Bridei I, also known as Bridei, son of Maelchon, was king of the

Picts The Picts were a group of peoples who lived in what is now northern and eastern Scotland (north of the Firth of Forth) during Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. Where they lived and what their culture was like can be inferred from e ...

from 554 to 584. Sources are vague or contradictory regarding him, but it is believed that his court was near Loch Ness and that he may have been a Christian. There were contemporaries claiming the title "king of the Picts". He died in the mid-580s, possibly in battle, and was succeeded by Gartnait son of Domelch.

Historical sources

Bridei son of Maelchon was king of the

until his death around 584–586. Other forms of his name include Brude son of Melcho and, in Irish sources, Bruide son of Maelchú and Bruidhe son of Maelchon. He was first mentioned in the Irish annals from 558 to 560, where the '' Annals of Ulster'' report "the migration before Máelchú's son, king Bruide". An earlier entry, reporting the death of "Bruide son of Máelchú" in the ''Annals of Ulster'' for 505 is presumed to be an error. The Ulster annalist does not say who fled, but the later ''

Annals of Tigernach The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (abbr. AT, ga, Annála Tiarnaigh) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish. Many of the pre-historic entries come from the 12th-centur ...

'' refers to "the flight of the Scots before Bruide son of Máelchú" in 558. This uncertainty has provoked considerable speculation; in one version the ''Annals of Ulster'' is said to associate this with the death of Gabrán mac Domangairt.

Personal life

Bridei is suggested to have been the son of

Maelgwn Gwynedd Maelgwn Gwynedd ( la, Maglocunus; died c. 547Based on Phillimore's (1888) reconstruction of the dating of the ''Annales Cambriae'' (A Text).) was king of Gwynedd during the early 6th century. Surviving records suggest he held a pre-eminent position ...

by John Morris in his ''Age of Arthur'', where he is referred to in passing as "... Bridei, son of Maelgwn, the mighty king of north Wales, ...". Though the book has been a commercial success, it is disparaged by historians as an unreliable source of "misleading and misguided" information. Bridei's death was reported in the 580s, perhaps in battle against Pictish rivals in Circinn, an area thought to correspond with the Mearns. The lists of kings in the '' Pictish Chronicle'' agree that Bridei was followed by Gartnait son of Domelch.

Political life

Bridei appears in Adomnán's ''Life of Saint Columba'' as a contemporary, and as one of the chief kings in Scotland. Adomnán's account of Bridei is problematic as it does not mention whether Bridei was already a Christian, and if not, whether Columba converted him. The archaeological discoveries at

Portmahomack Portmahomack ( gd, Port Mo Chalmaig; 'Haven of My .e. 'Saint'Colmóc') is a small fishing village in Easter Ross, Scotland. It is situated in the Tarbat Peninsula in the parish of Tarbat. Tarbat Ness Lighthouse is about from the village at ...

, showing that there was a monastic community there from around 550, provide some support for the idea that Bridei was either already a Christian, at least in name, or was converted by Columba. Bridei was not the only "king of the Picts" during his lifetime. The death of Galam—called "Cennalath, king of the Picts"—is recorded in 580 in the ''Annals of Ulster,'' four years before Bridei's death. In addition, Adomnán mentions the presence of the "under-king of Orkney" at Bridei's court. The ''Annals of Ulster'' report two expeditions to Orkney during Bridei's reign, in 580 and 581. The location of the court of Bridei's kingdom is not certain. Adomnán's account states that after leaving the royal court, Columba came to the River Ness and that the court was located atop a steep rock. Accordingly, it is supposed that Bridei's chief residence was at

Craig Phadrig Craig Phadrig (Scottish Gaelic: Creag Phàdraig, meaning Rock of Patrick) is a forested hill on the western edge of Inverness, Scotland. A hill fort on the summit is generally supposed to have been the base of the Pictish king Bridei mac Maelch ...

, which is to the west of the modern city of Inverness and overlooks the Beauly Firth. Bridei's kingdom may also have corresponded with what would later become

Fortriu Fortriu ( la, Verturiones; sga, *Foirtrinn; ang, Wærteras; xpi, *Uerteru) was a Pictish kingdom that existed between the 4th and 10th centuries. It was traditionally believed to be located in and around Strathearn in central Scotland, but is ...

References in popular culture

Juliet Marillier Juliet Marillier (born 27 July 1948) is a New Zealand-born writer of fantasy, focusing predominantly on historical fantasy. Biography Juliet Marillier was educated at the University of Otago, where she graduated with a BA in languages and a ...

's trilogy ''

The Bridei Chronicles ''The Bridei Chronicles'' is Juliet Marillier's third series of historical fantasy novels. They depict the tutelage by Broichan, rise to power, and reign of King Bridei I of the Picts Bridei I, also known as Bridei, son of Maelchon, was king ...

'' is written as a combination of history, fiction, and informed guesswork regarding this king's rise to power and rule. Her novels also describe events in the life of

Bridei III King Bridei III (or ''Bridei m. Beli''; O.Ir.: ''Bruide mac Bili'') (616/628?–693) was king of the Picts from 672 until 693. Bridei may have been born as early as 616, but no later than the year 628. He was the son of Beli, King of Alt Clut ...

Notes

References

Adomnán of Iona Adomnán or Adamnán of Iona (, la, Adamnanus, Adomnanus; 624 – 704), also known as Eunan ( ; from ), was an abbot of Iona Abbey ( 679–704), hagiographer, statesman, canon jurist, and saint. He was the author of the ''Life of Col ...

, ''Life of St Columba'', tr. & ed. Richard Sharpe. Penguin, London, 1995. * * Anderson, Alan Orr, ''Early Sources of Scottish History A.D 500–1286'', volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. * Anderson, Marjorie Ogilvie, ''Kings and Kingship in Early Scotland'', Scottish Academic Press, Edinburgh, revised edition, 1980. * Smyth, Alfred P., ''Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80–1000'', Edinburgh UP, Edinburgh, 1984.

External links

CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts
at

University College Cork University College Cork – National University of Ireland, Cork (UCC) ( ga, Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland, and located in Cork. The university was founded in 1845 as one ...

includes the ''Annals of Ulster'', ''Tigernach'', ''the Four Masters'' and ''Innisfallen'', the ''Chronicon Scotorum'', the ''Lebor Bretnach'' (which includes the ''Duan Albanach''), Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress.
Bede's Ecclesiastical History and the Continuation of Bede (pdf)
a
CCEL
translated by A.M. Sellar.
Tarbat Discovery Programme
with reports on excavations at Portmahomack.