Editing Donald II of Scotland (section)

== Life ==
Donald became king on the death or deposition of [[Giric]] (Giric mac Dúngail), the date of which is not certainly known but usually placed in 889. The ''[[Chronicle of the Kings of Alba]]'' reports:
{{blockquote|Doniualdus son of Constantini held the kingdom for 11 years [889–900]. The [[Northmen]] wasted [[Pictland]] at this time. In his reign, a battle occurred between Danes and Scots at Innisibsolian where the Scots had victory. He was killed at Opidum Fother [modern [[Dunnottar]]] by the Gentiles.<ref>''ESSH'', pp. 395–397.</ref>}}

It has been suggested that the attack on [[Dunnottar]], rather than being a small raid by a handful of pirates, may be associated with the ravaging of [[Scotland]] attributed to [[Harald Fairhair]] in the ''[[Heimskringla]]''.<ref>''ESSH'', p. 396, note 1; p. 392, quoting ''St Olaf's Saga'', c. 96.</ref> The Prophecy of Berchán places Donald's death at Dunnottar, but appears to attribute it to Gaels rather than Norsemen; other sources report he died at [[Forres]].<ref>''ESSH'', pp. 395–398.</ref> Donald's death is dated to 900 by the [[Annals of Ulster]] and the [[Chronicon Scotorum]], where he is called ''[[king of Alba]]'', rather than ''[[king of the Picts]]''. He was buried on [[Iona]]. Like his father, Constantine, he died a violent death at a premature age.

The change from ''king of the Picts'' to ''king of Alba'' is seen as indicating a step towards the [[kingdom of the Scots]], but historians, while divided as to when this change should be placed, do not generally attribute it to Donald in view of his epithet.<ref>Smyth, pp. 217–218, disagrees.</ref> The consensus view is that the key changes occurred in the reign of [[Constantine II of Scotland|Constantine II]] (Causantín mac Áeda),<ref>Thus Broun and Woolf, among others.</ref> but the reign of [[Giric]] has also been proposed.<ref>Duncan, pp. 14–15.</ref>

The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba has Donald succeeded by his cousin Constantine II. Donald's son [[Malcolm I of Scotland|Malcolm]] ([[Malcolm I of Scotland|Máel Coluim mac Domnall]]) was later king as Malcolm I. The Prophecy of Berchán appears to suggest that another king reigned for a short while between Donald II and Constantine II, saying "half a day will he take sovereignty". Possible confirmation of this exists in the Chronicon Scotorum, where the death of  "Ead, king of the Picts" in a battle against the [[Uí Ímair]] is reported in 904. This, however, is thought to be an error, referring perhaps to [[Eadwulf I of Bamburgh|Ædwulf]], the ruler of [[Bernicia]], whose death is reported in 913 by the other [[Irish annals]].<ref>''ESSH'', p. 304, note 8; however, the Annals of Ulster, s.a. 904, report the death of [[Ímar ua Ímair]] (Ivar grandson of Ivar) in [[Fortriu]] in 904, making it possible that Ead (Áed ?) was a king, if not the High King.</ref>