Indulf, son of Constantine II, was King of Alba (Scotland) from 954-962. It is symptomatic of the Scandinavian authority in Scotland at the time that his name and that of his two sons Olaf and Culen were Norse in origin.
Indulf’s reign marked a period of renewed Viking aggression and there are some records of the destruction of a Viking fleet by Indulf at Cullen, Banffshire. Some sources, which may be unreliable, said that he had been King of Strathclyde in the reign of his predecessor (Malcolm I).
Edinburgh retaken
The Chronicles of the Kings of Alba said, “In his time oppidium Eden (Edinburgh) was evacuated, and abandoned to the Scots right up to the present day.” Some sources have this retaking of Edinburgh from the Northumbrians (lost after the Battle of Brunanburh) as a single event, others have it as part of a longer and wider process.
Killed by a Norse host
Unsurprisingly the place of his death is also a matter of debate. Professor Dauvit Broun of Glasgow University says, “He was killed in 962 by a Norse host at Invercullen, probably Cowie near Stonehaven (which was important strategically) or Cullen Banffshire. He may be buried on the Island of Iona.
Indulf was succeeded by Dubh, son of Malcolm I.
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.
