Page 52 - All About History 58 - 2017 UK

The Real Macbeth

A major flaw in Malcolm’s plan, though, was
that there is no evidence of him actually fathering
a son, only daughters. Instead, his grandson
Duncan would inherit his crown, becoming
Duncan I. This is the supposedly good king
Macbeth betrays in Shakespeare’s play.
The kingdom of Moray was ruled by a mormaer,
meaning high steward, and was the position held
by Macbeth’s father Findlaech, or Findley. This
means Macbeth’s name was quite unusual. ‘Mac’
usually means ‘son of’ — like ‘Macduff’ would
mean ‘son of Duff’ — but as Macbeth’s father was
called Findley his name meant ‘son of life’. In later
life, Macbeth would be known by another name,
‘The furious Red One’, presumably given for his
prowess on the blood-splattered battlefield.
Despite Malcolm II being the high king, Findley
clearly didn’t respect him as he sent a constant
stream of raiding parties into his territory. This
outward show of aggression was tempered by
an internal feud when Findley was usurped and Lady Macbeth does not seem to
have anything in common with
murdered by his nephew Gille Coemgáin. The Macbeth’s real wife, Gruoch
new ruler of Moray would then go on to marry
a Scottish princess, Gruoch — from the line of ward. This is one of the few examples of Macbeth of the kings before him had taken the throne
Kenneth III, who Malcolm had killed to assume displaying the sort of underhandedness that by brute force. In fact, violent succession was so
power. As well as inheriting Moray, their son Shakespeare would make him synonymous with. commonplace in Scotland at the time that Duncan
Lulach could make a claim for the high kingship. No sooner was Macbeth king of Moray, he had I’s peaceful coronation was somewhat of an oddity.
While this might have placed the boy in to look to his northern borders to combat the Aside from having killed Duncan, Macbeth
Malcolm’s crosshair, Macbeth got in the way. growing power of Earl Thorfinn the Mighty. The could also claim lineage to the Scottish throne
Findley’s son wanted to retake Moray. In 1032, Norse Orkneyinga Saga names Karl Hundason as through his mother’s bloodline and, of course,
Gille Coemgáin and 50 or so of his followers were the king of Scots and relates Thorfinn’s struggles his stepson Lulach. His claim was strong enough
locked in a hall that was set alight, roasting all with him to assert his control over that he was crowned with no
those inside. While there is some ambiguity as to the northernmost points of Scotland, “MANY OF opposition. After his death,
who ordered the killing, Macbeth stood as the one namely Caithness and Sutherland. Duncan’s son — another Malcolm —
to benefit most. The fire saw Macbeth’s opposition Hundason has been suggested to THE KINGS would flee the country.
die gruesomely and he now stood as uncontested be Macbeth, although the reason BEFORE HIM Once king, Macbeth faced very
ruler in Moray. Shrewdly, Macbeth also married for the ambiguity is unknown. little opposition for much of his
Gillecomgáin’s widow and took her son as his If true, Macbeth failed to take HAD TAKEN reign. However, having clashed
away Thorfinn’s positions on the with the Jarl of Orkney as the
A 17th-century portrait of mainland, but as the Norse jarl got THE THRONE ruler of Moray, his kingship was
Macbeth. No authentic his nickname from his massive frame contested in 1045 by Duncan I’s
depiction of the king survives
and skill in battle, he may have been BY BRUTE father, Crinán, abbot of Dunkeld.
out of his league. This powerful man could have
When Duncan took the crown FORCE” been a real thorn in Macbeth’s side,
in 1034, Macbeth may have seen a but after a brief and violent struggle
chance to extend his sphere of influence and gain Crinán and 180 of his men lay dead. This was not
the throne of all of Scotland. Duncan was seen an age of pitched battles in Scotland and many
as an ineffectual ruler, being described as “a man of the conflicts fought by Macbeth would have
promoted well beyond his station” — a far cry from been on a much smaller scale to, say, the Battle
the fearsome Malcolm II. Our understanding of of Hastings, which was fought in 1066 — about a
Duncan’s reign as peaceful comes largely from decade after his death.
the play, but it seems that Shakespeare cherry- Crinán’s rebellion was Malcolm II’s bloodline
picked the good aspects and left out the drudgery trying to reassert itself and place the future
to better place the king as a counterpoint to Malcolm III on the throne. Just as in the play,
Macbeth’s tyranny and ambition. Macbeth had won the crown by bloodshed and the
Duncan I met his end at Macbeth’s hand, but dead were coming back to haunt him.
the deed was not done in the dead of night in a However, after seeing this rebellion off, Macbeth
bedchamber. The two met on the battlefield in did something no other king of Scotland had ever
1040, near Elgin, and Duncan was slain. Whether done: he went on a pilgrimage to Rome. This
it was Macbeth who did the deed is unknown, journey could have taken months, so this meant
but some poetic licence can see this confrontation he must have been confident enough in the
being a dramatic showdown. strength and stability of his reign that he did not
The British Isles have a history of royal usurpers fear usurpation. Macbeth was invited to a papal
and Macbeth certainly fits the category. Many jubilee hosted by Pope Leo IX.
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