Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin ( Modern Gaelic: ''Lughlagh mac Gille Chomghain'', known in English simply as Lulach, and nicknamed Tairbith, "the Unfortunate" and Fatuus, "the Simple-minded" or "the Foolish"; c. 1032 – 17 March 1058) was King of Alba (Scotland) between 15 August 1057 and 17 March 1058. Lulach was the son of Gruoch of Scotland, from her first marriage to Gille Coemgáin, Mormaer of Moray, and thus the stepson of

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

(Mac Bethad mac Findlaích). Through his mother, he was also the great-grandson of either Kenneth II or Kenneth III. Following the death of Macbeth at the Battle of Lumphanan on 15 August 1057, the king's followers placed Lulach on the throne. He has the distinction of being the first king of

Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...

of whom there are coronation details available: he was crowned, probably on 8 September 1057 at

Scone A scone ( or ) is a traditional British and Irish baked good, popular in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is usually made of either wheat flour or oatmeal, with baking powder as a leavening agent, and baked on sheet pans. A scone is often ...

. Lulach appears to have been a weak king, as his nicknames suggest, and ruled only for a few months before being assassinated and usurped by

Malcolm III Malcolm III (; ; –13 November 1093) was List of Scottish monarchs, King of Alba from 1058 to 1093. He was later nicknamed "Canmore" (, , understood as "great chief"). Malcolm's long reign of 35 years preceded the beginning of the Scoto-Norma ...

. However, it is also plausible his nicknames are the results of negative propaganda, and were established as part of a smear campaign by Malcolm III. Lulach's son Máel Snechtai was Mormaer of Moray, while Óengus of Moray was the son of Lulach's daughter. He is believed to be buried on Saint Columba's Holy Island of Iona in or around the

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...

. The exact position of his grave is unknown.

Depictions in fiction

Lulach is an important secondary character in

Dorothy Dunnett Dorothy, Lady Dunnett (née Halliday, 25 August 1923 – 9 November 2001) was a Scottish novelist best known for her historical fiction. Dunnett is most famous for her six novel series set during the 16th century, which concern the fictiti ...

's historical novel '' King Hereafter'', where he is portrayed as a seer. In the novel, Dunnett used Lulach as a mouthpiece for researched information about the real Macbeth. Lulach is also one of the protagonists in Jackie French's children's novel ''Macbeth and Son'' and in Susan Fraser King's novel ''Lady MacBeth''. Lulach is also a character in David Greig's play ''Dunsinane'' where he is hunted by the English soldiers as a threat to peace in Malcolm's Scotland. Lulach McPritchett in Modern Family, a Comedy series, is a Scottish warrior and ancestor of Jay Pritchett. Lulach - misnamed Luach - appears in the animated series

Gargoyles (TV series) ''Gargoyles'' (also known as ''Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles'' for season 3) is an animated television series co-produced by Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Television Animation, Walt Disney Animation Japan for its first two season ...

as Macbeth and Gruoch's son, and, briefly, King of Scotland. Lulach appears in a 2024 adaptation of Shakespeare's play called ''Gruoch and Macbeth: A Screenplay'' by Graham J. Howard. Lulach appears in Val McDermid's ''Queen Macbeth''. He is apparently referenced by Lady Macbeth (his mother's counterpart in the play

), in Act I Scene VII, where she says she has "given suck, and know / How tender 'tis to love the babe that milks me", in what would be a historical reference to Lulach.

References

External links

Lulach
at the official website of the

British monarchy The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...

, - {{Authority control 1058 deaths 11th-century Scottish monarchs Burials in Iona House of Moray 11th-century murdered monarchs Year of birth unknown Mormaers of Moray Gaelic monarchs in Scotland 11th-century mormaers Assassinated heads of state in Europe