Fergus Feredach | | Fergus /--------------\ /-------------\ | Angus Bruidi Kenneth Alpin /--------------------\ d. 761 761–3 763–75 775–8 Eoganan---d. Constantine Angus | ============= | 789–820 820–34 Talorcan Bargoit Conal MacTeige | | | 778–82 | 784–9 Alpin Drost Eoganan | /-------------\ | 834–6 836–9 Drost Feredach Bruidi Kenneth 782–4 839–42 842–3 843
[21] Innes, bk. 1, art. 8. Caledonia, bk. 2, c. 6, p. 302, note A, with other authorities cited by both. The marriage of Kenneth’s grandfather with a sister of Constantine and Angus rests solely on tradition, but it appears the most probable solution of his peaceful accession to the throne. The examples of Talorcan, son of Eanfred, perhaps also of his cousin Bruidi son of Bili, which is a British name, shews that the alien extraction of the father was no bar to the succession of the son. Such a succession would be exactly in accordance with the old custom mentioned by Beda, that “in cases of difficulty” the female line was preferred to the male; i.e., a near connection in the female line to a distant male heir. From not attending to the expression “in cases of difficulty,” the sense of Beda’s words has been often misinterpreted.
[22] The name of Heathored occurs as the last amongst the bishops of Whithern in Flor. Wig. App., and his predecessor Badwulf is alluded to by Sim. Dun. under 796. The topography of Galloway and the language once spoken by the Galwegians (who acknowledged a Kenkinny—Cen-cinnidh—not a Pen-cenedl) distinguish them from the British race of Strath Clyde—the Walenses of the early charters as opposed to the Galwalenses. Beda, however, knew of no Picts in the diocese of Candida Casa (v. Appendix K), and consequently they must have arrived at some later period, though it would be difficult to point with certainty to their original home. Some authorities bring them from Dalaraide, making them Cruithne or Irish Picts; and the dedication of numerous churches in Galloway to saints popular in the north-east of Uladh seems to favour their conjecture. The name of Galloway is probably traceable to its occupation by Gall, in this case Anglian strangers.
[23] An. Ult. 793, 813. Sim. Dun. 793. Innes, Ap. No. V. Myln, Vit. Ep. Dunk. Ford, l. 4, c. 12. This is the earliest historical appearance of the Vikings on the Scottish coasts. The name has no connection with king, being derived from Vik a bay, Viking a baysman. By northern law, every freeman was bound to be enrolled in a Hafn, and to contribute towards building and manning a ship for the royal service, the office of Styresman being always hereditary in the family of an Odal-Bonder. Thus, the royal ship, authorized to kill, burn, and destroy in lawful warfare, sailed from the Hafn, whilst the rover on his own account, stigmatized in “degenerate days” as a pirate, put off from the Vik or open bay. He was as little likely to sail from a royal Hafn, as a Highland chieftain bent upon a creagh to issue from the royal castle of Inverness. Hence perhaps the name.
[24] It must always be remembered, that the change of name from Pict to Scot was originally merely the substitution of one arbitrarily applied name for another—a change in the names used by chroniclers and annalists, not by the people themselves. The names of Picti and Scoti may be compared with those of Germani and Alamanni, given arbitrarily to the people who called themselves by names which have now become Deutsch and Schwabe.
[25] Cæs. de B. G., l. 1, c. 16; l. 2, c. 4; l. 3, c. 17; l. 5, c. 11, 22, 25, 54; l. 6, c. 32; l. 7, c. 4, 32, 33,63. Tac. Germ., c. 12, 42. Am. Marc., l. 31, c. 3. Bed. Hist. Eccl., l. 5, c. 10. Vergobretus is evidently the Latin form of Fear-go-breith, “the Man of law,” the Breithimh, Brehon, or Breen; the Celtic judge, Toshach, is derived from the same root as the Latin Dux; the Thessalian Τάγος and the German Toga bear the same meaning. It is the title that appears on several of the early British coins under the Latin form of Tascio.
[26] Cæs de B. G., l. 6, c. 10, 11. The factio was evidently the result of Celtic policy, not of Celtic temperament, as has been too often represented. The policy may have gradually influenced the temperament rather than the temperament the policy.
[27] Cæs. de B. G., l. 7, c. 88; l. 8, c. 12.
[28] “Legibus æduorum, iis qui summum magistratum obtinuerent excedere ex finibus non liceret.”—Cæs. de B. G., l. 7, c. 33.
[29] “Convictolitanem, qui per sacerdotes more civitatis ... esset creatus.”—Cæs. de B. G., l. 7, c. 33.