Mormaer In early medieval Scotland, a mormaer was the Gaelic name for a regional or provincial ruler, theoretically second only to the King of Scots, and the senior of a '' Toísech'' (chieftain). Mormaers were equivalent to English earls or Continenta ...

Máel Coluim of Fife (1204–1228), or Maol Choluim anglicised as Malcolm, was one of the

mormaers of Fife The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife was the ruler of the province of Fife in medieval Scotland, which encompassed the modern counties of Fife and Kinross. Due to their royal ancestry, the earls of Fife were the highest ranking nobles in the re ...

. He married Matilda, the daughter of Gille Brigte, the

mormaer of Strathearn Earl or Mormaer of Strathearn is a title of Scottish nobility, referring to the region of Strathearn in southern Perthshire. Of unknown origin, the mormaers are attested for the first time in a document perhaps dating to 1115. The first known mo ...

. He is credited with the foundation of

Culross Abbey Culross Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey in Culross, Scotland, headed by the Abbot or Commendator of Culross. Part of it is still used as the local parish church by the Church of Scotland. History The abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm I ...

. Upon the death of Máel Coluim I, probably in 1228, he was succeeded by his nephew

Máel Coluim II Máel Coluim mac Cinaeda (; anglicised Malcolm II; c. 954 – 25 November 1034) was King of Alba (Scotland) from 1005 until his death in 1034. He was one of the longest-reigning Scottish Kings of that period. He was a son of Cinaed mac Maíl ...

, son of Máel Coluim I's brother Donnchadh, son of Donnchadh II.Bannerman, "Macduff", p. 33.

Bibliography

* Bannerman, John, "MacDuff of Fife," in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) ''Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow'', (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 20–38

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fife, Coluim, Mael, Earl of 1228 deaths Clan MacDuff 1204 births Mormaers of Fife 13th-century mormaers