Editing Duncan I of Scotland (section)

== Life ==
The ancestry of King Duncan is not certain. In modern texts, he is the son of [[Crínán of Dunkeld|Crínán]], hereditary [[lay abbot]] of [[Bishop of Dunkeld|Dunkeld]], and [[Bethóc]], daughter of King [[Malcolm II of Scotland|Malcolm II]]. However, in the late 17th century the historian Frederic Van Bossen, after collecting historical accounts throughout Europe, identified King Duncan as the first son of Abonarhl ap crinan (the grandson of Crinan) and princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter to King [[Malcolm II of Scotland|Malcom II]], and [[Gunnor]] who was the daughter of the "[[Duke of Normandy|2nd Duke of Normandy]]".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Van Bossen |first1=Frederic |title=The Royall Cedar |date=1688}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Cunningham |first1=Derek |title=The Lost Queens of Scotland: Extracts from Frederic van Bossen's The Royal Cedar |date=2022}}</ref>

Unlike the "King Duncan" of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Macbeth]]'', the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Malcolm as king after the latter's death on 25 November 1034, without apparent opposition. He may have been Malcolm's acknowledged successor or ''[[Tánaiste]]'' as the succession appears to have been uneventful.<ref>Duncan, ''Kingship of the Scots'', p. 33.</ref> Earlier histories, following [[John of Fordun]], supposed that Duncan had been [[List of kings of Strathclyde|king of Strathclyde]] in his grandfather's lifetime, between 1018 and 1034, ruling the former [[Kingdom of Strathclyde]] as an [[appanage]]. Modern historians discount this idea,<ref>Duncan, ''Kingship of the Scots'', p. 40.</ref> although it is supported by the [[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]].<ref>Broun, D. "Duncan I [Donnchad ua Maíl Choluim]", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', {{doi|10.1093/ref:odnb/8209}}</ref>

An earlier source, a variant of the ''[[Chronicle of the Kings of Alba]]'' (CK-I), gives Duncan's wife the [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]] name ''Suthen'',<ref>Duncan, ''Kingship of the Scots'', p. 37.</ref> and John of Fordun suggests that she may have been a relative of [[Siward, Earl of Northumbria]].<ref>Marshall, Rosalind K. (2019), ''Scottish Queens 1034–1714'', Birlinn, p. 1.</ref> This differs from the review by Frederic van Bossen who wrote in 1688 that King Duncan was twice married, his first wife being Wonfrida (Unfrida) the daughter of Gigurt ([[Siward, Earl of Northumbria|Earl Siward]]?) the [[Earl of Northumberland]] and [[Earl of Huntingdon|Huntingtoun]] and "By them was espoused two sons Malcome and Donald". Then, after her decease, he married Astrida the daughter of "Sigfrid, the "[[Kingdom of Dublin|King of Dublin]]".<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cunningham |first1=Derek |title=Scotland & Shakespeare's Third Prophecy: King Edition |date=2021 |page=13}}</ref>

Whatever his wife's name and family connections may have been, Duncan had at least two sons. The eldest, [[Malcolm III]] (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) was king from 1058 to 1093 after assassinating and usurping [[Lulach]], Macbeth's stepson. The second son [[Donald III of Scotland|Donald III]] (Domnall Bán, or "Donalbane") was king afterwards. [[Máel Muire, Earl of Atholl]] is a possible third son of Duncan, although this is uncertain.<ref>Oram, ''David I'', p. 233, n. 26: the identification is from the [[Orkneyinga saga]] but Máel Muire's grandson Máel Coluim, Earl of Atholl is known to have married Donald III's granddaughter Hextilda.</ref>

The early period of Duncan's reign was apparently uneventful, perhaps a consequence of his youth. [[Macbeth, King of Scotland|Macbeth]] (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) is recorded as having been his ''dux'', today rendered as "[[duke]]" and meaning nothing more than the rank between prince and marquess, but then still having the Roman meaning of "war leader". In context — "dukes of Francia" had half a century before replaced the [[Carolingian dynasty|Carolingian]] [[List of Frankish kings|kings of the Franks]] and in England the over-mighty [[Godwin, Earl of Wessex|Godwin of Wessex]] was called a ''dux'' — this suggests that Macbeth may have been the [[power behind the throne]].<ref>Duncan, ''Kingship of the Scots'', pp. 33–34.</ref>

In 1039, Duncan led a large Scots army south to besiege [[Durham, England|Durham]], but the expedition ended in disaster. Duncan survived, but the following year he led an army north into [[Province of Moray|Moray]], Macbeth's domain, apparently on a [[punitive expedition]] against Moray.<ref>G. W. S. Barrow, ''Kingship and Unity: Scotland 1000–1306'', Edinburgh University Press, 1981, p. 26.</ref> There he was [[killed in action]], at the [[battle of Pitgaveny|battle of Bothnagowan]], now [[Battle of Pitgaveny|Pitgaveny]], near [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]], by the men of Moray led by Macbeth, probably on 14 August 1040.<ref>Broun, "Duncan I (d. 1040)"; the date is from [[Marianus Scotus]] and the killing is recorded by the [[Annals of Tigernach]].</ref> He is thought to have been buried at Elgin<ref>"I Never Knew That About Scotland", Christopher Winn, p. 165.</ref> before later relocation to the island of [[Iona]].