Everything about Alexander I Of Scotland totally explained
Alexander I of Scotland (
Mediaeval Gaelic:
Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim,
Modern Gaelic:
Alasdair mac Mhaol Chaluim) (c.
1078 –
23 April 1124), called "The Fierce",
King of Scots, was the fourth son of
Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) by his wife
Margaret of Wessex, grand-niece of
Edward the Confessor. He was named for
Pope Alexander II.
Alexander was his unmarried brother
Edgar's heir, perhaps throughout his reign, and certainly by 1104 when he was the senior layman present at the examination of the remains of
Saint Cuthbert at
Durham prior to their reinterrment. He held lands in Scotland north of the
Forth and in
Lothian.
On the death of Edgar in
1107 he succeeded to the Scottish crown; but, in accordance with Edgar's instructions, their brother
David was granted an
appanage in southern Scotland. Edgar's will granted David the lands of the former
kingdom of Strathclyde or Cumbria, and this was apparently agreed in advance by Edgar, Alexander, David and their brother-in-law
Henry I of England. However, in 1113, perhaps at Henry's instigation, and with the support of his
Anglo-Norman, David demanded, and received, additional lands in
Lothian along the Upper
Tweed and
Teviot. David didn't receive the title of king, but of "prince of the Cumbrians", and his lands remained under Alexander's final authority.
The dispute over Upper Tweeddale and Teviotdale doesn't appear to have damaged relations between Alexander and David, although it was unpopular in some quarters. A
Gaelic poem laments:
It's bad what Malcolm's son has done,
dividing us from Alexander;
he causes, like each king's son before,
the plunder of stable Alba.
The dispute over the eastern marches doesn't appear to have caused lasting trouble between Alexander and Henry of England. In 1114 he joined Henry on campaign in
Wales against
Gruffydd ap Cynan of
Gwynedd. Alexander's marriage with Henry's illegitimate daughter
Sybilla de Normandy may have occurred as early as 1107, or as at late as 1114.
William of Malmesbury's account attacks Sybilla, but the evidence argues that Alexander and Sybilla were a devoted but childless couple and Sybilla was of noteworthy piety. Sybilla died in unrecorded circumstances at
Eilean nam Ban (
Kenmore on
Loch Tay) in July,
1122 and was buried at
Dunfermline Abbey. Alexander didn't remarry and
Walter Bower wrote that he planned an
Augustinian Priory at the
Eilean nam Ban dedicated to Sybilla's memory, and he may have taken steps to have her
venerated.
Alexander had at least one illegitimate child,
Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair, who was later to be involved in a revolt against
David I in the 1130s. He was imprisoned at
Roxburgh for many years afterwards, perhaps until his death some time after 1157.
Alexander was, like his brothers Edgar and David, a notably pious king. He was responsible for foundations at
Scone and
Inchcolm. His mother's chaplain and
hagiographer Thurgot was named
Bishop of Saint Andrews (or
Cell Rígmonaid) in 1107, presumably by Alexander's order.
For all his religiosity, Alexander wasn't remembered as a man of peace.
John of Fordun says of him:
He manifested the terrible aspect of his character in his reprisals in the
Mormaerdom of Moray.
Andrew of Wyntoun's
Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland says that Alexander was holding court at
Invergowrie when he was attacked by "men of the Isles". Walter Bower says the attackers were from Moray and Mearns. Alexander pursued them north, to "Stockford" in
Ross (near
Beauly) where he defeated them. This, says Wyntoun, is why he was named the "Fierce". The dating of this is uncertain, as are his enemies' identity. However, in 1116 the
Annals of Ulster report: "Ladhmann son of Domnall, grandson of the king of Scotland, was killed by the men of Moray." The king referred to is Alexander's father, Malcolm III, and Domnall was Alexander's half brother. The Mormaerdom or Kingdom of Moray was ruled by the family of
Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) and
Lulach (Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin); not overmighty subjects, but a family who had ruled Alba within little more than a lifetime. Who the Mormaer or King was at this time isn't known, it may have been
Óengus of Moray or his father, whose name isn't known. As for the Mearns, the only known
Mormaer of Mearns,
Máel Petair, had murdered Alexander's half-brother
Duncan II (Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim) in 1094.
Alexander died in April 1124 at his court at Stirling; his brother David, probably the acknowledged heir since the death of Sybilla, succeeded him.
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