Editing Constantine II of Scotland (section)

== Abdication and posterity ==
By the early 940s, Constantine was an old man in his late sixties or seventies. The [[kingdom of Alba]] was too new to be said to have a customary rule of succession, but Pictish and Irish precedents favoured an adult successor descended from [[Kenneth MacAlpin]]. Constantine's surviving son [[Indulf]], probably baptised in 927, would have been too young to be a serious candidate for the kingship in the early 940s, and the obvious heir was Constantine's nephew, [[Malcolm I]]. As Malcolm was born no later than 901, by the 940s he was no longer a young man and may have been impatient. 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 — Constantine abdicated in 943 and entered a monastery, leaving the kingdom to Malcolm.<ref>Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', p. 175; Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 444–448; Broun, "Constantine II".</ref>

Although his retirement might have been involuntary, the ''Life'' of [[Cathróe of Metz]] and ''The Prophecy of Berchán'' portray Constantine as a devout king. The monastery to which Constantine retired, and where he is said to have been [[abbot]], was probably that of [[Church of St Mary on the Rock|St Andrews]]. This had been refounded in his reign and given to the reforming [[Céli Dé]] (Culdee) movement. The Céli Dé were subsequently to be entrusted with many monasteries throughout the kingdom of Alba until replaced in the 12th century by new orders imported from [[France]].<ref>Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 431–444; Broun, "Constantine II"; Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', p. 175; MacQuarrie, ''Saints of Scotland'', pp. 199–210. ''The Prophecy of Berchán'' describes Constantine's "fair, long reign" as a time "with fruit upon slender branches, with ale, with music, with good cheer; with corn, with milk, with nimble cattle; with pride, with fortune, with [worth]"; Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 447–448.</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 I, 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 I who made the raid, but Constantine incited him, as I have said.<ref>Anderson, ''Early Sources'', pp. 452–453.</ref>}} 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>

Constantine's death in 952 is recorded by the Irish annals, who enter it among ecclesiastics. His son Indulf would become king on Malcolm's death. The last of Constantine's certain descendants to be king in Alba was a great-grandson, [[Constantine III of Scotland|Constantine III]] (Constantín mac Cuiléin). Another son had died at Brunanburh and according to John of Worcester, [[Amlaíb mac Gofraid]] was married to a daughter of Constantine. It is possible that Constantine had other children, but like the name of his wife, or wives, this has not been recorded.<ref>Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', pp. 171, 175, 177; Duncan, ''Kingship of the Scots'', p. 345, table A; Anderson, ''Early Sources'', p. 451.</ref>

The form of kingdom which appeared in Constantine's reign continued in much the same way until the [[Davidian Revolution]] in the 12th century. As with his ecclesiastical reforms, his political legacy was the creation of a new form of Scottish kingship that lasted for two centuries after his death.<ref>Broun, "Constantine II". The nature of that kingdom is, however, still a matter of debate, see Woolf, ''Pictland to Alba'', pp. 342–350; {{citation |last=Grant |first=Alexander |contribution=The Construction of the Early Scottish State |title=The Medieval State: Essays presented to James Campbell |editor-last=Maddicott |editor-first=J. R. |editor2-last=Palliser |editor2-first=D. M. |publisher=Hambeldon |year=2000 |location=London |isbn=1-85285-195-3}}.</ref>