Alexander I (
medieval Gaelic: ''Alaxandair mac Maíl Coluim'';
modern Gaelic: ''Alasdair mac Mhaol Chaluim''; c. 1078 – 23 April 1124), posthumously nicknamed The Fierce, was the
King of Scotland from 1107 to his death. He succeeded his brother, King Edgar, and his successor was his brother David. He was married to
Sybilla of Normandy, an illegitimate daughter of
Henry I of England.
Life
Alexander was the fifth (some sources say fourth) son of
Malcolm III and his wife
Margaret of Wessex, grandniece of
Edward the Confessor. Alexander was named after
Pope Alexander II.
He was the younger brother of King
Edgar, who was unmarried, and his brother's
heir presumptive by 1104 (and perhaps earlier). In that year, he was the senior layman present at the examination of the remains of
Saint Cuthbert at
Durham prior to their re-interment. He held lands in Scotland north of the
Forth and in
Lothian.
[Barrow, p. 154.]
On the death of Edgar in 1107, Alexander succeeded to the Scottish crown but, in accordance with Edgar's instructions, their brother
David was granted an
appanage in southern Scotland. Edgar's will granted David the lands of the former
kingdom of Strathclyde or Cumbria, and this was apparently agreed in advance by Edgar, Alexander, David and their brother-in-law
Henry I of England. In 1113, perhaps at Henry's instigation, and with the support of his
Anglo-Norman allies, David demanded and received, additional lands in
Lothian along the Upper
Tweed and
Teviot. David did not receive the title of king, but of "prince of the Cumbrians", and his lands remained under Alexander's final authority.
The dispute over Tweeddale and Teviotdale does not appear to have damaged relations between Alexander and David, although it was unpopular in some quarters. A
Gaelic poem laments:
It's bad what Malcolm's son has done,
dividing us from Alexander;
he causes, like each king's son before,
the plunder of stable Alba.
The dispute over the eastern marches does not appear to have caused lasting trouble between Alexander and Henry of England. In 1114, he joined Henry on campaign in Wales against
Gruffudd ap Cynan of
Gwynedd. Alexander's marriage with Henry's illegitimate daughter
Sybilla of Normandy may have occurred as early as 1107, or as at late as 1114.
William of Malmesbury's account attacks Sybilla, but the evidence argues that Alexander and Sybilla were a devoted but childless couple and Sybilla was of noteworthy piety. Sybilla died in unrecorded circumstances at ''Eilean nam Ban'' (
Kenmore on
Loch Tay) in July 1122 and was buried at
Dunfermline Abbey. Alexander did not remarry and
Walter Bower wrote that he planned an
Augustinian Priory at the ''Eilean nam Ban'' dedicated to Sybilla's memory, and he may have taken steps to have her
venerated.
Alexander had at least one illegitimate child,
Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair, who was later involved in a revolt against
David I in the 1130s. He was imprisoned at
Roxburgh for many years afterwards, perhaps until his death some time after 1157.
Alexander was, like his brothers Edgar and David, a notably pious king. He was responsible for foundations at
Scone and
Inchcolm, the latter founded in thanks for his survival of a tempest at sea nearby. His mother's chaplain and
hagiographer Thurgot was named
Bishop of Saint Andrews (or ''Cell Rígmonaid'') in 1107, presumably by Alexander's order.
The case of Thurgot's would-be successor
Eadmer shows that Alexander's wishes were not always accepted by the religious community, perhaps because Eadmer had the backing of the
Archbishop of Canterbury,
Ralph d'Escures, rather than
Thurstan of
York. Alexander also patronised
Saint Andrews, granting lands intended for an Augustinian Priory, which may have been the same as that intended to honour his wife.
For all his religiosity, Alexander was not remembered as a man of peace.
John of Fordun says of him:
He manifested the terrible aspect of his character in his reprisals in the
Mormaerdom of Moray.
Andrew of Wyntoun's ''Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland'' says that Alexander was holding court at
Invergowrie when he was attacked by "men of the Isles". Walter Bower says the attackers were from Moray and Mearns. Alexander pursued them north, to "Stockford" in
Ross (near
Beauly) where he defeated them. This, says Wyntoun, is why he was named the "Fierce". The dating of this is uncertain, as are his enemies' identity. However, in 1116 the
Annals of Ulster report: "Ladhmann son of Domnall, grandson of the king of Scotland, was killed by the men of Moray." The king referred to is Alexander's father, Malcolm III, and Domnall was Alexander's half brother. The Mormaerdom or Kingdom of Moray was ruled by the family of
Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláich) and
Lulach (Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin): not overmighty subjects, but a family who had ruled Alba within little more than a lifetime. Who the Mormaer or King was at this time is not known; it may have been
Óengus of Moray or his father, whose name is not known. As for the Mearns, the only known
Mormaer of Mearns,
Máel Petair, had murdered Alexander's half-brother
Duncan II (Donnchad mac Maíl Coluim) in 1094.
Alexander died in April 1124 at his court at Stirling; his brother David, probably the acknowledged heir since the death of Sybilla, succeeded him.
[Oram, pp.71–72.]
Fictional portrayals
Alexander was depicted in a fantasy novel:
[Saint Andrews, Brodrick (2010), p. 99-104]
* ''Pater Nostras Canis Dirus: The Garrison Effect'' (2010). Alexander is depicted troubled by his lack of direct heirs, having no child with his wife
Sybilla of Normandy. He points that his father-in-law
Henry I of England is asking them for a grandson.
References
Sources
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Further reading
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander 01 Of Scotland
Category:1070s births
Category:1124 deaths
Category:House of Dunkeld
Category:12th-century Scottish monarchs
Category:People from Dunfermline
Category:Burials at Dunfermline Abbey
Category:11th-century Scottish people
Category:Gaelic monarchs in Scotland