Drest or Drust, son of Erp, is a legendary king of the Picts from 412 to 452.

Background

The ''

Pictish Chronicle The Pictish Chronicle is a name used to refer to a pseudo-historical account of the kings of the Picts beginning many thousand years before history was recorded in Pictavia and ending after Pictavia had been enveloped by Scotland. Version A The ...

'' tells that Drest reigned for 100 years and triumphed in 100 battles. In the face of encroachment from Angles, Britons and Scots, he established control over much of Northern Britain after the disruption following the withdrawal of the Romans. It also states that

Saint Patrick Saint Patrick (; or ; ) was a fifth-century Romano-British culture, Romano-British Christian missionary and Archbishop of Armagh, bishop in Gaelic Ireland, Ireland. Known as the "Apostle of Ireland", he is the primary patron saint of Irelan ...

went to

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

in the nineteenth year of his reign, which would place it in the middle of the 5th century. The ''Chronicle'' claims that he exiled his brother Nechtan to

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 ...

claims that Drest reigned for 45 years in the time of Palladius rather than Patrick, and conflates him with his brother Nechtan.Fordun, IV, p. x. The king lists record that he was followed by one Talorc son of Aniel.

References

Sources

* Anderson, Alan Orr; ''Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500–1286'', volume 1. Reprinted with corrections, Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. *

; ''Chronicle of the Scottish Nation'', ed.

William Forbes Skene William Forbes Skene Writer to the Signet, WS FRSE Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, FSA(Scot) Doctor of Civil Law, DCL Legum Doctor, LLD (7 June 1809 – 29 August 1892), was a Scotland, Scottish lawyer, historian and antiquary. He co-found ...

, tr. Felix J. H. Skene, 2 vols. Reprinted, Llanerch Press, Lampeter, 1993. 5th-century Scottish monarchs Legendary monarchs Pictish monarchs {{Scotland-royal-stub