6. Ethelred, Lay Abbot of Dunkeld, died before 1097.

7. EDGAR, afterwards King.

8. ALEXANDER, afterwards King.

9. DAVID, afterwards King.

1. Eadgith, otherwise Matilda, married 11 November 1100, HENRY I, King of England, and died 1 May, 1118, leaving issue. He died 1 Dec, 1135,

2. Mary, married 1102, Eustace, Count of Boulogne, and died 31 May, 1116, leaving issue.

MALCOLM III was slain at Alnwick, 13 November 1093 (buried at Tynemouth), and was succeeded by his brother,

DONALD BANE became King of Scots, 13 November 1093, but was deposed May, 1094, by his nephew,

DUNCAN II, born 1060, son of Malcolm III, by his 1st wife. He married circa 1090, Ethelreda, daughter of Cospatrick, Earl of Northumberland, and had issue, a son, Duncan, father of William, whose son, William of Egremont, died under age. Duncan II, after reigning six months, was slain at Mondynes, 12 November 1094, when,

DONALD BANE resumed the throne, 12 November 1094, his nephew, EDMUND, son of Malcolm III (and Margaret, his wife), being conjoined with him. In 1097, through means of Edgar Atheling, Donald was defeated and expelled from Scotland, Edmund imprisoned, and the throne assumed by Edgar, another son of Malcolm III. Donald Bane's grand-daughter and heiress, Hextilda married Richard Comyn, and their descendant, John Comyn, known as the Black Comyn, was one of the competitors for the Scottish Crown in 1291. Donald Bane was succeeded by

EDGAR, born 1074; son of Malcolm III; reigned from 1097-1107, died unmarried 8 January 1106-7, and was succeeded by his brother,

ALEXANDER I, born 1077. While Alexander reigned over Scotland, north of the Forth and Clyde, his brother DAVID, who had been trained in England, and was Earl of Northumberland, ruled with the title of Earl in Lothian and Cumbria. He married Sybilla (died without issue 12 July, 1122), natural daughter of HENRY I of England. He died at Stirling, 23 April, 1124, and was succeeded by his yougest brother,