Kingdom of Strathclyde

The Strathclyde (Scottish: Strathalcluith , then Strathcluaide : “beyond Clyde”) of the brittonic kingdoms Celte S is one which resisted the Anglo-Saxon , with the Pictes, the Scots and the Viking S during the Early middle ages before being joined together with the kingdom of Pictes and Scots about the middle of the 11th century.

Its formation, badly known, took place during the Roman period of the island of Brittany (before 410); during the Anglo-Saxon period, Strathclyde had like neighbors the Dal Riada and the Calédonie in north, the Gododdin and the Bernicie in the east, the Rheged of north and the Galwyddel (Galloway) in the south (of 450 with 600); then, the Cumbrie in the south and the Northumbrie in the east (starting from 650) before melting itself in the medieval Scotland.

Origins and formation until the 7th century

Starting from the middle of the 5th century, the projection of the Anglo-Saxon on the island of Brittany separated the Breton islanders in several groups: the major part of them was confined in the Western grounds corresponding to the future Wales and trained thereafter the “Welsh” of Cymru ; a more reduced number the Breton ones as for him was isolated around Clyde and from Forth, in the north of the wall of Hadrian.

The latter had constituted two Celtic “kingdoms”, including one, located more at the east and named “Goutodin” or “Gododdin” (v. 390 - 425) by the oldest sources - probably according to the name of the tribe of the Votadini) - was integrated into the Anglo-Saxon Northumbrie under the reign of Ecgfrith, wire of Oswy († 685).

The other kingdom, Westerner, whose historian Nennius brings back the foundation to the 5th century, survived under the Scottish name of “Strathclyde”. The rare Breton sources are almost dumb over the period of its formation.

Actually, it seems that the territories which composed it can be identified as of the Roman period like a territorium , placed under the authority of a barbarian chief, customer of Rome.

The first of these customers, to which one can allot the control of the Strathclyde future, kept the west of the wall of Antonin. It is known under the name of Ceretic Guletic or, in Latin, Coroticus (v. 400 - † v. 440). Previously, the area was placed under the authority of the chiefs of the Damnonii ; had the latter supplanted the Catuvellauni there (in the middle of IIIe century?) and had had to contain the raids of the Irishmen, before signing a treaty with Rome, probably for the first time at the beginning of the 4th century (in 305?).

At the beginning of the 5th century, the capital of this “Chefferie” was Alcluith (Dumbarton), established on a headland overhanging Clyde: its name literally means “the fortress of Breton”.

If one is unaware of all exact political reality in this area until the end of the 6th century, the History only made then this territory, with the Wales, which was never conquered by the Angles. In fact, the Breton ones of Strathclyde were melted with Scots and Pictes which were their closer neighbors.

Resistance of Breton of north: VII {{E}} - X {{E}} centuries

It is the septentrional part of another Breton kingdom, in addition better known - Rheged of the north - which formed then the center of gravity of Strathclyde, at least if one refers to the Breton tradition initially brought back by Nennius: largest king de Rheged, Urien Rheged (v. 570 - v. 590), indeed could be comparable to the founder of the dynasty which reigned on Strathclyde at the 7th century.

Towards 616 - 632, the septentrional part of Rheged of north, indeed, fell to the hands from the king from the Angles from Bernicie, Edwin, before becoming part of the Northumbrie following an alliance between the Breton dynasty of Rheged and the dynasty of the Angles.

However, some of the Breton territories of Rheged of north remained out being able it of the Angles and were then attached to the territories of Strathclyde: this last kingdom thus gained Dumfries, part of Galloway picte (the Galwyddel ), and part of the Cumbrie ( Cumbria , which draws its name from Breton the Cymri ).

A little later Strathclyde had to fight against the Scots of the Dal Riada (the king of the latter, Domnall Brecc, was killed at the time of a battle against Strathclyde in 642)

In parallel, the expansion of Northumbriens which had continued towards north during the major part of the 7th century ended with the death of Ecgfrith, in 685, at the time of the Bataille of Nechtansmere against the Pictes.

So that other information relates to the kingdom of Strathclyde in the sources, it is necessary to await the middle of the 8th century and the expansion of the Pictes: in 744, indeed, the king of Pictes Oengus Ier turned his attention towards the Breton kingdom. In 755, the battle of Mocetauc caused the death of the brother of Oengus, Talorcan, and of king de Strathclyde, Tewdur.

In 756, Pictes again attacked Strathclyde, this time with the assistance of Northumbriens: their army was almost destroyed in Dumbarton.

Finally, having pushed back these invaders, the kingdom of Strathclyde will perdura without knowing major changes until the middle of the 9th century.

After 889, indeed, the king of the Scots, Constantin I {{er}}, reached the throne, probably following political operations. Annals of the Welsh ( yearly cambriae ) report that Dumbarton was plundered following a four month old seat by the Viking S, in 870. The role of the old capital declined then quickly with the profit of Glasgow, while the influence of Scots grows and became dominating in Strathclyde.

Formation of medieval Scotland: X {{E}} - medium of the XI {{E}} century

In 900, Strathclyde gained the remainder of Galloway, remained an enclave picte hitherto, and of Cumbrie: these last areas had been plundered by the Vikings. Moreover, the kingdom was probably directed directly from Scotland until in 908, in a prefiguration of its nearest meeting to the kingdom of Pictes and Scots.

In 924, Owen de Strathclyde, like the close sovereigns (Constantin II, king of the Pictes and the Scots, Ealred, king de Northumbrie and Rognvald, king Viking of York), had to recognize the authority of the king d' Angleterre Edouard Old the: this last was called “father and lord”.

A little later however, the three princes broke their allegiance and turned themselves against England: Strathclyde had to be divided at this time, part of the south (of Cumbrie) was annexed by the king northumbrien Athelstan, with died of Owen, in 946. Another part formed a kingdom independent of Cumbrie and passed under the control of the king of Pictes and Scots Malcolm mac Donald. As for the north, which preserved the name of Strathclyde, it échut with Riderch mac Donald (975 - v. 997).

In 1018, Owen the Bald person, last king Breton of Strathclyde died. Duncan, the grandson of Malcolm II, king of the Pictes and the Scots, became king de Strathclyde: this one was then formally attached to the Scotland, although it preserved an apparent autonomy initially.

In 1034, with died of its grandfather, Duncan joins together the two kingdoms temporarily, thus constituting the bases of medieval Scotland.

But Macbeth seized the power in Scotland and the son of Duncan, Malcolm III '' Canmore '', had to take refuge in England. It is only helped by Siward, count de Northumberland, that the latter could counter-attack.

Winner of its rival in 1054, Malcolm created then a kingdom of Cumbrie, misadventure of Strathclyde, covering the Scottish Galloway and the Cumberland English.

In 1058, after the death of Macbeth, and that of its successor Lulach I {{er}}, Malcolm reached the throne of Scotland under the name of Malcolm III Canmore: it joins together Strathclyde in Scotland definitively.

See too

Internal bonds

See also: List of the kings de Strathclyde

External bonds

Post-Novel Celtic Kingdoms: Strathclyde (), in the The History Files on the site of Kessler Associates (in English).

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