Post-Roman Celtic Kingdoms

Alt Clut / Alt Clud (Damnonii)

The area of Scotland now known as Strathclyde was originally a kingdom known after the Brythonic name of its capital at Dumbarton: Alt Clut (Rock of the Clyde). Centered on the Clyde headwaters and its capital of Dumbarton, or Alcluith (its earlier name), the kingdom seems to have stretched a little north of the Antonine line, in the direction of Stirling to the ridge of the Campsie Fells and, taking in the later county of Dunbarton, up to the head of Loch Long.

Essentially re-established in AD 382 by Magnus Maximus, it may in fact have been much older. The original Roman conquest did not include Alt Clut's British Damnonii territory, although there were periods when it later fell under Roman administration. That didn't last, however, and it seems to have been a source of trouble for the Romans over a long span of time. It appears to have been formed into a kingdom in the second century (one of the 'four kingdoms of ancient Scotland'), when a descendant of Caratacus of the Catuvellauni collected together a force of 'free Britons' in opposition to the 'enslaved' Britons and their masters to the south.

Alt Clut remained for the most part an independent kingdom. Certainly it was one of the few British kingdoms never to be conquered by the English or Normans, and was eventually taken over by the Scottish crown. It had been under the latter's control since the ninth century, and had been renamed as Strathclyde. Strathalcluith and later Strathcluaide are older forms of that name (effectively meaning 'straddling' or 'crossing the Clyde'). Its southern region of Cumbria was gained after the fall of North Rheged and a period of possession by Bernicia, and simply bore the name of its 'people of the same land', the Cymri, which is the same source of the name for Cymru (Wales).

Many kings are poorly attested and are often known by the Welsh or Irish versions of their names. Where both Strathclyde British, and later Welsh forms are known, the latter is always shown last. Ed Dawson suggests the theory that the Attacotti of 364 could be the Alt Clut Britons.

AD 82

Continuing a campaign which in the previous two years had secured the territory of the Votadini, the Roman governor of Britannia secures the western coast up to the Clyde to contain the tribesmen there and perhaps prevent Irish landings.

140 - 143

The Romans move north to the Forth-Clyde line, roughly the southern Pictish boundary, reoccupying British Lowland Scotland and beginning construction of the more basic Antonine Wall.

148 - 184

Corvus / Corbed

Descendant of Caratacus of the Catuvellauni.

148 - 184

Corvus apparently announces the creation of the kingdom in 148, raising a following of British patriots. He fights off the Irish of Meath and Connaught, and dies fighting the Romans in 184 but his kingdom remains outside direct Imperial control, one of the four kingdoms of the north. His line is represented as the senior of the descendants of the old British royal house, while the junior is represented by High King Coilus from within the province.

c.250

Beinnie the Briton

Mentioned by Irish as leading army against them at Muchramha.

305

The Roman emperor Constantius Chlorus makes a treaty with the Damnonii Britons in an effort to halt their attacks on Britannia.

c.340

Clemens

Roman Confederate & Chief of the Damnonii?

c.360

Quintillius

Roman Confederate & Chief of the Damnonii?

364

According to Ammianus Marcellinus, the Picts, Scotti, Saxons, and Attacotti attack Roman Britain in what seems to be a serious incursion. The Attacotti could be the Britons of Alt Clut.

c.410 - c.450

Coroticus / Ceretic Guletic (Land Holder)

Grandson. First King of Alt Clut. A Christian king.

fl 450

Dumnagual Hen / Dyfnwal Hen

Grandson.

c.475 - c.480

Erbin

c.480 - c.485

Cinuit

c.485

Cinuit's son, Tutagual, or Tutgwal Theodovellaunus, establishes himself in Galwyddel, perhaps as a legitimate division of Alt Clut on his father's death, an entirely normal and customary practise in Celtic kingdoms.

c.485 - c.490

Gereint

Son of Erbin.

c.490 - c.495

Tutagual / Tudwal

Son of Cinuit. Also king of Galwyddel (c.485-c.495).

c.495 - 501

Caw

Deposed.

501 - 508

Domgal

c.508 - c.540

Clinoch / Clinioc

Son of Dumnagual Hen. Popular Christian king.

c.540 - c.558

Cinbelin

Brother. Defeated by his nephew, Conall.

c.550

Elidyr/Morken Mwynfawr (Wealthy)

m.Eurgain, eldest legitimate daughter of Maelgwyn of Gwynedd.

c.550

Upon Maelgwyn's death in 549, Elidyr considers that because he is married to one of Maelgwyn's legitimate children, and the new king of Gwynedd is illegitimate, he now has a strong claim on the throne of Gwynedd. Elidyr invades and is defeated and killed in battle in Gwynedd.

c.559 - c.580

Tutagual / Tudwal

c.580 - 612

Rhiderch Hael / Rhydderch Hen

Possible High King.

579 & 586

Riderch Hael receives mentions in these years, along with his allies in Elmet & Rheged. In 590 the three kingdoms are in coalition with the dispossessed Morcant Bulc of Bernaccia in operations against the Angles, and are present at the siege of Ynys Metcaut (Lindisfarne).

612 - 621

Neithon / Nechtan / Nwython

616 - 632

North Rheged falls to Edwin of Bernicia, although a rump enclave survives up against Alt Clut's southern border. Alt Clut's territory now includes eastern Dumfries.

621 - 633

Bili / Beli meb Nwython

Son.

633 - 645

Eugenius (Ywain / Hoah) / Owen meb Beli

Killed Domnal Breac, King of Dal Riada in 642.

645 - 658

Guret / Gwriad

? - 693

Elfin

Son of Eugenius.

? - 694

Dumnagual / Domgal

Brother.

682

Mermin

Killed in Man or Ulster. Possibly not a king.

694 - 722

Bili

Son of Elfin.

722 - 750

Teudebur / Tudor / Tewdur

Killed at the battle of Mocetauc.

744

Angus of Pictland turns his attention on Alt Clut, and may have defeated them in open battle in this year.

750

The Pictish king, Angus, attempts to take territory from Alt Clut. His brother, Talorcan, leads a Pictish army at the battle of Mocetauc. Talorcan is killed, as is Teudeber, king of Alt Clut.

750? - 754

Rotri

754- 760

Dumnagual / Domgal

Son of Teudebur.

756

The Picts attempt to conquer Alt Clut, this time with help from Northumbria. The combined armies nearly succeed in capturing Dunbarton, but a reversal sees them almost destroyed.

760 - c.780

Eugein / Owen

780

The Annals of Ulster state that Dumbarton suffers a burning. It is possible that Owen is killed by this event - usually a 'burning' signifies capture.

c.780 - c.798

Rudderch / Rhydderc

c.798 - 816

Cynan

816 - ?

Domgal / Dumnagual

Son of Rudderch.

c.859

Constantin

? - 872

Arthgal map Dumnagual

Son of Domgal. Captured and killed by Vikings.

870 - 871

The Annales Cambriae records that Ald Cluid (Dunbarton) is overcome by Vikings after a four month siege. The Vikings are led by Olaf the White and Ivarr the Boneless, joint kings of the Viking kingdom of Dublin. After the conquest, the Vikings winter there before returning to Dublin with their prisoner, Arthgal.

The ambitious Rhun persuades his brother-in-law, Constantine of the Scots, to see that the Vikings execute Arthgal, so securing Rhun the throne and bringing to an end the British ruling dynasty of Alt Clut. Once this happens, Glasgow begins to increase in importance to the detriment of Dumbarton. The name Strathclyde also first comes into use in this period, but, confusingly, the kingdom is also called Cumbria, after its southern territory.

Strathclyde / Strathalcluith

Strathclyde was the name used for the kingdom by the Scotti. Once King Rhun had secured the throne, it was widely regarded as a junior territory of Scotland itself. The line of succession is sometimes a little confused at this point, especially on dates of rule.

(Additional information by Mick Baker.)

872 - 878

Rhun mac Arthgal

Son. Brother-in-law of Constantine I of the Scots.

878 - 889

Eochu / Eochaid

Son. King of the Scots (878-889).

889 - 900

Donald I

Cousin. Donald II of the Scots (889-900).

900

Around this time, Galwyddel is absorbed into the kingdom as the region's former ruler, Ynys Manau, is overrun by Vikings. Strathclyde also seems to gain the former North Rheged's Cumbria from the Scandinavian kingdom of York at this time.

900 - 908

Strathclyde is probably ruled directly from Scotland.

908 - 916

Donald II mac Aed / Dunmail

Son of Scottish king. Effectively a sub-king.

916/925 - 937

Eogan / Owen mac Donald

Son of Donald I. Granted by Constantine II of the Scots.

934 - 937

The grand alliance including the Scots, Northumbrian Danes at York, Dublin Danes, and the Welsh of Gwynedd and Cumbria (under Strathclyde's rule), mass their forces north of the Humber in a bold attempt to destroy Athelstan of Wessex. The plan fails, however, when the West Saxons and Mercians of the south destroy the alliance at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937.

940 - 943

Donald II mac Aed / Dunmail

Returned to the throne or first rule?

943 - 954

Indulf mac Constantine

King of the Scots (954-962).

946

Major invasion by the West Saxon King Edmund. The two sons of Donald II are blinded.

There is some confusion following the attack and some sources seem to suggest that for a time (probably only in the reign of Malcolm mac Donald) Cumbria (the southern half of the kingdom) seems to split from Strathclyde and claim independence as a separate kingdom. This may instead be a confusion of the two names being used by different sources for the kingdom as a whole.

954 - 962

Dubh mac Malcolm

King of the Scots (954-962).

962 - 971

Donald III mac Eoghain

Entered the church pre-971. Died a pilgrim 975.

971 - 972

Amdarch / Riderch mac Donald

972

Amdarch disappears as a result of an attack by the Scots.

973 - 997

Malcolm mac Donald mac Eoghain

Not to be confused with Malcolm II of the Scots.

973

Malcolm assumes the title, 'King of the Cumbrians', but this is thought to have included all of Strathclyde including Cumbria. However, its use is interesting. Could Malcolm have been a native Briton striving to reassert the independence of his own people in the face of Scottish rule?

975 - ?997

Riderch mac Donald

Did he return to reclaim the throne for the Scots?

997 - 1018

Eoghain II / Owen the Bald

A British ruler?

1018 - 1034

Owen is thought to have died at the battle of Carham in 1018. It seems likely that he had a British successor, but his name is unknown, and the extent of his domain must also be a matter of great uncertainty.

Strathclyde is gradually subdued by the Scots between 1018-1034 (usually credited to Malcolm II of Scotland).

1018 - 1034

Duncan mac Crinan

King of the Scots (1034-1040).

1034

With Duncan's accession to the Scottish crown, Strathclyde is fully merged with that kingdom.

c.1054

Malcolm

Ruled under the Earl of Northumbria.

1054

The English king Edward the Confessor dispatches Earl Siward of Northumbria against the Scots, ruled by Mac Bethad mac Findláich (Macbeth), to reinstall Malcolm, 'son of the king of the Cumbrians', in Strathclyde.

The name Malcolm causes confusion, as some think that this refers to the later king of Scots Malcolm III Canmore. How long Malcolm remained as 'king of the Cumbrians' is unknown (certainly not later than 1070, when all of Strathclyde was under Scottish control). Also unknown is whether the title was applied by the English to the whole of Strathclyde or if it was a referral to the previous possible division of Cumbria and Strathclyde.