The Pictish Regnal Lists.
A look at the veracity of the 6th and 7th century kings of the Picts.
We’ve been touching on Pictish kings lately, and the large amount of interpolation of other dynasties therein, but how accurate are these lists? I’d make the case that the post-5th century entries are fairly accurate, as most of the figures and their supposed connections all work out fairly well with little adjustment. Finding ‘anchors’ is the most important part of this, and help us pin down the lists to certain time periods, and thus helping prove their authenticity.
The earliest figure unambiguously corroborated here is Galam Cennalath, who the Annals of Ulster and Annals of Tigernach both mention in their entries for 580 “Cennalath, King of the Picts”. Galam has a short reign from ~550-555, and reigns his last year jointly with Bridei son of Maelchon. His death 25 years later may indicate that he abdicated or was forced to abdicate. The Annals of Ulster also corroborate Bridei himself, in the entry for year 560 “The migration before Máelchú's son , King Bruide.” and the Annals of Tigernach record in 558 “the flight of the Scots before Bruide son of Máelchú”, likely recording the same event. One version of the Annals of Ulster links the migration with “the death of Gabrán son of Domangart.” It may be that Gabrán only died the same year, but the phrasing gives a small indication of a linkage between the two. Gabrán, the father of Áedán (who is even more cemented in history and ruled from 574-609, and whose sons were adults in the 580s) would have been born in the first quarter of the 6th century, and would have been contemporary to these events, further helping cement Bridei’s chronology, placing him right where he needs to be.
Talorgan son of Eanfrith helps us adjust things as well, with a fairly firm floruit of 645-675, though he died fairly early in his floruit in 657. Talorgan was the son of Eanfrith of Bernicia, who was fostered with the Picts while exiled by Edwin of Deira.1 Eanfrith was born around 590 and is fairly well documented in many sources, giving veracity to Talorgan in the lists.
Bridei son of Beli is the next unambiguously attested anchor, ruling from 671–692. Adomnán calls him the ‘son of the king of Dumbarton’ a reference to Beli ap Neithon of Alt Clut. Beli is recorded as dying in 627 in the Annales Cambriae, so if his father Beli is in fact Beli of Alt Clut that would mean that Bridei could have been born no later than 628. Bridei’s most famous achievement is his victory over Ecgfrith of Northumbria, on May 20th, 685, corroborated by Bede. This also leads us to more chronological notes, as the Ceredigion (descendants of Ceredig Wledig, the Coroticus of St. Patrick’s letter) dynasty of Alt Clut seems to have become tied into the Picts more and more.2
Bridei’s grandfather Neithon is likely the Nechtan grandson of Uerb given in as king of the Picts around the beginning of the 7th century. Neithon was the grandson of Dyfnwal Hen of Alt Clut, and many will point to this as a ‘gotcha’ for the equation of Nechtan and Neithon, but this isn’t necessarily as big of an issue as many will try to make of it. In the article in footnote 2, I point out that many of these figures seem to have reigned fairly late in their lives amongst the Picts, and may even point to an age-preferred high-kingship, a gerontocracy of sorts. Neithon would have been born around 530, and Neithon’s son Gwid helps us here as well. Gwid shows up as a warrior fighting at Catraeth in Y Gododdin, which places him with a floruit starting at the latest 5803. Gwid’s sons appear in a string of Pictish king’s in the 630s and 640s, Gartait III, Bridei II, and Talorc III. Gwid and Beli as brothers would share a rough floruit, of 580-610, and Gwid’s son ruling in the 630s and 640s is as a result no problem. Talorgan, mentioned before seems to have been named for the Talorc mentioned above, Talorgan meaning ‘Little Talorg’ possibly indicated that his mother was Talorg’s daughter or sister.
After Talorgan’s early demise, two kings claimed to be sons of Donnel or Dungal are given, who are both probably sons of Domnall Brecc of Dal Riata, who ruled Dal Riata from 629 to his death at the Battle of Strathcarron in 642. Talorgan, and the following sons of Domnall probably all were king at the behest of Oswiu of Northumbria, with Bridei wresting control back during his time, establishing the Verturian hegemony. This led to significant rebalancing of power in northern Britain, giving the Picts and Alt Clut autonomy that was lacking under early Northumbrian rule. Once again all the pieces fall into place exactly where one would expect.
Adding to this, there are other interpolations worth mentioning here, that I have drawn attention to before.4 Gartnait may represent a Pictish form of the name Arthur. As my friend
has pointed out here in his fantastic articles on the development of the name Arthur (hopefully with part 3 soon) Arthwys may be a form of the name Arthur, latinized to Arthurus, and recorded by the Picts as Gartnait. This is relevant because at the time that two of the Pictish Garnait’s reigns, there is an ‘Arthur’ operating in the same time and area. The first being Garnait son of Girom or Gigurum/Gigurm (some have pointed out similarity to the later attested mother of Arthur Igraine, though I am not 100% certain on this myself) This Gartnait supposedly died in 537, the same year as Camlann. The article in footnote 4 expands upon this, and other mentions of the famous ‘King Arthur’ as king of the Picts. It may be that the Coeling Arthur, Arthwys ruled the Picts as high-king in one of these interpolations. The succeeding king Cailtram given as a brother of Garnait, may be Ceidio, Arthwys’ son (though this is highly speculative). The next Gartnait to appear happens to coincide, and die at roughly the same time as Artuir mac Aedan of Dal Riata. These are not particularly strong evidence for the veracity of the Pictish Regnal lists, but they are interesting enough to note.Here’s a wild one, that comes from the earliest list giving the successors of Cruithne the legendary founder king of the Picts. Gede olgudach is listed as part of the Cruthin dynasty, and also appears as the king of the Irish, seen in their records as Géde Ollgothach rulling in sometime between the 13th and 9th century BC. This could have been just a borrowing by a later scribe, but who knows, it could be authentic.
Given that most of these 6th and 7th century Pictish kings align when they are supposed to be reigning I see no reason to doubt the veracity of these later strings of kings. Not all the details may be in order as far as their parentage, whether their parent given is a father or mother (as Picts seem to not have a direct father-son inheritance of High-Kingship) or even if the parentage given is accurate, but generally the people who are attested elsewhere don’t seem to be far out of place, and that seems reason enough to not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Article regarding Talorgan, and the events leading up to his reign.
Article regarding Alt Clut, and the web of kinship in Dark Age Northern Britain.
This is based on reevaluation of Catraeth as a battle of Urien of Rheged by John Koch. The battle took place sometime around 580.
