Editing History of Scotland (section)

==Rise of the Kingdom of Alba==
{{Main|Origins of the Kingdom of Alba}}
Conversion to Christianity may have sped a long-term process of gaelicisation of the Pictish kingdoms, which adopted Gaelic language and customs. There was also a merger of the Gaelic and Pictish crowns, although historians debate whether it was a Pictish takeover of Dál Riata, or the other way around. This culminated in the rise of [[Cínaed mac Ailpín]] (Kenneth MacAlpin) in the 840s, which brought to power the [[House of Alpin]].<ref>{{Harvp|Yorke|2006|p=54}}.</ref> In 867 AD the Vikings seized the southern half of Northumbria, forming the [[Kingdom of York]];<ref name="Rollason2003p212">{{Harvp|Rollason|2003|page=212}}.</ref> three years later they stormed the Britons' fortress of Dumbarton<ref>{{Harvp|Snyder|2003|p=220}}.</ref> and subsequently conquered much of England except for a reduced Kingdom of Wessex,<ref name=Rollason2003p212/> leaving the new combined Pictish and Gaelic kingdom almost encircled.<ref>{{Harvp|Hearn|2000|p=100}}.</ref> When he died as king of the combined kingdom in 900, [[Domnall II]] (Donald II) was the first man to be called ''rí Alban'' (i.e. ''King of Alba'').<ref>{{Harvp|Anderson|2010|p=395}}.</ref> The term Scotia was increasingly used to describe the kingdom between North of the Forth and Clyde and eventually the entire area controlled by its kings was referred to as Scotland.<ref>{{Harvp|Webster|1997|p=22}}.</ref>

[[File:Scotland from the Matthew Paris map, c.1250.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|left|Scotland from the [[Matthew Paris]] map, c. 1250, showing [[Hadrian's Wall]] and above it the [[Antonine Wall]], both depicted battlemented]]
The long reign (900–942/3) of [[Constantine II of Scotland|Causantín]] (Constantine II) is often regarded as the key to formation of the Kingdom of Alba. He was later credited with bringing Scottish Christianity into conformity with the Catholic Church. After fighting many battles, his defeat at [[Brunanburh]] was followed by his retirement as a [[Culdee]] monk at St. Andrews.<ref>{{Harvp|Woolf|2007|p=128}}.</ref> The period between the accession of his successor [[Malcolm I of Scotland|Máel Coluim I]] (Malcolm I) and Máel Coluim mac Cináeda (Malcolm II) was marked by good relations with the [[Wessex]] [[rulers of England]], intense internal dynastic disunity and relatively successful expansionary policies. In 945, Máel Coluim I annexed Strathclyde as part of a deal with King [[Edmund I of England|Edmund of England]], where the kings of Alba had probably exercised some authority since the later 9th century,<ref>{{Harvp|Hudson|1994|pp=95–96}}.</ref> an event offset somewhat by loss of control in Moray. The reign of King [[Donnchad I]] (Duncan I) from 1034 was marred by failed military adventures, and he was defeated and killed by [[Macbeth, King of Scotland|MacBeth]], the [[mormaer of Moray]], who became king in 1040.<ref>{{Harvp|Hudson|1994|pp=124}}.</ref> MacBeth ruled for seventeen years before he was overthrown by [[Malcolm III of Scotland|Máel Coluim]], the son of Donnchad, who some months later defeated MacBeth's step-son and successor Lulach to become King Máel Coluim III (Malcolm III).<ref name="Mackie43">{{Harvp|Mackie|1978|p=43}}.</ref>

It was Máel Coluim III, who acquired the nickname "Canmore" (''Cenn Mór'', "Great Chief"), which he passed to his successors and who did most to create the [[Dunkeld dynasty]] that ruled Scotland for the following two centuries. Particularly important was his second marriage to the Anglo-Hungarian princess [[Saint Margaret of Scotland|Margaret]].<ref>{{Harvp|Duncan|1975|p=119}}.</ref> This marriage, and raids on northern England, prompted [[William the Conqueror]] to invade and Máel Coluim submitted to his authority, opening up Scotland to later claims of sovereignty by English kings.<ref>{{Harvp|Duncan|1975|p=120}}.</ref> When Malcolm died in 1093, his brother [[Domnall III]] (Donald III) succeeded him. However, [[William II of England]] backed Máel Coluim's son by his first marriage, [[Duncan II|Donnchad]], as a pretender to the throne and he seized power. His murder within a few months saw Domnall restored with one of Máel Coluim sons by his second marriage, [[Edmund of Scotland|Edmund]], as his heir. The two ruled Scotland until two of Edmund's younger brothers returned from exile in England, again with English military backing. Victorious, [[Edgar of Scotland|Edgar]], the oldest of the three, became king in 1097.<ref name="Webster1997pp23-4">{{Harvp|Webster|1997|pp=23–24}}.</ref> Shortly afterwards Edgar and the King of Norway, [[Magnus Barefoot]] concluded a treaty recognising Norwegian authority over the Western Isles. In practice Norse control of the Isles was loose, with local chiefs enjoying a high degree of independence. He was succeeded by his brother [[Alexander I of Scotland|Alexander]], who reigned 1107–1124.<ref>{{Harvp|Forte|Oram|Pedersen|2005|p=238}}.</ref>

[[File:Alexander III,Llywelyn ab Gruffydd with Edward I.jpg|thumb|King Alexander III of Scotland on the left with Llywelyn, Prince of Wales on the right as guests to King Edward I of England at the sitting of an English parliament.]]
When Alexander died in 1124, the crown passed to Margaret's fourth son [[David I of Scotland|David I]], who had spent part of his life in England where he held a barony. His reign saw what has been characterised as a "[[Davidian Revolution]]", by which Anglo-Norman followers of King David were granted lands and titles and intermixed their institutions with those of Scots intermarrying with the existing aristocracy, underpinning the development of later Medieval Scotland.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barrow |first=G. W. S. (Geoffrey Wallis Steuart) |title=David I of Scotland: The Balance of New and Old |pages=9–11 |author-link=G. W. S. Barrow}} in {{Harvp|Barrow|1992}}.</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Lynch |first=Michael |title=Scotland: a New History |date=2011 |publisher=Penguin Random House |isbn=978-1-44-647563-8 |location=London |page=80 |ol=36707757M |author-link=Michael Lynch (historian) |orig-date=1991}}</ref> David's Anglo-Norman followers joined the Scottish aristocracy and he introduced a system of [[feudal]] land tenure, which produced [[knight service]], castles and an available body of heavily armed cavalry. He created a style of court closer to that of the rest of Western Europe, introduced the office of [[justicar]] to oversee justice, and local offices of [[sheriffs]] to administer localities. He established the first [[royal burgh]]s in Scotland, granting rights to particular villages and towns, which led to the development of the first true Scottish cities and helped facilitate economic development as did the introduction of the first recorded Scottish coinage. He continued a process begun by his mother and brothers helping to establish foundations that brought reform to Scottish monasticism based on those at [[Cluny Abbey|Cluny]] and he played a part in organising diocese on lines closer to those in the rest of Western Europe.<ref>{{Harvp|Webster|1997|p=29–37}}.</ref>

These reforms were pursued under his successors and grandchildren [[Malcolm IV of Scotland]] and [[William I of Scotland|William I]], with the crown now passing down the main line of descent through primogeniture, leading to the first of a series of minorities.<ref name=Webster1997pp23-4/> The benefits of greater authority were reaped by William's son [[Alexander II of Scotland|Alexander II]] and his son [[Alexander III of Scotland|Alexander III]], who pursued a policy of peace with England to expand their authority in the Highlands and Islands. By the reign of Alexander III, the Scots were in a position to annexe the remainder of the western seaboard, which they did following [[Haakon Haakonarson]]'s ill-fated invasion and the stalemate of the [[Battle of Largs]] with the [[Treaty of Perth]] in 1266.<ref>{{Harvp|Macquarrie|2004|p=153}}.</ref>