Malkolm III
Great Britain- Biography of Malcolm III
- The Struggle for Territory
- Early Life
- Claim to the Throne
- Marriage to Margaret
- Conflict with England
Biography of Malcolm III
Malcolm III, also known as Canmore or Bighead, was the King of Scotland from 1058 to 1093. He was the eldest son of King Duncan I. Malcolm's long reign of 35 years marked the beginning of the Scottish-Norman era. However, his territories did not correspond to the borders of modern Scotland. During his time, parts of the northern and western lands were under the control of Scandinavians, Norwegians, and Gaels.
The Struggle for Territory
Malcolm made efforts to expand his territories, particularly by attempting to capture the English county of Northumbria. However, he was not successful in this endeavor. His main achievement is considered to be the establishment of a successful Scottish dynasty. Some historians argue that his reputation was largely due to propaganda initiated by his son, David. It was Malcolm's second wife, Margaret, who brought significant accomplishments to the dynasty. Margaret eventually became a saint. Malcolm himself was not particularly devout, and his only religious association was with Dunfermline Abbey.
Early Life
Malcolm's father, Duncan, became king in the late 1034. However, he was murdered by Macbeth on August 15, 1040. Interestingly, at the time of his father's death, Malcolm III was already an adult, while his father was portrayed as an old man by William Shakespeare. In reality, Duncan died relatively young, and both Malcolm and his brother Donalbane were still children. After Duncan's death, the brothers were sent out of the country for their safety.
Claim to the Throne
According to historical accounts, Malcolm killed Macbeth in 1057, and the Scottish throne passed to Macbeth's stepson, Lulach. However, Malcolm dealt with Lulach by April 23, 1058. The exact date of Malcolm's ascension to the throne is unknown, but some sources claim it happened on April 25, 1058. It is believed that in 1059, Malcolm visited Edward the Confessor and arranged his marriage to Margaret, a relative of Edward. Others claim that Malcolm's first wife was Ingibiorg, the widow of Thorfinn Sigurdsson and daughter of Finn Arnesson. Regardless, Ingibiorg did not live long, and she passed away in 1070 or 1058.
Marriage to Margaret
In 1066, Malcolm sheltered Agatha, the widow of Edward the Exile, and her children Edgar, Cristina, and Margaret, who were the nieces and nephews of Edward the Confessor. Malcolm and Margaret were married at the end of 1070. Their marriage was unusual in many ways, and their children were given names of Margaret's relatives instead of traditional Scottish royal names. In 1072, Malcolm met William of Normandy and pledged his loyalty to him, sending his eldest son, Duncan, as a hostage. Malcolm was not the first Scottish king to acknowledge the supremacy of the English, and this did not deter him from further raids.
Conflict with England
Malcolm's relationship with the next English king, William II, was not as favorable. The initial conflict ended with a peace treaty, but in 1092, William decided to reclaim the Cambrian lands from the Scots. Malcolm refused to negotiate and military actions began. On November 13, 1093, Malcolm fell into a trap set by Robert de Mowbray, the Earl of Northumbria and his old enemy. In the ensuing battle, known as the Battle of Alnwick, Malcolm was killed.
