Editing Donald III of Scotland (section)

== Kingship ==
[[John of Fordun]] reports that Donald invaded the kingdom "at the head of a numerous band" after Queen Margaret's death, and laid siege to [[Edinburgh]] with Malcolm's sons by Margaret inside. Fordun has Margaret's brother [[Edgar Ætheling]] take his nephews to England to keep them safe.<ref>Fordun, V, p. xxi.</ref> 
[[Andrew of Wyntoun]]'s much simpler account has Donald becoming king and banishing his nephews. The ''[[Anglo-Saxon Chronicle]]'' records only that Donald was chosen as king and expelled the English from the court.<ref>''Scottish Annals'', pp. 117–118; Oram, ''David I'', pp. 40–41.</ref>

In May 1094, Donald's nephew [[Duncan II of Scotland|Duncan]] (Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim), son of Malcolm and his first wife, [[Ingibiorg Finnsdottir]], invaded at the head of an army of [[Anglo-Normans]] and [[Northumbria]]ns, aided by his half-brother [[Edmund of Scotland|Edmund]] and his father-in-law [[Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria]]. This invasion succeeded in placing Duncan on the throne, but an uprising defeated his allies and he was compelled to send away his foreign troops. Duncan was then killed on 12 November 1094 by [[Máel Petair of Mearns|Máel Petair]], [[Mormaer of Mearns]].<ref>Oram, ''David I'', pp. 42–44.</ref> The [[Annals of Ulster]] say that Duncan was killed on the orders of Donald (incorrectly called his brother) and Edmund.<ref>Annals of Ulster, s.a. 1094.</ref>

Donald resumed power, probably with Edmund as his designated heir.<ref>Duncan, pp. 55-56; Oram, ''David I'', pp. 44–45.</ref> Donald was an elderly man by then, at around 62 years old, and without any known sons, so that an heir was clearly required. [[William of Malmesbury]] says that Edmund bargained "for half the kingdom", suggesting that Donald granted his nephew an [[appanage]] to rule.<ref>Anderson, ''SAEC'', pp. 118–119.</ref>

[[Edgar of Scotland|Edgar]], eldest surviving son of Malcolm and Margaret, obtained the support of [[William Rufus]], although other matters delayed Edgar's return on the coat-tails of an English army led by his uncle Edgar Ætheling.<ref>Oram, ''David I'', p. 45.</ref> Donald's fate is not entirely clear. William of Malmesbury tells us that he was "slain by the craftiness of [[David I of Scotland|David]] [the later David I] ... and by the strength of William [Rufus]".<ref name="Anderson, SAEC, p. 119">Anderson, ''SAEC'', p. 119.</ref> The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' says of Donald that he was expelled,<ref name="Anderson, SAEC, p. 119"/> while the [[Annals of Tigernach]] have him blinded by his brother.<ref>Annals of Tigernach, s.a. 1097.</ref> [[John of Fordun]], following the king lists, writes that Donald was "blinded, and doomed to eternal imprisonment" by Edgar. The place of his imprisonment was said to be [[Rescobie Loch|Rescobie]], by [[Forfar]], in [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]].<ref>Fordun, V, p. xxvi; Duncan, pp. 57–58; Oram, ''David I'', pp. 47–48.</ref> The old ex-king would die at the age of 67 in 1099, in prison. The sources differ as to whether Donald was first buried at [[Dunfermline Abbey]] or [[Dunkeld Cathedral]] but agree that his remains were later moved to [[Iona]].