Malcolm II of Scotland

He was a son of Cinaed mac Maíl Choluim or King Kenneth II and The Prophecy of Berchán, (which referred to him as Forranach, "the Destroyer"), says his mother was "a woman of Leinster".

[9] The first reliable report of Malcolm II's reign is an attack in 1006 of territory under the Northumbrian rulers of Bamburgh (the lands between the River Forth and the River Tees, roughly ancient Bernicia), perhaps the customary crech ríg (literally royal prey, a raid by a new king made to demonstrate prowess in war), which involved a siege of Durham.

By this time Eiríkr Hákonarson had been appointed ealdorman in Northumbria by his brother-in-law Cnut the Great, with limited in practice to the south around York, the former kingdom of Deira.

Perhaps in an attempt to end the devastating feuds in the north of Scotland, and influenced by the Norman model, Malcolm ignored tradition and was determined to retain succession within his own line.

Since Malcolm had no son of his own, he negotiated a series of dynastic marriages of his daughters to men who might otherwise be his rivals, while securing the loyalty of their relatives, the principal chiefs.

Malcolm may have had another daughter, possibly named Donada, who married Finlay, ruler of Moray, father of Macbeth, later King of Scotland.

[13] The only other early reference to Malcolm as Macbeth's grandfather is Raphael Holinshed's 1577 Chronicle of Scotland, an inspiration to William Shakespeare, which names "Doada" as a daughter of Malcolm II King of Scotland, and adds that she married "Sinell the thane of Glammis, by whom she had issue one Makbeth".

[15] The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reports that Cnut The Great (Canute) led an army into Scotland on his return from a pilgrimage to Rome.

[16] Contemporary Burgundian chronicler Rodulfus Glaber recounts the expedition soon afterward, describing Malcolm as "powerful in resources and arms ... very Christian in faith and deed.

[18] Cnut came away only with a promise of peace and friendship, rather than the guarantee of aid on land and sea that previous kings such as Edgar and others had obtained.

Scandinavian saga tradition also claims that the mother of Earl Thorfinn the Mighty of Orkney was a daughter of Malcolm.

However, as modern historian Duncan tells it, even if Malcolm exercised some control over Moray, the annals record several events pointing to a struggle for power in the north.

It has traditionally been supposed that king Owen the Bald (Owain Foel) of Strathclyde died at the battle of Carham and that the kingdom passed into the hands of the Scots afterwards.

[26] His grandson Thorfinn would have been unlikely to be accepted as king by the Scots, and he chose the sons of his other daughter, Bethóc, who was married to Crínán, lay abbot of Dunkeld, and perhaps Mormaer of Atholl.

The Annals of Tigernach report, "Malcolm mac Cináeda, king of Scotland, the honour of all the west of Europe, died".

Dyfnwal of Strathclyde died on a pilgrimage to Rome in 975 as did Máel Ruanaid uá Máele Doraid, king of the Cenél Conaill, in 1025.