• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer

Truly Edinburgh

Your Guide to Edinburgh & beyond

  • Home
  • Site Index
  • Edinburgh
  • Whisky
  • Blog
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
  • History
    • Early Kings and Queens
    • Famous Scots in history
    • Scottish Borders
  • Write for us
Home » Early monarchs » King Aed (r. 877-878): a king in Scotland

King Aed (r. 877-878): a king in Scotland

Aed (Aed mac Cinaeda), also known as Aed the Furious or Whitefoot, was the second son of Kenneth mac Alpin (Kenneth I). He succeeded his brother of Constantine I, as king of the Scots and the Picts and reigned between 877 and 878.


As little is to be gleaned from the traditional sources almost nothing is known about Aed’s short reign. 

The Chronicles of the Kings of Alba, for example, says, “Edus held the same for one year.  The shortness of his reign has bequeathed nothing memorable to history.  He was slain in the civitas of Nruim” [unidentified]. 

King Giric & King Eochaid (r. 878-889)

The Annals of Ulster say simply that, “Aed mac Cinaeda, King of the Picts was killed by his associates.”

Battle of Strathallan

Professor Dauvit Broun of Glasgow University says in the Oxford Dictionary of Biography, that Aed’s death, at the Battle of Strathallan, may be attributed to Giric who, “may not have been of royal lineage.”

St Oran’s Chapel, Island of Iona

Aed – possible place on Iona
Was Aed buried on Iona?

Aed’s final resting place is also a matter of debate, although some traditional sources list his place of burial as Inverurie in modern Aberdeenshire.

Others cite the burial ground at St Oran’s Chapel on the Island of Iona.

Aed was succeeded by Giric mac Dungal who may have ruled with Eochaid, son of Rhun, King of Dumbarton.


The British Royal Family – more information

If your interest in British royalty goes beyond Scotland’s earliest kings and queens, see the official British Monarchy website for lots of additional information.

Find out more about some of the people and places associated with the kings and queens of Scotland

Mary queen of Scots: Crichton Castle

Crichton Castle: a brief history

Read moreCrichton Castle: a brief history

Huntingtower Castle: House of Ruthven

Read moreHuntingtower Castle: House of Ruthven
Dunfermline Abbey

Dunfermline Abbey and Palace

Read moreDunfermline Abbey and Palace

Sidebar

 Edinburgh
whisky in Edinburgh

Scotland’s History

Scottish castles

Gin In Edinburgh

gin in Edinburgh
  • Home
  • Site Index
  • Blog
  • Edinburgh
  • Whisky
  • About
    • Privacy
    • Contact
  • History
    • Early Kings and Queens
  • Write for us
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook

Copyright © 2024· Truly Edinburgh · All Rights Reserved