Editing Malcolm I of Scotland (section)

== Biography ==
Malcolm was born in 897, the son of Donald II, who had reigned from 889 until 900.<ref>Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', p. 177.</ref> By the 940s, he was no longer a young man, and may have become impatient in awaiting the throne. Willingly or not—the 11th century ''[[The Prophecy of Berchán]]'', a verse history in the form of a supposed prophecy, states that it was not a voluntary decision that Constantine II abdicated in 943 and entered a monastery, leaving the kingdom to Máel Coluim.<ref>Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', p. 175; Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 444–448; Broun, "Constantine II".</ref>

Seven years later, the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba'' says:

<blockquote>[Malcolm I] plundered the English as far as the [[River Tees]], and he seized a multitude of people and many herds of cattle: and the Scots called this the raid of Albidosorum, that is, Nainndisi. But others say that Constantine made this raid, asking of the king, Malcolm, that the kingship should be given to him for a week's time, so that he could visit the English. In fact, it was Malcolm who made the raid, but Constantine incited him, as I have said.<ref>Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 452–453.</ref></blockquote> Woolf suggests that the association of Constantine with the raid is a late addition, one derived from a now-lost saga or poem.<ref>Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', pp. 178–181.</ref>

Máel Coluim was the third in his immediate family to die violently, his father [[Donald II of Scotland|Donald II]] and grandfather [[Causantín mac Cináeda|Constantine I]] both having met similar fates 54 years earlier in 900 and 77 years earlier in 877, respectively.

In 945, [[Edmund I]] of England, having expelled [[Amlaíb Cuarán]] (Olaf Sihtricsson) from [[Northumbria]], devastated [[Cumbria]] and blinded two sons of [[Dyfnwal ab Owain|Domnall mac Eógain]], king of [[kingdom of Strathclyde|Strathclyde]]. It is said that he then "let" or "commended" Strathclyde to Máel Coluim in return for an alliance.<ref>''Early Sources'', pp. 449–450.</ref> What is to be understood by "let" or "commended" is unclear, but it may well mean that Máel Coluim had been the overlord of Strathclyde and that Edmund recognised this while taking lands in southern Cumbria for himself.<ref>ASC Ms. A, s.a. 946; Duncan, pp. 23–24; but see also Smyth, pp. 222–223 for an alternative reading.</ref>

The ''[[Chronicle of the Kings of Alba]]'' says that Máel Coluim took an army into [[Province of Moray|Moray]] "and slew Cellach". Cellach is not named in the surviving genealogies of the [[Mormaer of Moray|rulers of Moray]], and his identity is unknown.<ref>It may be that Cellach was related to [[Cuncar of Angus|Cuncar]], [[Mormaer of Angus]], and that this event is connected with the apparent feud that led to the death of Máel Coluim's son [[Kenneth II of Scots|Cináedin]] 977.</ref>

Máel Coluim appears to have kept his agreement with the late English king, which may have been renewed with the new king, Edmund having been murdered in 946 and succeeded by his brother [[Eadred]]. Eric Haraldsson took [[York]] in 948, before being driven out by Eadred, and when [[Amlaíb Cuarán]] again took [[York]] in 949–950, Máel Coluim raided Northumbria as far south as the [[River Tees|Tees]] taking "a multitude of people and many herds of cattle" according to the Chronicle.<ref>''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'', Ms. D, s.a. 948, Ms. B, s.a. 946; Duncan, p. 24.</ref> The ''[[Annals of Ulster]]'' for 952 report a battle between "the men of Alba and the Britons [of Strathclyde] and the English" against the foreigners, ''i.e.'', the Northmen or the [[Norse–Gaels]]. This battle is not reported by the ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'', and it is unclear whether it should be related to the expulsion of Amlaíb Cuarán from York or the return of Eric.<ref>''Early Sources'', p. 451. The corresponding entry in the [[Annals of the Four Masters]], 950, states that the Northmen were the victors, which would suggest that it should be associated with Eric.</ref>

The ''Annals of Ulster'' report that Máel Coluim was killed in 954. Other sources place this most probably in the [[Kincardineshire|Mearns]], either at [[Fetteresso Castle|Fetteresso]] following the Chronicle, or at [[Dunnottar]] following ''[[The Prophecy of Berchán]]''. He was buried on [[Iona]]. Some versions of the ''Chronicle'', and the ''[[Chronicle of Melrose]]'', are read as placing Máel Coluim's death at [[Blervie Castle|Blervie]], near [[Forres]].<ref>''Early Sources'', pp. 452–454.</ref>