Page:Chronicles of the Picts, chronicles of the Scots, and other early memorials of Scottish history.djvu/143

PEEFACE. cxxxv slain in battle by the Norwegians in Werdofatba or Inverdufatha, and Aed in Strathallan. St. Berchan gives the successor of Donald, without naming him, a reign of only five and a half years ; but the identity is clear, for he says he fought three battles against the Gentiles, and a fourth battle at Luaire, probably Car- lo wiie, against the Britons, and that he died in pools of blood at Inbherdubhroda ; but St. Berchan gives his successor, whom he terms the Dasachtach, or the fierce, a reign of nine years, making up the sixteen years between them, and says he died in a dangerous pass. In the chronicle annexed to the " Historia Bri- " tonum," Kenneth Mac Alpin is also termed Rex Pic- torum, while in the " Pictish Chronicle" the country in which he ruled is still called Pictavia. In the " Irish Annals " these four kings are termed Reges Pictorum. Although, therefore, they were Scots by race, they were evidently viewed as having ascended the Pictish throne, and the Pictish mon- archy was held to have still subsisted in their persons. The succession, however, having been maintained (^"s '">'i ° . Eoclia. in the famUy of Kenneth, was not in accordance with the Pictish law ; and after the death of Aedh an effort seems to have been made to enforce the old Pictish law of succession through females, as we find from the "Pictish Chronicle" that Eocha, son of Eun, king of the Britous, by the daughter of Kenneth Mac Alpin, is placed on the throne, to the exclusion of the direct male descendant, and along with him is associated in the government, Grig, son of