Editing Eochaid ab Rhun (section)

== Relationship with Giric ==
[[File:Giric (Lat. 4126, folio 30v).jpg|thumb|left|The name of Giric as it appears on folio 30v of Lat. 4126: "''Grig filius Dunegal''{{-"}}.<ref name="S3-131;L2-30">[[#S3|Skene (1867)]] p. 131; [[#L2|''Lat. 4126'' (n.d.)]] fol. 30v.</ref>]]

Giric's familial origins are uncertain.<ref>[[#C3|Clarkson (2014)]] ch. 3 ¶ 24; [[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#H4|Hudson, BT (1994)]] p. 56.</ref> According to several versions of the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba'' his father's name was {{lang|mga|Dúngal}},<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#A1|Anderson, AO (1922)]] p. 357, 357 n. 2; [[#S3|Skene (1867)]] pp. 151, 174, 288, 301.</ref> whereas certain versions of the ''Verse Chronicle'' equate his father's name to {{lang|mga|Domnall}}.<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#H4|Hudson, BT (1994)]] p. 56; [[#S4|Stevenson (1835)]] p. 224; [[#S3|Skene (1867)]] p. 178 nn. 4–5.</ref> Although it is possible that Giric's association with kingship stems from an ancestral claim, the evidence for this is uncertain.<ref>[[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#A2|Anderson, MO (2010)]] p. 123.</ref> Giric need not have possessed any claim of his own,<ref>[[#A2|Anderson, MO (2010)]] p. 123; [[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#B10|Broun (2004c)]]; [[#D1|Duncan (1996)]] pp. 115–116 n. 29.</ref> and could have merely played the role of [[kingmaker]], by orchestrating the removal of Áed, and installing Eochaid in his place.<ref>[[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#W2|Woolf (2007)]] pp. 120–121.</ref>

[[File:Govan sarcophagus, black and white (cropped horseman).jpg|right|thumb|Photograph of a mounted warrior, the most prominent figure displayed upon the Govan sarcophagus.<ref>[[#D13|Driscoll, S (2006)]]; [[#D10|Driscoll, ST (1998a)]] pp. 108–109; [[#R1|Renwick; Lindsay (1921)]] pp. 38–39 pl. 10.</ref> This monument is perhaps the finest example of the "Govan School" of sculpture. The sarcophagus could be that of [[Custantín mac Cináeda]],<ref name="D18">[[#D18|Driscoll, ST (2014)]].</ref> the Pictish king who orchestrated the death of Eochaid's paternal grandfather.]]

Nevertheless, there is also reason to suspect that Giric's patronym, "son of Dúngal", may actually refer to an early form of the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] {{lang|cy|Dyfnwal}} rather than the Gaelic {{lang|mga|Dúngal}}.<ref>[[#A2|Anderson, MO (2010)]] pp. 123–124 n. 68; [[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] pp. 47-48; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65, 65 n. 76; [[#H4|Hudson, BT (1994)]] p. 56; [[#S5|Skene (1886)]] p. 330.</ref>{{#tag:ref|The Gaelic personal names {{lang|mga|Dúngal}} and {{lang|mga|Domnall}} are unrelated.<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#O5|Ó Corráin; Maguire (1981)]] pp. 75, 80.</ref> The latter is a cognate of the [[Welsh language|Welsh]] {{lang|cy|Dyfnwal}},<ref>[[#W2|Woolf (2007)]] pp. xiii, 184, 184 n. 17; [[#K3|Koch (2006b)]]; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] pp. 64, 65 n. 76; [[#S11|Schrijver (1995)]] p. 81.</ref> which in turn corresponds to the [[Old Welsh]]/[[Cumbric]] {{lang|xcb|Dumnagual}},<ref>[[#K4|Koch; Minard (2006a)]]; [[#K5|Koch (2006c)]]; [[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65 n. 76.</ref> and {{lang|xcb|Dumngual}}.<ref>[[#K4|Koch; Minard (2006a)]].</ref>|group=note}} If correct, Giric's patronym could be evidence that his father was [[Dumnagual IV of Alt Clut|Dyfnwal ap Rhydderch, King of Al Clud]] and that Giric was a brother of Arthgal.<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] pp. 47–48; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65; [[#C14|Collingwood (1920)]] p. 56 tab.; [[#S5|Skene (1886)]] p. 330.</ref> Such a relationship could indicate that Giric's apparent killing of Áed was undertaken in the context of avenging Arthgal's demise at Custantín's behest.<ref>[[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65 n. 76.</ref> If Giric and Eochaid were indeed both descendants of Dyfnwal, Eochaid could well have ruled as king under the tutelage of Giric, his [[granduncle]].<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] pp. 47-48; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Alternately, if Giric's father was indeed named Dúngal, it could be evidence that he was a member of [[Cenél Loairn]],<ref>[[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#H10|Hudson, BT (2002)]] p. 49; [[#G2|Grant (2000)]] p. 97; [[#H2|Hudson, BT (1998)]] p. 142; [[#B11|Broun (1996)]]; [[#H3|Hudson, BT (1996)]] p. 206; [[#H4|Hudson, BT (1994)]] pp. 57, 166 tab. 2b, 170 tab. genealogy 3.</ref> a Gaelic kindred which was ruled by a like-named king in the eighth century, [[Dúngal mac Selbaig]]. If this relationship is correct, Giric's actions could have been conducted in the context of a continuous rivalry between [[Cenél Loairn]] and [[Cenél nGabráin]], a Gaelic kindred which later [[House of Alpin|Alpínids]] were alleged to have descended from.<ref>[[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#H4|Hudson, BT (1994)]] p. 57.</ref>|group=note}}

Giric's patronym may instead identify him as a son of [[Domnall mac Ailpín]].<ref>[[#W8|Walker (2013)]] ch. family trees tab. 1; [[#O1|Oram (2011)]] ch. 5; [[#A2|Anderson, MO (2010)]] pp. 123–124 n. 68; [[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47; [[#B1|Bruford (2000)]] p. 65 n. 76; [[#D1|Duncan (1996)]] pp. 115–116 n. 29, 628–629 genealogical tree 1; [[#L1|Lynch (1991)]] p. 487 tab.; [[#W1|Williams; Smyth; Kirby (1991)]] pp. 134, 143; [[#S1|Smyth (1989)]] pp. 220–221 tab 4.</ref> If such a parentage is correct, it would certainly mean that Giric possessed a strong claim to the Pictish throne.<ref>[[#J2|Jackson (2008)]] p. 47.</ref> The fact that Áed seems to have succeeded Custantín could indicate that Giric had been denied the kingship. Such a possibility could account for Giric's apparent killing of Áed. It could also reveal that Giric received or was reliant upon significant assistance from Eochaid — in this case his maternal kinsman<ref>[[#W8|Walker (2013)]] ch. 1 ¶ 48; [[#O1|Oram (2011)]] chs. 2, 5; [[#S1|Smyth (1989)]] p. 216.</ref> — which would in turn account for the evidence that Giric and Eochaid shared the Pictish kingship in some manner.<ref>[[#W8|Walker (2013)]] ch. 1 ¶ 48; [[#O1|Oram (2011)]] chs. 2, 5.</ref>

[[File:Cináed mac Ailpín (Lat. 4126, folio 30v).jpg|thumb|left|The name of Eochaid's maternal grandfather, [[Cináed mac Ailpín]], as it appears on folio 30v of Lat. 4126: "{{lang|la|Kynedus filius Alpini}}{{-"}}.<ref name="S3-131;L2-30"/> Eochaid's maternal [[House of Alpin|Alpínid]] ancestry could well account for his association with the Pictish kingship.]]

Conversely, it could have been Eochaid who claimed the kingship by right of his maternal Alpínid ancestry.<ref>[[#A2|Anderson, MO (2010)]] p. 123; [[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#M1|Macquarrie (1998)]] p. 13; [[#L1|Lynch (1991)]] p. 453 n. 18; [[#M8|Macquarrie (1990)]] p. 8.</ref> If this was indeed the case, one possibility is that Eochaid was only able to hold authority in conjunction with Giric — either as an ally or client,<ref>[[#M1|Macquarrie (1998)]] p. 13; [[#M8|Macquarrie (1990)]] p. 8.</ref> or perhaps as a youthful [[Ward (law)|ward]] under Giric's guardianship.<ref name="C7-825"/> In the ninth century, the term {{lang|la|ordinator}} was used to describe the relationship between a powerful ruler and a satellite. One such example is the establishment of [[Bran mac Fáeláin]] as [[List of kings of Leinster|King of Leinster]] by [[Niall Caille|Niall Caille mac Áeda, King of Tara]].<ref>[[#T2|''The Annals of Ulster'' (2017)]] § 835.1; [[#T1|''The Annals of Ulster'' (2008)]] § 835.1; [[#H12|Hudson, BT (2004a)]]; [[#H2|Hudson, BT (1998)]] p. 142; [[#H3|Hudson, BT (1996)]] p. 206.</ref> As such, the terminology employed by the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba'' could reveal that Giric — as {{lang|la|ordinator}} — similarly established Eochaid as king.<ref>[[#H2|Hudson, BT (1998)]] p. 142; [[#H3|Hudson, BT (1996)]] p. 206.</ref>

It is conceivable that Eochaid ruled over both the Strathclyde Britons and Picts.<ref>[[#D4|Downham (2007)]] p. 163.</ref> If so, he could have initiated his royal career as [[List of kings of Strathclyde|King of Strathclyde]] before succeeding as [[List of kings of the Picts|King of the Picts]].<ref>[[#C8|Clancy (2006b)]]; [[#C14|Collingwood (1920)]] p. 57.</ref> In fact, the evidence of shared kingship may merely mean that Eochaid ruled the British kingdom whilst Giric ruled the Pictish realm.<ref>[[#O1|Oram (2011)]] ch. 5; [[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 ¶ 25; [[#D3|Duncan (2002)]] p. 12; [[#S1|Smyth (1989)]] p. 216.</ref> As such, it is possible that Giric was successful in imposing some form of authority over the Kingdom of Strathclyde during Eochaid's [[floruit]].<ref>[[#O1|Oram (2011)]] ch. 5.</ref>{{#tag:ref|''The Prophecy of Berchán'' certainly hints that the Britons endured subordination during Giric's reign.<ref>[[#C3|Clarkson (2014)]] ch. 3 ¶ 26; [[#H3|Hudson, BT (1996)]] pp. 44 §§ 136–138, 85 §§ 136–138; [[#A3|Anderson, AO (1930)]] pp. 41 §§ 134–136; [[#A1|Anderson, AO (1922)]] pp. 366–367; [[#S3|Skene (1867)]] pp. 87–88.</ref>|group=note}} If correct, the price for Eochaid's assistance may have been the preservation of the British realm from other descendants of Cináed.<ref>[[#S1|Smyth (1989)]] p. 216.</ref> The fact that Eochaid's grandfather died in 872 could indicate that, if his father died soon after, Eochaid may have succeeded to the kingship of Strathclyde as a youth.<ref>[[#D3|Duncan (2002)]] p. 12.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Although the ''Chronicle of the Kings of Alba'' identifies Eochaid as a maternal grandson of Cináed, and numbers the years of his reign to eleven, the source abruptly ends Giric's patronym without actually naming a father ("{{lang|la|Ciricium filium}}"). This could be evidence that the chronicle has erroneously attributed an Alpínid ancestral connection to Eochaid instead of Giric.<ref>[[#C7|Clarkson (2010)]] ch. 8 § 25; [[#D3|Duncan (2002)]] p. 12; [[#H2|Hudson, BT (1998)]] pp. 149, 154–155; [[#A1|Anderson, AO (1922)]] pp. 363–364; [[#S3|Skene (1867)]] p. 9.</ref>|group=note}}

The remarkable uncertainty surrounding the Pictish kingship during this period means that it is also possible that Eochaid and Giric were rivals rather than allies.<ref>[[#B10|Broun (2004c)]].</ref> An adversarial relationship between the two may well be evidenced by ''The Prophecy of Berchán'' which gives a negative account of the Britons during Giric's tenure.<ref>[[#C3|Clarkson (2014)]] ch. 3 ¶ 25; [[#H3|Hudson, BT (1996)]] pp. 44–45 §§ 134–140, 85–86 §§ 134–140, 206; [[#A3|Anderson, AO (1930)]] pp. 40–42 §§ 132–138; [[#A1|Anderson, AO (1922)]] pp. 366–367; [[#S3|Skene (1867)]] pp. 87–88.</ref>