Alpín mac Echdach was a supposed king of Dál Riata, an ancient kingdom that included parts of Ireland and Scotland. Alpín was included in a

pedigree chart A pedigree chart is a diagram that shows the occurrence of certain traits through different generations of a family, most commonly for humans, show dogs, and race horses. Definition The word pedigree is a corruption of the Anglo-Norman French ''p ...

created in the 10th century to connect the kings of

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English-language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed into the Kingd ...

(Scotland) to legendary

Dál Riata Dál Riata or Dál Riada (also Dalriada) () was a Gaels, Gaelic Monarchy, kingdom that encompassed the Inner Hebrides, western seaboard of Scotland and north-eastern Ireland, on each side of the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North ...

n and Irish ancestors. In this pedigree, Alpín's father is Eochaid, an Irish name, yet he becomes the father of Cináed (

Kenneth MacAlpin Kenneth MacAlpin (; ; 810 – 13 February 858) or Kenneth I was King of Dál Riada (841–850), and King of the Picts (848–858), of likely Gaelic origin. According to the traditional account, he inherited the throne of Dál Riada from his fa ...

) and Domnall mac Ailpín. Cináed and Alpín are the names of

Pictish Pictish is an extinct Brittonic Celtic language spoken by the Picts, the people of eastern and northern Scotland from late antiquity to the Early Middle Ages. Virtually no direct attestations of Pictish remain, short of a limited number of geog ...

kings in the 8th century: the brothers Ciniod and Elphin who ruled from 763 to 780. Alpín's alleged father Eochaid IV is not mentioned in any contemporary source.

Parentage and death

The Chronicle of the Scottish historian

John of Fordun John of Fordun (before 1360 – c. 1384) was a Scottish chronicler. It is generally stated that he was born at Fordoun, Mearns. It is certain that he was a secular priest, and that he composed his history in the latter part of the 14th ...

records the succession of "''Alpin the son of Achay''" in 831, his reign of three years, and his defeat by the Picts "20 July". The 12th century '' Cronica Regum Scottorum'' lists "''Alpin filius Eochal venenosi iii, Kynedus filius Alpini primus rex Scottorum xvi…''" as kings, dated to the 9th century. Alpín's parentage is not stated in the earlier chronicles. Alpín's mother was the sister and heiress of Causantín mac Fergusa, King of the Picts. Alpín married a 'Scottish Princess' and fathered two sons. Alpín is chiefly remembered for his fatal war with the

Picts The Picts were a group of peoples in what is now Scotland north of the Firth of Forth, in the Scotland in the early Middle Ages, Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and details of their culture can be gleaned from early medieval texts and Pic ...

, who had seized upon and arrogated the kingdom. Alpín resolved to remove the king and met him with his forces near a village of

Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...

, where the fight was maintained with great obstinacy until the Pictish king was slain, whereby the Scots won. However, a new king of "high descent and noble achievements" (possibly Drest) was elected king of the Picts, turned the scale, and at

Galloway Galloway ( ; ; ) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the counties of Scotland, historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council areas of Scotland, council area of Dumfries and Gallow ...

defeated and took King Alpín, anno 834, and put him with many of his nobles to death. It is said that Alpín's head was fastened to a pole, and carried about the Pictish army, and at last set up for spectacle in Abernethy, their chief town, which was afterwards severely revenged by the Scots, who called the place where he was slain Bas Alpin. Alpín died on 20 July or in August 834 when he was either killed while fighting the

or beheaded after the battle. His place of burial is not recorded. His son

succeeded him.

References

Kings of Dál Riata Medieval Gaels from Scotland Year of birth unknown {{Scotland-hist-stub