To understand the History of Scotland, one must first be aware of the fact, Scotland was composed of many tribes and groups of people. The group that finally dominated were the Scoti, or Scotti of Scotia or Alba. This group is noted herein by the name Scots. Scots came from Ireland, and after a long and brutal struggle, became the leaders, of what is now Scotland. Scotland today is a blend of these many tribes, all of which are called Scottish, and sometime Scots.
The people of present day Scotland are mainly descended from six ethnic/cultural groups, two Celtic, two Germanic, and two of indeterminate origin.
8000 BC or over 10,000 years ago the land we known as Scotland began to emerge out of the ice age. As the ice melted and the sea rose higher, a most inhospitable land of glacier crushed rock and hills. The Birch was the first Scottish tree of this early period. A few centuries later Hazel, was followed by elm, pine and oak.
6500 BC more or less, berries, nuts, and food bearing roots became more abundant.
6000 BC the land mass of Britain and Western Europe were one. Nomadic people walked the hills and valleys of Britain looking for food. They were hunter gathers, following the available food supply. Slowly as families grew children and elders needed a place for protection from the elements, villages and small settlements evolved near good food supplies.
5000 BC the ocean was rising and Britain became an island.
4000 BC Early Neolithic people settled and gathered nuts and berries, maintaining villages, where ever they traveled.
3800 BC Balbridie in Aberdeenshire is the site of a large community settlement.
3400 BC Neolithic lived in small rectangle houses as families, one of the earliest is at Knap of Howar on Papa Westray in Orkney.
3000 BC villages emerged at Skara Brae, small squatted stone structures. The climate began to chill, and trees no longer were able to survive in the far north.
2450 BC The Later Neolithic people began to form primitive rules and developed knowledge of seasonal events. Metal work began to appear in Scotland copper, then gold, and later bronze.
2000 BC Farmers were beginning to plant basic crops.
500 BC more into the late Iron Age, diversity of tools and formed as well as regional patterns.
55 BC Julius Caesar raided Britain. Romans provided the first written evidence of Scotland
54 BC Julius Caesar raided Britain and started a Roman settlement. 43 AD Claudius conquered Britannia and added it to the Roman empire.
60-61 Revolt of Boudica under Emperor Nero.
71 Petillius Cerialis defeated Claudius Civilis at the Battle of Treves, under Emperor Vespasia thus quelling the revolt in Batavia.
77-83 AD Julius Agricola governor of Britain, began his attempt to conquer the northern portion of Britain. He advanced across north of present England and up to the Forth and Clyde line, and build forts in the land they called Caledonia. The northern tribes that spoke a Celtic language, and put up a greater than expected battle, Calgacus was given the honor of being the first to be named 'Scot'. The Scots spoke a version of Celtic called Q-Celtic(more Irish Gaelic), and others spoke P-Celtic.
86-87 AD Gnaeus Julius Agricola under Emperor Domitian, was forced to pull out of the north and use his troops elsewhere.
100-105 Romans retreated to Tyne-Solwas under emperors Marcus Cocceius Nerva and Marcus Ulpius Trajanus.
122 AD Under Emperor Hadrian, Hadrian's Wall a defensive barrier was began, it was built between north and south Britannia, from sea to sea, to protect against invasion from these northern tribes. The Romans called this uncontrolled land in the north Caledonia.
142-144 AD Under Emperor Antonius Pius, Antonine Wall was built even farther north.
158 Under Emperor Antonius Pius reorganization of the frontier was began.
160 AD All the Romans had pulled back south of Hadrians Wall.
163-168 under Emperor Marcus Aurelius, Antonine frontier of Scotland was given up.
183-184 under Emperor Commodus, Hadrian's wall attacked.
197 Wall again attacked by northern tribes.
208-211 Septimius Severus campaigns against the Maeatae and Caledonii, and dies at York.
297 AD the Caledonians according to Romans included many tribes, the most significant seems to have been Maeatae. The Picts make this first appearance around 297, they also consisted of several groups.
300 AD Scots are thought to have settled around Argyll, they came from Ireland to help the Picts fight against the Romans. There is no convincing evidence of how many came and when. One story relates Fergus Mor mac Eirc, an Antrim prince settled in Argyll. The Cenel nGabrain was one descendent family from Fergus. The Scotish kingdom of Dal Riata had close relations to their Irish neighbors.
305-306 Constantius Chlorus campaigns against the Caledonians, and other Pict tribes, and dies at York.
315 under Emperor Constantius Chloris a successful campaing was won against the Picts.
343 Pict unrest and uprisings continue.
350 AD the Picts were subdivided into Verturions and Diacalydones, and Roman wrote of Scots together with Picts. The Pict kingdoms were divided into seven provinces, Fortriu (Strathearn and Menteith), Fib (Fife), Fothriff (Kincross), Circinn (Angus and Mearns), Fotla (Atholl), Catt (Cathiness), Ce and Fidach (north of the river Dee). Pictish kings were all powerful, disputes were common, and political executions were often by drowning.
360 Scots and Picts attack Romans in the frontier areas.
364-369 Picts Verturions and Dicalydones defeated by Count Theodosius.
383-383 Invading Picts and Scots defeated by Magnus Maximus.
396-398 Pictish attack put down by Stilicho.
407 Constaintine III siezes power.
410 Alaric king of the Goths sacked Rome, and changed the political climate of all Europe. Roman soldiers withdrew from Britain. The land was thereafter occupied by Picts, Scots, Britons and Angles. The Picts were first to dominate northern Britain. Britain rejects Constaintine III and is given control of its own affairs.
470 AD in Southern England Teutonic migrated to the island, forced from their homes in the Russian steppes. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria began to take shape south of Pictland.
550 AD (about) Settlements to the west of Scotland were also forming. Anglo-Saxons were pushing north and two kingdoms of Anglo-Saxons south of Scotland Deria and Bernicia, were troublesome.
563 St. Columba left Ireland and came to Scotland, he converted the king of the Picts to Christianity. He was granted the Isle of Iona to set up a new monastery.
600 (est) Deria and Bernicia joined to form Northumbria, and pushed northward. The British tribe Votadini pushed toward Edinburg.
603 the battle of Degestan, King Aidan was unable to hold back the Anglo-Saxon and they advanced as far north as the Forth.
627 The Anglo-Saxons were for the most part accepting Christianity.
671 The Anglian kings of Northumbria pushed into Pictland and overthrew the king, and fighting continued into the Dal Riata kingdom, which was already in civil war among its tribes.
685 King Bridei a Pict defeated and killed Ecgfirth, an Anglian, at the battle of Nechtansmere near Forfar, and went on to restore his authority in Pictland.
700 A biography written by Adomnan, one of Saint Columbia's sucessors, and abbot of Iona wrote of Saint Columba's success story. Almost all of what we know of Scotland after the Romans is documented by the Scottish Church.
719 The first sea battle in British history was recorded in the Scotish civil war.
750 (est) Angus mac Fergus captured Dunadd and put himself over Dal Riata, making Pictland Independent. He defeated Strathclyde, using Northumbrians as allies.
761 Angus died and the Picts was without a powerful leader.
781 Dal Riata had emerged as the most powerful kingdom.
789 Cenel nGabhrain a member of a leading Dal Riatan family managed to take over both Scotish and Pictland.
795 (est) Viking longships moved into Scotish waters, Scandinavia was short of land. The pushed into North America, Greenland, Normandy, Sicily and Russia, as well as Britain. Fast and cruel, murder and plunder was the result.
795 Iona was attacked by Vikings.
800 A.D. the word Scotland or Scottish was used as was Dal Riata or Dal Riatan since the Scotti came from Dal Riata (Ireland). Alba the Gaelic word for Britain, and became the term used to describe the Scotish area.
802 The Vikings sacked Iona, killing and taking all many packed and left for Kells in Ireland. The Scotish Christians, were at now at odds with a pagan enemy. Vikings continued to raid Del Riatan dynasty, and attacked their base at Fortriu in Perthshire. The kings were no match for the Vikings.
843 Cinaed mac Alpin also known as Kenneth MacAlpine, king of the Scots, defeated the Pictish kingdom and added it to the Scottish kingdom. Eventually the Vikings merged into the already complex group of people in Scotland.
880 The people west of Alba were somewhat more isolated and begin to absorb the Viking intruders into their Gaelic Culture and some kings had Viking names. 900 The first written references to Alba was used.
937 Athelstan king of Wessex and York defeated Constantine of Alba (Scotland) at Brunanburh near the Humber.
943 Malcolm I became his rule of Scotland.
954 Malcolm I died. Malcolm II grandson of Malcolm was born.
973 The Vikings weakened Northumbria, this and the growing Wessex kingdom of England and made it possible for Scotland to recover Lothian from Northumbria, as Northumbria became a target of the Wessex kingdom.
10th century the land was beginning to be known as Scotland.
1018 Malcolm II king of the united Scots and Picts, won a decisive battle at Carham on Tweed, which made him a ruler of much of Scotland
1057 king MacBeth died remembered in a Shakespeare tale.
1066 Normans conquered England, afterwards Anglo-Saxons from England settled in the Lowlands of Scotland. Lowland Scots adopted English ways. Feudalism was established. The prominent chiefs of the clans became nobles.
1098 Edgar Signed a treaty with King Magnus Barelegs of Norway and brought stability to Scotland.
| KINGS OF Dál Riata | ||
|---|---|---|
| DATE RULED | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
| Unknown A.D. | Erc | _ |
| Unknown A.D. | Fergus Mor mac Eirc | _ |
| Unknown A.D. | Domangart Réti | _ |
| Unknown A.D. | Comgall mac Domangairt | _ |
| 540-560 A.D. | Gabrán mac Domangairt | _ |
| 558-574 A.D. | Conall mac Comgaill | _ |
| 574-608 A.D. | Áedán mac Gabráin | _ |
| 608-629 A.D. | Eochaid Buide | Co Ruled with Connad Cerr |
| 627-629 A.D. | Connad Cerr | Co-Ruled with Eochaid Buide 628-629 |
| 629-642 A.D. | Domnall Brecc | _ |
| 642-650 A.D. | Ferchar mac Connaid | _ |
| 650-654 A.D. | Dúnchad mac Conaing and Conall Crandomna | Ruled jointly |
| 650-660 A.D. | Conall Crandomna | Ruled alone |
| 660-673 A.D. | Domangart mac Domnaill | _ |
| ???-678 A.D. | Máel Dúin mac Conaill | Conaill, Donn & Fota may have ruled jointly |
| 693-696 A.D. | Domnall Donn | Conaill, Donn & Fota may have ruled jointly |
| ???-697 A.D. | Ferchar Fota | Conaill, Donn & Fota may have ruled jointly |
| 697-697 A.D. | Eochaid mac Domangairt | _ |
| 697-698 A.D. | Ainbcellach mac Ferchar | _ |
| 698-700 A.D. | Fiannamail ua Dúnchado | _ |
| 700-723 A.D. | Selbach mac Ferchair | _ |
| 723-726 A.D. | Dúngal mac Selbaig | _ |
| 726-733 A.D. | Eochaid mac Echdach | _ |
| 733-736 A.D. | Muiredach mac Ainbcellaig | _ |
| 730's ? A.D. | Eógan mac Muiredaig | _ |
| 730 768 A.D. | Unknown | _ |
| 768-778 A.D. | Áed Find | _ |
| 778-781 A.D. | Fergus mac Echdach | _ |
| 781-792 A.D. | Donncoirce | _ |
| ???-??? A.D. | Conall mac Taidg | _ |
| ???-??? A.D. | Conall mac Áedáin | _ |
| ???-??? A.D. | Domnall mac Caustantín | _ |
| ???-??? A.D. | >Áed mac Boanta | _ |
| KINGS OF PICTS | ||
|---|---|---|
| DATE RULED | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Achiuir | ??? |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Drest mac Erp | Also known as Drest I of the Picts |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Talorc mac Aniel | Also known as Talorc I of the Picts |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Nechtan mac Erp | _ |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Drest Gurthinmoch | Also known as Drest II |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Galan Erilich | Ruled jointly with Drest III & IV |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Drest mac Uudrost | also known as Drest III of the Picts ruled Jointly with Drest IV |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Drest mac Giroms | Also known as Drest IV, ruled Jointly with Drest III |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Gartnait I of the Picts | _ |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Cailtram | _ |
| ??? ??? A.D. | Talorc II of the Picts | _ |
| 579-580 A.D. | Drest V of the Picts | _ |
| Before 580 A.D. | Galam Cennalath | _ |
| Before 560-584 A.D. | Bridei I of the Picts | _ |
| 584-599 A.D. | Gartnait II of the Picts | _ |
| ***597-617 A.D. | Nechtan nepos Uerb | _ |
| ***617-631 A.D. | Cinioch | _ |
| ***633-637 A.D. | Gartnait III of the Picts | _ |
| ***637-642 A.D. | Bridei II of the Picts | _ |
| ***642-653 A.D. | Talorc III of the Picts | _ |
| ***653-657 A.D. | Talorgan I of the Picts | _ |
| ***657-663 A.D. | Gartnait IV of the Picts | _ |
| ***662-671 A.D. | Drest VI of the Picts | _ |
| ***671-693 A.D. | Bridei III of the Picts | _ |
| ***692-696 A.D. | Taran of the Picts | _ |
| ***696-706 A.D. | Bridei IV of the Picts | _ |
| ***706-724 A.D. | Nechtan mac Der-Ilei | _ |
| ***724-726 or 729 A.D. | Drest VII of the Picts | _ |
| ***726-728? A.D. | Alpín I of the Picts | _ |
| ***732-761 A.D. | _ | |
| ***761-763 A.D. | Bridei V of the Picts | _ |
| ***763-775 A.D. | Ciniod I of the Picts | _ |
| ***775-780 A.D. | Alpín II of the Picts | _ |
| ***780-782 A.D. | Talorgan II of the Picts | _ |
| ***782-787 A.D. | Drest VIII of the Picts | _ |
| ***???-??? A.D. | Conall mac Taidg | _ |
| ***789-820 A.D. | Causantín mac Fergusa | _ |
| ***820-834 A.D. | Óengus II | _ |
| ***834-836 or 837 A.D. | Drest mac Caustantín | _ |
| ***836 or 837-839 A.D. | Eóganan mac Óengusa | _ |
| ***839-842 A.D. | Uurad | _ |
| ***842-842 A.D. | Bridei VI of the Picts | _ |
| ***842-842 A.D. | Ciniod II of the Picts | _ |
| ***842-845 A.D. | Bridei VII of the Picts | _ |
| ***845-848 A.D. | Drest X of the Picts | Last King of the Picts |
| KINGS AND QUEENS OF SCOTLAND | ||
|---|---|---|
| DATE RULED | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
| ***House of Alpine*** | ||
| 843-858 | Kenneth MacAlpine | Modern Gælic: Coinneach I mac Alpin; Old Gælic: Cináed mac Ailpín |
| 858-862 | Donald I | Domhnall I; Donall mac Ailpin |
| 862-877 | Constantine I | Causantín mac Cináeda |
| 877-878 | Áed mac Boanta | _ |
| ***House of Strathclyde*** | ||
| 878-889 | Eochaid | Eochaidh; Eochu |
| ***House of Ailpine???*** | ||
| 878-889 | Giric | Giric; Giric mac Dungail |
| ***House of Alpine Restored*** | ||
| 889-890 | Donald II | Domhnall II; Domnall mac Causantín |
| 900-943 | Constantine II | Causantín mac Áeda |
| 943-954 | Malcolm I | Calum I; Máel Coluim mac Domnaill |
| 954-962 | Indulf | Indulbh; Idulb mac Causantín |
| 962-967 | Dub | Dubh; Dub mac Maíl Choluim |
| 967–971 | Culen | Cuilean; Cuilén mac Iduilb |
| 971-995 | Kenneth II | Unknown |
| Unknown | Kenneth III | Coinneach II; Cináed mac Maíl Choluim |
| 995-997 | Constantine III | Constantin III; Causantín mac Cuilén |
| 997-1005 | Kenneth III | Coinneach III; Cináed mac Duib |
| 1005-1034 | Malcolm II | Calum II; Máel Coluim mac Cináeda |
| ***House of Dunkeld*** | ||
| 1034-1040 | Duncan I | Donnchadh I; Donnchad mac Crínáin |
| ***House of Moray*** | ||
| 1040-1057 | Macbeth | MacBeatha; Mac Bethad mac Findláich |
| 1057–1058 | Lulach | Lulach mac Gillai Comgain |
| ***House of Dunkeld*** | ||
| 1058-1093 | Malcolm III | _ |
| 1058-1093 | Calum III | Máel Coluim mac Donnchada |
| 1093–1094 | Domhnall III | Donald III; Domnall mac Donnchada |
| 1094 | Duncan II | Donnchadh II; Donnchad mac Maíl Choluim |
| 1094–1097 | Donald III | Domhnall III; Domnall mac Donnchada |
| 1094–1097 | Edmund | Eamonn; Etmond mac Maíl Choluim |
| 1097–1107 | Edgar of Scotland | Eagar/Eadgar; Etgair mac Maíl Choluim |
| 1107–1124 | Alexander I | Alasdair I; Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim |
| 1124–1153 | Saint David I | Daibhidh I; Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim |
| 1153–1165 | Malcolm IV | Calum IV; Máel Coluim mac Enric |
| 1165–1214 | William The Lion | Uilleam I; Uilliam mac Enric |
| 1214–1249 | Alexander II | Alasdair II |
| 1249–1286 | Alexander III | Alasdair III |
| ***House of Sverre*** | ||
| 1286-1286 | Margaret Maid of Norway | Mairead; Maighread |
| 1290–1292 | First Interregnum Guardians of Scotland | |
| _ | William Fraser | Bishop of St Andrews |
| _ | Duncan Macduff | 8th Earl of Fife |
| _ | Alexander Comyn | 2nd Earl of Buchan |
| _ | Robert Wishart | Bishop of Glasgow |
| _ | James Stuart | 5th High Steward of Scotland |
| _ | John Comyn | _ |
| ***House of Balliol (Bailiol)*** | ||
| 1292–1296 | John Balliol | Iain |
| 1296–1306 | Second Interregnum Guardians of Scotland | _ |
| 1297 | Andrew de Moray | _ |
| 1297–1298 | William Wallace | _ |
| 1298–1300 | Robert Bruce | Earl of Carrick |
| 1298–1301 | John Comyn | _ |
| 1299–1301 | William Lamberton | Bishop of St Andrews |
| 1300–1301 | Sir Ingram de Umfraville | _ |
| 1301–1304 | John de Soules | _ |
| 1302–1304 | John Comyn | _ |
| ***House of Bruce (Bruis)*** | ||
| 1306–1329 | Robert I the Bruce | Raibeart I |
| 1329–1371 | David II | Daibidh II |
| ***House of Balliol (Bailiol)*** | ||
| 1329 – 1363 | Edward Baliol | Eideard; Antiking |
| ***House of Stuart*** | French = Stuart; Gælic: Stiubhart||
| 1371–1390 | Robert Stuart II | Raibeart II |
| 1390–1406 | Robert Stuart III | Raibeart III |
| 1406–1437 | James I of Scotland | Seumas I |
| 1437–1460 | James II of Scotland | Seumas II |
| 1460–1488 | James III of Scotland | Seumas III |
| 1488–1513 | James IV of Scotland | Seumas IV |
| 1513–1542 | James V of Scotland | Seumas V |
| 1542–1587 | Mary of Guise | Mairi |
| 1587–1625 | James VI of Scotland | Seumas VI | Union of the Crowns with Kingdom of England from 1603
| 1625–1649 | Charles I | Teàrlach I |
| 1649–1685 | Charles II | Teàrlach II |
| 1685–1689 | James VII | Seumas VII |
| 1689–1694 | Mary II | Màiri II; co–monarch |
| 1689–1702 | William III | Uilleam II; co-monarch until 1694 |
| 1702–1714 | Anne | Anna; though her the Scottish throne was replaced with that of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707 |
| 1714-1727 | George I | First German Protestant king over Britain |
| 1727-1760 | George II | Second German Protestant king over Britain |
| 1760-1820 | George III | Third German Protestant king over Britain |
| 1820-30 | George IV | King of Britain, Enjoyed Wine and Women |
| 1830-37 | William IV | King of Britain, became Ruler at 65 |
| 1837-1901 | Victoria | King of Britain, a brilliant and honorable Queen |
| ***Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Windsor*** | ||
| 1901-10 | Edward VII | King of Britain, |
| 1910-36 | George V | King of Britain, |
| 1936 | Edward VIII | King of Britain, |
| 1936-52 | George VI | King of Britain, |
| 1952- | Elizabeth II | Queen of Britain, |