Óengus of Moray
Encyclopedia
Óengus of Moray was the last King of Moray
of the native line, ruling Moray
in what is now northeastern Scotland from some unknown date until his death in 1130.
Óengus is known to have been the son of the daughter of Lulach
. This was perhaps how he attained the Kingship of the Men of Moray. Óengus' last known predecessor was Máel Snechtai
(d. 1085). If Óengus ruled during this whole period, then he would have been the one who incurred the wrath of King Alexander I
when the Moravians (people of Moray) murdered Ladhmunn, his nephew and son of Domnall, the son of King Máel Coluim III Cenn Mór
by Ingibjorg.
Orderic Vitalis
wrote that in the year 1130, Óengus with Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair
invaded Gaelic
Scotia
with 5000 warriors. The Moravians were met by King David
's general, an old Anglo-Saxon
noble named Edward Siwardsson. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
reported "a great slaughter" . The Annals of Ulster
tells that 4000 Moravians were killed, and only 1000 Gaels
. The Annals of Innisfallen makes clear that what Orderic Vitalis wrote regarding the battle having taken place in Scotia
indicates that it was an invasion. Siward defeated the Moravians and Óengus was killed. The Scoti then invaded Moray, which, as Orderic Vitalis put it, "lacked a defender and lord."
After Óengus' defeat, Moray was probably granted to William fitz Duncan
. After his death in 1147, it was to some extent colonized by King David's French, Flemish and English followers, although in the longer term, most of these became Gaelicized.
Mormaer of Moray
The Mormaerdom or Kingdom of Moray was a lordship in High Medieval Scotland that was destroyed by King David I of Scotland in 1130. It did not have the same territory as the modern local government council area of Moray, which is a much smaller area, around Elgin...
of the native line, ruling Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
in what is now northeastern Scotland from some unknown date until his death in 1130.
Óengus is known to have been the son of the daughter of Lulach
Lulach of Scotland
Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin was King of Scots between 15 August 1057 and 17 March 1058.He appears to have been a weak king, as his nicknames suggest...
. This was perhaps how he attained the Kingship of the Men of Moray. Óengus' last known predecessor was Máel Snechtai
Máel Snechtai of Moray
Máel Snechtai of Moray was the ruler of Moray, and, as his name suggests, the son of Lulach, King of Scotland.He is called on his death notice in the Annals of Ulster, "Máel Snechtai m...
(d. 1085). If Óengus ruled during this whole period, then he would have been the one who incurred the wrath of King Alexander I
Alexander I of Scotland
Alexander I , also called Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim and nicknamed "The Fierce", was King of the Scots from 1107 to his death.-Life:...
when the Moravians (people of Moray) murdered Ladhmunn, his nephew and son of Domnall, the son of King Máel Coluim III Cenn Mór
Malcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
by Ingibjorg.
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis was an English chronicler of Norman ancestry who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th and 12th century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. The modern biographer of Henry I of England, C...
wrote that in the year 1130, Óengus with Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair
Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair
Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair or Máel Coluim mac Alasdair was the son of King Alexander I of Scotland and enemy of King David I of Scotland, his uncle...
invaded Gaelic
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
Scotia
Scotia
Scotia was originally a Roman name for Ireland, inhabited by the people they called Scoti or Scotii. Use of the name shifted in the Middle Ages to designate the part of the island of Great Britain lying north of the Firth of Forth, the Kingdom of Alba...
with 5000 warriors. The Moravians were met by King David
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
's general, an old Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
noble named Edward Siwardsson. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle is a collection of annals in Old English chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the Chronicle was created late in the 9th century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of Alfred the Great...
reported "a great slaughter" . The Annals of Ulster
Annals of Ulster
The Annals of Ulster are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years between AD 431 to AD 1540. The entries up to AD 1489 were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín, under his patron Cathal Óg Mac Maghnusa on the island of Belle Isle on Lough Erne in the...
tells that 4000 Moravians were killed, and only 1000 Gaels
Gaels
The Gaels or Goidels are speakers of one of the Goidelic Celtic languages: Irish, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx. Goidelic speech originated in Ireland and subsequently spread to western and northern Scotland and the Isle of Man....
. The Annals of Innisfallen makes clear that what Orderic Vitalis wrote regarding the battle having taken place in Scotia
Scotia
Scotia was originally a Roman name for Ireland, inhabited by the people they called Scoti or Scotii. Use of the name shifted in the Middle Ages to designate the part of the island of Great Britain lying north of the Firth of Forth, the Kingdom of Alba...
indicates that it was an invasion. Siward defeated the Moravians and Óengus was killed. The Scoti then invaded Moray, which, as Orderic Vitalis put it, "lacked a defender and lord."
After Óengus' defeat, Moray was probably granted to William fitz Duncan
William fitz Duncan
William fitz Duncan was a Scottish prince, a territorial magnate in northern Scotland and northern England, a general and the legitimate son of king Donnchad II of Scotland by Athelreda of Dunbar.In 1094, his father Donnchad II was killed by Mormaer Máel Petair of...
. After his death in 1147, it was to some extent colonized by King David's French, Flemish and English followers, although in the longer term, most of these became Gaelicized.