Editing Kenneth MacAlpin (section)

== Origin ==
{{See also|Origins of the Kingdom of Alba}}
[[File:Kenneth MacAlpin of Scotland - the first.jpg|left|thumb|Eighteenth century depiction by [[Alexander Bannerman (engraver)|Alexander Bannerman]]]]

According to the genealogy of the Scottish kings, Kenneth's father was [[Alpín mac Echdach]], the King of Dál Riada, which existed in what is now western [[Scotland in the Early Middle Ages|Scotland]]. Alpín is considered to be the grandson of [[Áed Find]], a descendant of [[Cenél nGabráin]], who ruled in Dál Riada. The ''Synchronism of the Irish Kings'' lists Alpín among the [[kings of Scotland]].{{Efn|Dál Riada was ruled by three royal dynasties. Cenél nGabráin ruled the southern part of present-day [[Argyll]] and a part of [[County Antrim|Antrim]]. The [[Loarn mac Eirc|Loarn clan]] ruled the central provinces of the kingdom, while the [[Óengus I|Óengus clan]] ruled the islands within the realm.{{Sfn|Fyodorov|2017|pp=51–54}}}} Modern historians are sceptical about the reign of Alpín in Dál Riada and his relationship with Áed, and believe this misconception is the result of negligence on the part of the [[scribe]]s in some texts.{{Sfn|Fyodorov|2017|pp=51–54}}{{Sfn|Anderson|2004b|p=1}} The genealogy of the kings of Scotland and Dál Riada dates back to an original [[manuscript]] that was written during the reign of [[Malcolm III]] in the mid-to-late 11th century.{{Sfn|Fyodorov|2017|pp=63–65}} The [[Rawlinson B 502]] manuscript provides the following ancestry for Kenneth:

{{Blockquote|...{{lang|gd|Cináed}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Alpín mac Echdach|Alpín]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Eochaid mac Áeda Find|Eochaid]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Áed Find]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Domangart mac Domnaill|Domangart]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Domnall Brecc]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Eochaid Buide]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Áedán mac Gabráin|Áedán]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Gabrán mac Domangairt|Gabrán]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Domangart Réti|Domangart]]}} son of {{lang|gd|[[Fergus Mór]]}} ...{{Sfn|CELT|2013|loc=¶1696}}}}

There is very limited information about Alpín, Kenneth's father. Some of Dál Riada's royal lists, which contain many scribal errors, say he ruled from 841 to 843. The ''[[Chronicle of Huntingdon]]'', which was written in the late 13th century, states Alpín defeated the [[Picts]] at [[Galloway]] but the Picts then defeated him in a battle that took place in the same year, during which Alpín was killed.{{Sfn|Henderson|2004|pp=115–121}} According to the chronicle, Alpín died on 20 July 834.{{Sfn|MacKay|1892|pp=437–439}} This date is given in other sources but several researchers claim the date was probably copied from another source and the year of his death was obtained by recalculating the dates in the erroneous royal lists so they attribute Alpín's date of death to 840{{Sfn|Anderson|2004a|p=1}} or 841.{{Sfn|Mackenzie|2003|p=90}}

Kenneth's grandmother (Alpin's mother), is said to have been a Pictish princess, the sister of [[Causantín mac Fergusa|Constantine I]] and [[Óengus II]]. According to the Pictish tradition, a female representative of the royal dynasty could inherit the crown.<ref name="Britannica">{{cite encyclopedia |language=en |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenneth-I |title=Kenneth I |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104180408/https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kenneth-I |archive-date=4 January 2019 |encyclopedia=britannica.com |publisher=Encyclopedia Britannica (online) |access-date=23 February 2021}}</ref> This origin gave Kenneth a legitimate claim to the Pictish throne.{{Sfn|Mackenzie|2003|p=90}}

Kenneth I had at least one brother, [[Donald I]], who succeeded him as king.