Constantine I (Causantín mac Cináeda) was the son of the first King of Scotland: Kenneth MacAlpin, who we talked about in the first post in this series.
Something that is rather exciting is that Constantine I was alive during the time of the Viking raids of Scotland (this probably wasn’t as exciting to him, however!).
The information I have gleamed from history mostly talks about his encounters with Vikings. Viking invasions reached their peak during Constantine I’s reign.
Constantine I was keen to expand his power- and his kingdom. Do you remember in the first email in this series, how I discussed the five different groups of people living in Scotland?
Constantine I battled the King of Strathclyde (based near Glasgow) with the hopes of securing the kingdom, and so he instigated the murder of the King of Strathclyde in 872. He replaced him with his brother-in-law, Rhun.
In 877, Constantine I was in St Andrews building a new church. Shortly afterwards, he was either captured and executed or killed in battle, at the hands of Viking raiders in Crail.
There is a cave you can visit where Constantine was supposedly slain; it’s called Constantine’s Cave, and it is located on the Fife Coastal Path just below where the golf club is located.
Born: 836
Died: 877 (age 41) buried on Iona
Reign: 862 – 877 (15 years)
Places associated with Constantine I: St Andrews, Constantine’s Cave in Crail, Fife.
Predecessor: Donald I
Successor: Aed
