Alpín I of the Picts
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Alpín was king of the Picts in the 720s, together with Drest. The Pictish Chronicle king lists give Alpín and Drest and five year joint rule. Alpín is a Pictish form of the Old English Ælfwine and may, perhaps, indicate a tie to Bernician exiles in Pictland, such as Eanfrith, father of Talorgan mac Enfret, and Oswiu.[1]
In 724, Nechtan mac Der-Ilei is reported in the Annals of Tigernach to have abdicated in favour of Drest, entering a monastery.[2] Alpín, who is associated with Drest in the Pictish Chronicle king lists, is not mentioned at this time. In 726, the Annals of Tigernach report that "Drest was cast from the kingdom of the Picts; and Alpín reigned in his stead."[3]
In 728–729, a war in Pictland involving Alpín, Drest, Nechtan and Óengus is reported in various sources. Alpín appears to have been the initial opponent of Nechtan and Óengus. He was first defeated by Óengus at Monaidh Craeb, for which Monicrieffe near Perth has been suggested, where his son was killed. A second defeat led to Alpín's flight and Nechtan being restored as king. Drest was killed the following year, but Alpín's fate is not known.
Whether this Alpín has any connection to the "Alpín son of Crup" who the Annals of Ulster say was captured in 742, by whom is not said but it may have been the Picts under Óengus, is not known. Likewise, whether there is any connection between this Alpín and the Alpín mac Echdach who may have ruled in Dál Riata in the 730s is also unknown.
If the report of 742 refers to this Alpín, then his father's name was Crup. Some versions of the Pictish Chronicle king lists include a king named Alpín son of Feret or Feredach, but this appears to be the later king, Alpín II, Alpín son of Uuroid. The small number of sources which refer to a king named Alpín son of Óengus, again probably refer to Alpín II.[4]
[edit] Notes
- ^ Early Sources, p. 223–224, note 7.
- ^ Likewise in the Annals of Clonmacnoise.
- ^ AT 726.4: Druist de reghno Pictorum iectus et Elphin pro eo [regnat].
- ^ Early Sources, p. cxxxv, note 7 & p. cxxvii, note 1.
[edit] References
- Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8
[edit] External links
- CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach (which includes the Duan Albanach), Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress.
- Annals of Clonmacnoise at Cornell
- Pictish Chronicle
| Preceded by Talorgan I |
King of the Picts 726–728? |
Succeeded by Drest VII |
