Eochaid of Scotland
Encyclopedia
Eochaid mac Run, known in English simply as Eochaid, may have been king of the Picts
from 878 to 889. He was a son of Run
, King of Strathclyde
, and his mother may have been a daughter of Kenneth MacAlpin
(Cináed mac Ailpín). His kingship is usually portrayed as some form of joint rule with Giric.
The evidence for Eochaid's rule as king of the Picts rests on the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
, where it is written:
This is the record of Eochaid's reign, such as it is. The death of Aed Finliath son of Niall Caille is dated to 20 November 879, and the solar eclipse
to 16 June 885. The chronicler's "although others say" shows that the confusion concerning Eochaid is nothing new.
Some variants of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba king lists do not include Eochaid. The Duan Albanach
omits both Eochaid and Giric, jumping from "Aodh, of the white flowers" (King Áed mac Cináeda
) to "Domhnal, son of Cusaintin the fair" (Donald II, son of Constantine I
(Domnall mac Causantín)). The Duan also omits earlier kings, such as Selbach mac Ferchair
, although whether these omissions are by accident or design is unknowable. David Dumville
's suggestion that the surviving record may be corrupted by cases of damnatio memoriae
is unprovable, but should be borne in mind. Andrew of Wyntoun
's Orygynale Cronykl of Scotland (c. 1420) and George Buchanan
's Rerum Scoticarum Historia (1579) know of Giric, but not of Eochaid.
American Celticist Benjamin Hudson, relying on the Prophecy of Berchán
in his 1996 book of the same name, is confident that Eochaid can be identified and that he was indeed a Scottish or Pictish king. The Prophecy is not without its critics, and the entry which is assumed to identify Eochaid, calling him the Briton of the Clyde, refers to his mother as "the woman of Dún Guaire (Bamburgh
)", which raises unanswered questions.
David Dumville, relying on the Chronicle alone, appears to accept that Eochaid was king, while Archie Duncan, arguing from the same source, flatly rejects the idea that Eochaid was king and attributes the supposed joint reign to Giric, and to Giric alone. There is evidence independent of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and the related king lists which may argue for Giric's kingship, but none for Eochaid. The quoted Chronicle entry could have Eochaid removed, and still be readable, whereas it would not remain so without Giric, whose name day is mentioned as the date of the solar eclipse.
In short, there is no consensus as to whether Eochaid was king of the Picts or king of Strathclyde or no king at all.
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
from 878 to 889. He was a son of Run
Run of Alt Clut
Run was probably a ruler of Alt Clut and Strathclyde , a Brythonic kingdom in the Hen Ogledd or "Old North" of Britain...
, King of Strathclyde
Kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...
, and his mother may have been a daughter of Kenneth MacAlpin
Kenneth I of Scotland
Cináed mac Ailpín , commonly Anglicised as Kenneth MacAlpin and known in most modern regnal lists as Kenneth I was king of the Picts and, according to national myth, first king of Scots, earning him the posthumous nickname of An Ferbasach, "The Conqueror"...
(Cináed mac Ailpín). His kingship is usually portrayed as some form of joint rule with Giric.
The evidence for Eochaid's rule as king of the Picts rests on the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, or Scottish Chronicle, is a short written chronicle of the Kings of Alba, covering the period from the time of Kenneth MacAlpin until the reign of Kenneth II . W.F...
, where it is written:
And Eochodius son of Run king of the Britons, grandson of Kenneth by his daughter, reigned for 11 years; although others say that Ciricium (Giric) son of another reigned at this time, because he became Eochaid's foster-father and guardian.
And in his second year Aed son of Niall[ Aed FinliathAed FinliathÁed mac Neíll , called Áed Findliath to distinguish him from his paternal grandfather Áed Oirdnide, was king of Ailech and High King of Ireland...] died.
And in his ninth year, on the very day of St. Cirici (Cyrus), an eclipse of the sun occurred. Eochaid and his foster father was now expelled from the kingdom.
This is the record of Eochaid's reign, such as it is. The death of Aed Finliath son of Niall Caille is dated to 20 November 879, and the solar eclipse
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
to 16 June 885. The chronicler's "although others say" shows that the confusion concerning Eochaid is nothing new.
Some variants of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba king lists do not include Eochaid. The Duan Albanach
Duan Albanach
The Duan Albanach is a Middle Gaelic poem found with the Lebor Bretnach, a Gaelic version of the Historia Brittonum of Nennius, with extensive additional material ....
omits both Eochaid and Giric, jumping from "Aodh, of the white flowers" (King Áed mac Cináeda
Áed of Scotland
Áed mac Cináeda was a son of Cináed mac Ailpín . He became king of the Picts in 877 when he succeeded his brother Constantín mac Cináeda. He was nicknamed Áed of the White Flowers, the Wing-footed or the white-foot .The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba says of Áed: "Edus [Áed] held the same [i.e....
) to "Domhnal, son of Cusaintin the fair" (Donald II, son of Constantine I
Donald II of Scotland
Domnall mac Causantín , anglicised as Donald II was King of the Picts or King of Scotland in the late 9th century. He was the son of Constantine I...
(Domnall mac Causantín)). The Duan also omits earlier kings, such as Selbach mac Ferchair
Selbach mac Ferchair
Selbach mac Ferchair was king of the Cenél Loairn and of Dál Riata. Selbach's existence is well-attested as he is mentioned repeatedly in Irish annals.-Life:Selbach mac Ferchair was a son of Ferchar Fota...
, although whether these omissions are by accident or design is unknowable. David Dumville
David Dumville
Professor David Norman Dumville is a British medievalist and Celtic scholar. He was educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Ludwig-Maximilian Universität, Munich, and received his PhD. at the University of Edinburgh in 1976. In 1974, he married Sally Lois Hannay, with whom he had one son...
's suggestion that the surviving record may be corrupted by cases of damnatio memoriae
Damnatio memoriae
Damnatio memoriae is the Latin phrase literally meaning "condemnation of memory" in the sense of a judgment that a person must not be remembered. It was a form of dishonor that could be passed by the Roman Senate upon traitors or others who brought discredit to the Roman State...
is unprovable, but should be borne in mind. Andrew of Wyntoun
Andrew of Wyntoun
Andrew Wyntoun, known as Andrew of Wyntoun was a Scottish poet, a canon and prior of Loch Leven on St Serf's Inch and later, a canon of St...
's Orygynale Cronykl of Scotland (c. 1420) and George Buchanan
George Buchanan (humanist)
George Buchanan was a Scottish historian and humanist scholar. He was part of the Monarchomach movement.-Early life:...
's Rerum Scoticarum Historia (1579) know of Giric, but not of Eochaid.
American Celticist Benjamin Hudson, relying on the Prophecy of Berchán
Prophecy of Berchán
The Prophecy of Berchán, is a relatively large historical poem written in the Middle Irish language. The text is preserved in the Royal Irish Academy, as MS 679 , with a few early modern copies...
in his 1996 book of the same name, is confident that Eochaid can be identified and that he was indeed a Scottish or Pictish king. The Prophecy is not without its critics, and the entry which is assumed to identify Eochaid, calling him the Briton of the Clyde, refers to his mother as "the woman of Dún Guaire (Bamburgh
Bamburgh
Bamburgh is a large village and civil parish on the coast of Northumberland, England. It has a population of 454.It is notable for two reasons: the imposing Bamburgh Castle, overlooking the beach, seat of the former Kings of Northumbria, and at present owned by the Armstrong family ; and its...
)", which raises unanswered questions.
David Dumville, relying on the Chronicle alone, appears to accept that Eochaid was king, while Archie Duncan, arguing from the same source, flatly rejects the idea that Eochaid was king and attributes the supposed joint reign to Giric, and to Giric alone. There is evidence independent of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba and the related king lists which may argue for Giric's kingship, but none for Eochaid. The quoted Chronicle entry could have Eochaid removed, and still be readable, whereas it would not remain so without Giric, whose name day is mentioned as the date of the solar eclipse.
In short, there is no consensus as to whether Eochaid was king of the Picts or king of Strathclyde or no king at all.