Bethóc Explained

Spouse:Crínán, Abbot of Dunkeld
Issue:Duncan I, King of Alba
Maldred of Allerdale
House:Alpin
Father:Malcolm II, King of Alba

Bethóc Ingen mac Maíl Coluim (also Beatrice) was the elder daughter of Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots, and the mother of his successor, Duncan I.

Biography

Bethóc was the eldest daughter and heir of Malcolm II of Scotland, who had no known sons. She married Crínán, Abbot of Dunkeld, about 1000.[1] [2] This marriage may have been designed to encourage the Dunkeld's clan to remain loyal to Malcolm II.[3] Together, Bethóc and Crínán had an heir, Donnchad I.[4] Crínán has also been assigned other children, that may have been by Bethóc: Maldred, Lord of Allerdale, married Ealdgyth, daughter of Uhtred the Bold, and ancestor of the Earls of Dunbar; and a daughter (name not known) mother of Moddan, Earl of Caithness.

Their heir Duncan, also known as Donnchad, succeeded his grandfather Malcolm II to become King of Alba in 1034.[5]

Bethóc had 2 younger sisters: Donada, who married Findláech mac Ruaidrí, Mormaer of Moray, and was the mother of Macbeth and Olith, who married Sigurd Hlodvirsson, Earl of Orkney.[6] and was the mother of Thorfinn the Mighty. Early writers have asserted that Máel Coluim also designated Donnchad as his successor under the rules of tanistry because there were other possible claimants to the throne.

Sources

Notes and References

  1. McGuigan, Neil (2021), Máel Coluim III 'Canmore': An Eleventh Century Scottish King, John Donald, Edinburgh, pp. 82–85,
  2. Book: Williams . Ann . A Biographical Dictionary of Dark Age Britain: England, Scotland, and Wales, C. 500-c. 1050 . Smyth . Alfred P. . Kirby . D. P. . 1991 . Psychology Press . 978-1-85264-047-7 . en.
  3. Book: Ellis, Peter Berresford . MacBeth, High King of Scotland, 1040-57 . 1993 . Barnes & Noble Books . 978-1-56619-299-6 . en.
  4. Book: KNOX (Cartographer.), James . The Topography of the Basin of the Tay. Intended as a Companion to the Map of the Basin of the Tay ... With Three ... Engravings . 1831 . J. Anderson, W. Hunter . en.
  5. Book: Marshall, Susan . Illegitimacy in Medieval Scotland, 1100-1500 . 2021 . Boydell & Brewer . 978-1-78327-588-5 . en.
  6. https://books.google.com/books? id=mp4HAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA133&dq=beth%C3%B3c+biography&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CEoQ6AEwCTgKahUKEwiTu_bmmfnGAhVKVz4KHZdlBEw#v=onepage&q=beth%C3%B3c%20biography&f=false Knox, James. The topography of the basin of the Tay, Andrew Shorteed, Edinburgh, 1831