Crinan (Dunkeld) Abbot of Dunkeld (abt. 975 - 1045)

Born about 0975 in Atholl, Perthshire, Scotland

Descendants

Died 1045 at about age 70 in Dunkeld, Perthshire, Scotland

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Crínán (Dunkeld) Abbot of Dunkeld was an inhabitant of Medieval Scotland. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

"Abthane of Dule," "Abthanus (Abthania) de Dull et seneschallus insularum," "Archpriest of the Sacred Kindred of St. Columba," "Grimus," "Lay abbot of Dunkeld," "Mormaer of Atholl," "Prince-abbot of Scotland," "Steward of the Western Isles," "The Thane"'

Birth and Parents

Crínán (or Crónán), Abbot of Dunkeld (Dún Caillen) was born about 975 ^[1] of unknown parents and uncertain date and location. ^[2] (See Research Notes for doubtful father.) ^[3]

Children of Crínán and Bethóc

He married Bethóc, the daughter of Malcolm II, King of Scots about 1005. ^[1][4][5]

According to Cawley, "Crinan & his wife had two children," ^[2] but Sir James Balfour Paul adds another unknown daughter. ^[1]

1. Donnchad mac Crínáin, born about 1010 ^[6]; married Suthen or Sybilla Unknown; ^[7] succeeded 25 Nov 1034 as Duncan I, King of the Scots; fatally wounded at Bothnagowan, died at Elgin and buried in Iona. ^[8][9]
2. Maldred Dunkeld born about 1003 in Carlisle, Cumberland, Scotland; 1034, Regent of Strathclyde; Lord of Allerdale and Carlisle; 1040, married Ealdgyth or Ælfgifu (Northumbria) of Dunbar, daughter of Uhtred, earl of Northumbria; 1045, killed byin battle with soldiers of MacBeth, King of Scots in 1045 (his father was killed in the same battle). ^[3]
3. Unknown daughter Dunkeld, married Moddan, titular Earl of Caithness. ^[10][5]

Crínán, Abbot of Dunkeld

He was known as Crínán (or Crónán), Abbot of Dunkeld (Dún Caillen). Cawley also names him as "Abthane of Dule. Lay abbot of Dunkeld. Steward of the Western Isles. Mormaer of Atholl." ^[2]

Research Notes

1. Doubtful father Duncan, Abbot of Dunkeld and mother Athelreda (Dunbar) Mormaer were detached. Although, Dunbar annotates this parentage, ^[11] the Henry Project disputes it as "(chronologically doubtful), Donnchad (Duncan), d. 965, abbot of Dunkeld...While the relationship is not impossible, the chronology is very long (if true, Crinán would be eighty at his death in battle even if born in the year of his father's death), and there is no known evidence to support it. The alleged relationship cannot be accepted without further evidence." ^[3]
2. With no supporting reliable sources the profile of Wulfflaed Atholl was disconnected as child of Crínán (or Crónán), Abbot of Dunkeld (Dún Caillen) and Bethóc MacAlpin. Perkins-11750
3. ln the Orkenvinga Saga he is referred to under the name of Hundi jarl. (Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, p. 337.)

Death

He was killed in battle with soldiers of MacBeth, King of Scots in 1045. ^{[12][2][3][9][5]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} Paul, Sir James Balfour, The Scots peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1905), vol. III, 239-241.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Cawley, Charles, Medieval Lands: a Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families, (Hereford, UK: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, 2006), Chapter 3. KINGS of SCOTLAND (DUNKELD), A. ORIGINS, citing, "The primary source which confirms his parentage has not yet been identified." Crinan.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} The Henry Project: The Ancestors of King Henry II of England, Baldwin, Stewart, ed., Farmerie, Todd, ed., Crínán (or Crónán), Abbot of Dunkeld (Dún Caillen), d. 1045., (Online https://fasg.org/projects/henryproject/, 2001), citing, "Date of Birth: Unknown; Place of Birth: Unknown; Father: Mother: Unknown." Crínán (or Crónán)
4. ↑ Cannon, John; Hargreaves, Anne, The Kings and Queens of Britain (Oxford Quick Reference), Kindle edition, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 121. [Kindle], citing, “The absence of a male heir to Malcolm II meant that the succession passed to the issue of his daughter Bethoc, who had married Crinan, lay abbot of Dunkeld.”
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), 4, 12.
6. ↑ Cannon, John; Hargreaves, Anne. The Kings and Queens of Britain (Oxford Quick Reference). Kindle edition, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 121. citing, "Duncan I, b. c.1010, s. of Crínán, abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethoc, da. of Malcolm II; king of Strathclyde ante 1034, king of Scotland 25 Nov. 1034–40; m. a kinsw. of Siward, earl of Northumbria; issue: Malcolm, Donald, Maelmuire; d. Elgin, 14 Aug. 1040; bur. lona(?)." [Kindle]
7. ↑ Cawley, Charles, Medieval Lands: a Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families, (Hereford, UK: Foundation for Medieval Genealogy, 2006), Duncan I.
8. ↑ Fordun, John, John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation, Skene, William F. ed., (Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas, 1872), bk. 4, p. 179.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Anderson, Allan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500 to 1286, (Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd, 1922), vol. 1, citing, "Cf. A.U., i, 584, s.a. 1045 (with f.n. and e. of 1045) : 'A battle [was fought] between Scots, among themselves ; and in it fell Cronan, the abbot of Dunkeld.' Similarly also in A.L.C., i, 46, s.a. 1045. Cronan was a more familiar name to Irishmen than Crinan. This Crinan seems to have been the father of king Duncan. See year 1034. Duncan's grandson, Æthelred, also was an abbot of Dunkeld. See year 1093, note. This warfare was doubtless a rebellion raised against Macbeth. It may have been the same attempt against him, in which the Northumbrians took part ; and which the Annals of Durham place in 1046. See E.C., 84.", 584.
10. ↑ Paul, Sir James Balfour, The Scots peerage : founded on Wood's ed. of Sir Robert Douglas's Peerage of Scotland; containing an historical and genealogical account of the nobility of that kingdom, (Edinburgh: David Douglas, 1905), vol. III, citing, "a daughter, mother of Moddan, titular Earl of Caithness, who was slain at Thurso in 1040."240.
11. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 280
12. ↑ Skene, William Forbes, Chronicles of the Picts, chronicles of the Scots, and other early memorials of Scottish history, (Edinburgh: H. M. General register house, 1867), Annals of Tighernach, 1045, citing, “Battle between the Albanich on both sides, in which Crinan, abbot of Dunkeld, was slain there, and many with him, viz., nine times twenty heroes.” 78.

See also:

• Anderson, Marjorie O[gilvie], Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland, (Edinburgh: Berlinn, 1973), 268, 276, 284, 288.
• Wikipedia contributors, Bishop of Dunkeld, (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2023), Bishop of Dunkeld.
• Wikipedia contributors, Crínán of Dunkeld, (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2023), Crínán of Dunkeld.
• Wikipedia contributors, Earl of Atholl, (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2023), Earl of Atholl.
• Wikipedia contributors, House of Dunkeld, (Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2023), House of Dunkeld.