Individual Details
Duncan I 'the Gracious' King of Scotland
(1001 - 14 Aug 1040)
Duncan I (Donnchad mac Crináin) was the son of Crinán, hereditary lay abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethóc, daughter of King Malcolm II of Scotland.
Unlike the 'King Duncan' of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Malcolm as king after the latter's death on 25 November 1034, without apparent opposition. He may have been Malcolm's acknowledged successor as the succession appears to have been uneventful. Earlier histories, following John of Fordun, supposed that Duncan had been king of Strathclyde in his grandfather's lifetime, ruling the former kingdom of Strathclyde as an appanage. Modern historians discount this idea.
Duncan married Sibylla Bearsson, daughter of Bjorn Bearsson, and they had at least two sons. The eldest, Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) was king from 1097 to 1093 the second Donald III (Domnall Bán, or 'Donalbane') was king afterwards. Melmare (Máel Muire), earl of Atholl, is a probable third son of Duncan and Sibylla, although this is less certain.
The early period of Duncan's reign was apparently uneventful, perhaps a consequence of his youth. Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) is recorded as his dux, literally duke, but in the context that 'dukes of Francia' had half a century before replaced the Carolingian kings of the Franks, and in England the powerful Godwin of Wessex was called a dux this suggests that Macbeth was the power behind the throne.
In 1039 Duncan led a large Scots army south to besiege Durham, but the expedition ended in disaster. Duncan survived, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, traditionally seen as Macbeth's domain. There he was killed, at Pitgaven near Elgin, by his own men led by Macbeth, probably on 14 August 1040.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Unlike the 'King Duncan' of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the historical Duncan appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Malcolm as king after the latter's death on 25 November 1034, without apparent opposition. He may have been Malcolm's acknowledged successor as the succession appears to have been uneventful. Earlier histories, following John of Fordun, supposed that Duncan had been king of Strathclyde in his grandfather's lifetime, ruling the former kingdom of Strathclyde as an appanage. Modern historians discount this idea.
Duncan married Sibylla Bearsson, daughter of Bjorn Bearsson, and they had at least two sons. The eldest, Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada) was king from 1097 to 1093 the second Donald III (Domnall Bán, or 'Donalbane') was king afterwards. Melmare (Máel Muire), earl of Atholl, is a probable third son of Duncan and Sibylla, although this is less certain.
The early period of Duncan's reign was apparently uneventful, perhaps a consequence of his youth. Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) is recorded as his dux, literally duke, but in the context that 'dukes of Francia' had half a century before replaced the Carolingian kings of the Franks, and in England the powerful Godwin of Wessex was called a dux this suggests that Macbeth was the power behind the throne.
In 1039 Duncan led a large Scots army south to besiege Durham, but the expedition ended in disaster. Duncan survived, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, traditionally seen as Macbeth's domain. There he was killed, at Pitgaven near Elgin, by his own men led by Macbeth, probably on 14 August 1040.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 1001 | ||||
| Death | 14 Aug 1040 |
Families
| Spouse | Sybil 'Suthen' Fitz-Siward (1014 - 1040) |
| Child | Malcolm III, King of Scotland (1030 - 1092) |