Duncan (Dunkeld) King of Scots (abt. 1060 - 1094)

Born about 1060 in Scotland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 12 Nov 1094 at about age 34 in Monacheden, Kincardineshire, Scotland

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Duncan II (Dunkeld) King of Scots was a member of Scottish Nobility. Join: Scotland Project Discuss: Scotland

Biography

”Rí Alban," "Donnchad mac Máel Coluim," “Donechat mac Malcolm," "Dune anis fili regii Malcolum." "King of Alban." "King of Scotia”

House of Dunkeld

Duncan Dunkeld was born about 1060 in Scotland, the son of Malcolm (Dunkeld) King of Scots. ^[1] Numerous sources describe him as the son of Malcomb’s first wife, Ingebjørg Jarlemoder Finnsdotter, the daughter of Finn Arnesson and Bergliot Halfdansdottir.^{[2][3][4][5][6]}

Other sources dispute his legitimacy as heir to his father and call him “nothus” (bastard). ^[7][8] [see research notes]

In 1072, while still a youth, he was taken hostage by William the Conqueror to assure the peaceful behavior of his father. He was consequently educated at the Norman court, and, in 1087, released and knighted by William II (Rufus) and accepted into the King’s service. ^{[4][5][2][6][9]}

Around 1089, he married his cousin, Ethelreda (or Othreda) of Dunbar, ^[1] the daughter of Gospatric, Earl of Northumbria, and had a son, William FitzDuncan Dunkeld, who married Alice de Rumilly, daughter of Robert de Rumilly. ^[3][4][2][6]

He reigned in 1094. ^[10] In May 1094, he deposed his uncle, Donald III, with the consent and help of William II (Rufus). Duncan Dunkeld ^{[4][5][6][11]} and acceded as Duncan II, King of Scots.^[2]

In 1094, with the concurrence of his brothers, he granted land by charter to the St. Cuthbert church of Durham.^{[12][13][14][15]}

After a reign of only six months, he was assassinated on 12 Nov 1094 at Monacheden (now Mondynes) in Kincardineshire by Mormaer of the Mearns, Malpeder MacLoen, who acted in conspiracy with Duncan’s half-brother, Edmund, and his uncle, Donald III. ^{[3][4][5][2][6][16][11][17][18]} He was buried on the Isle of Iona. ^[4][2][6] [see research notes]

Edmund and Donald III were fated to share power for only three years before they were deposed in turn by another brother, Edgar. They were both imprisoned, and both died in prison. Edmund, remorseful at death for his part in the murder of his brother, asked to be buried in his chains. ^[5]

Research Notes

1. From profile of his father, Malcolm (Dunkeld) King of Scots: “There is much uncertainty about the nature of Malcolm's relationship with Ingibjörg, stemming from the fact that it is only mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga and not in a single Scottish or English source. This is highly unusual, and has led some historians to speculate that Ingibjörg may have been a concubine rather than a wife. The dates of her first husband's probable death and the birthdates of the sons she had with Malcolm are also difficult to reconcile and have led to questions about their eldest son's legitimacy. Charles Cawley discusses these discrepancies in more detail here.”
2. Image 2, “Duncanus II” - while the image and title appear to be correctly attributed to Duncan II, the text conflates him with his half-brother and murderer, Edmund, who died in prison subsequent to a co-reign of about three years with Donald III. It also describes him with the disputed epithet, “Bastard Son of Malcolm.”
3. Some sources show him buried with his father and other members of his family at Dunfermline Abbey.^[19][20]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham Salt Lake City: the author (2013), vol. 4, pp. 576-578
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5} Dunbar, Archibald Hamilton. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History, 1005-1625, with Notices of the Principal Events, Tables of Regnal Years, Pedigrees, Tables, Calendars, Etc. United Kingdom: D. Douglas (1906), pp. 37-40.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Paul, Sir James Balfour. The Scots Peerage. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1904), vol. 1, pp. 2-3.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5} Lang, Andrew M. Duncan II. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), ODNB
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4} Duncan. The Scottish Nation. Muskegon, MI: Electric Scotland USA LLC (2022), Duncan II
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5} Cawley, Charles. Foundation for Medieval Genealogy: Medieval Lands Database. Duncan II.
7. ↑ Dalrymple, David., Dalrymple, David. Annals of Scotland: From the Accession of Malcolm III in the Year MLVII to the Accession of the House of Stewart in the Year MCCCLXXI, to which are Added, Tracts Relative to the History and Antiquities of Scotland. United Kingdom: A. Constable (1819), p. 49.
8. ↑ Anderson, Joseph; ed., Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert. (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. xxxiii.
9. ↑ Stevenson, J. (ed). Chronica de Mailros. Edinburgh: the Societatis Edinburgensis (1835). Anno M.lxxxvij:"…Dunecanum Malcomi regis filium, a custodia laxatos et armis militaribus honoratos, abire permifit.” pp. 58-59.
10. ↑ Dunbar, Sir Archibald H. Scottish Kings: A Revised Chronology of Scottish History 1005-1625. Edinburgh: D. Douglas (1899), p. 280
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Anderson, Allan Orr. Scottish annals from English chroniclers, A.D. 500 to 1286. London: D. Nutt (1886), p. 118.
12. ↑ Durham Cathedral Archive: Miscellaneous Charters 1-999, Charter No. 554.
13. ↑ Lawrie, A.C. Early Scottish Charters Prior to A.D. 1153. Glasgow: J. MacLehose (1905), No. XII, p. 10.
14. ↑ Duncan, Archd. A. M. The Earliest Scottish Charters. The Scottish Historical Review 37, no. 124 (1958), p. 120.
15. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland : a history of ancient Alban. Edinburgh, D. Douglas (1886), vol. II, pp. 366-367
16. ↑ Annals of Ulster, A.D. 1094: "Donnchad son of Mael Coluim, king of Scotland, was treacherously killed by his own brothers, i.e. by Domnall and Edmond."
17. ↑ Buchanan, George. Rerum scoticarum historia. Abredoniæ: Typis Jacobi Chalmers (MDCCLXII [1762]), ”LXXXVII REX., XXXIV. Nec Duncanus diu regnum tenuit…” p. 172.
18. ↑ Fordun, John. John of Fordun's Chronicle of the Scottish nation. Skene, William F. (ed). Edinburgh: Edmonston and Douglas (1872), bk. v., chap. xxiv, p. 213.
19. ↑ Pitcairn, Sheila. Chronological Table of Kings Etc - Royal Tombs Dunfermline. Sheila Pitcairn F.S.A. Scot., L.H.G., (2022). Duncan II, King of Scots.
20. ↑ 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Dunfermline, Wikisource (2022). Dunfermline.

See Also:

• Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), vol. 4, p. 213, pp. 576-578.
• Baldwin, Stewart (ed.). The Henry Project: Donnchad (Duncan) II, d. 1094, king of Scotland, 1094. (2001), rev. 2010.
• Duncan, A A M. Kingship of the Scots, A.D.842-1292: Succession and Independence. (Edinburgh Classic Editions). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (2002) (Kindle) p. 90.
• Emma.Goodey. "Duncan II (r.1094)." The Royal Family. London: The Royal Household (2016). https://www.royal.uk/duncan-ii-r1094.
• Wikipedia: Duncan II of Scotland
• Wikipedia: House of Dunkeld
• Wikipedia: Clan Duncan
• Wikipedia: Clan Donnachaidh