, Cináed Mac Ailpín

Kenneth, son of Alpin, King of Scotia succeeded his father in 843. Hedefeated the Picts about 843, uniting them with the Scots in the newkingdom of Alba, which comprised a large part of present day Scotland.Sources for the period disagree about the exact date of his victory,but Kenneth features as a notable warrior who reputedly invadedNorthumbria six times and fought off attacks by the Britons ofStrathclyde as well as by the Norsemen. Using dynastic marriage tosolve the problem, Kenneth married his daughter to Rhun, the Strathclydeking. Because of the Norse threat to Iona, the burial place of StColumba (an Irish Scot who brought Christianity to Alba), he removed thesaint''s relics to a new church which he founded in Pictland at Dunkeld,Perthshire. However, Iona continued to be the burial place of Scottishkings even after St Columba''s relics were moved, until the eleventhcentury. Kenneth died in 858 at Forteviot, near Perth, probably of atumour. [Royal]