Donald I

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Donald I (d. 862), ‘king of the Picts’ (858–62) anachronistically regarded as second king of Scotland. Brother of Kenneth I, whom he succeeded on the latter's death of a tumour. Little is known of Donald's reign (which may have been untypically peaceful) except that he presided over an assembly of the Gaels at the royal centre of Forteviot (5 miles south of Perth). He died (probably) at ‘Rathinveramon’—probably a fort near Scone. He is not known to have had any children, and was succeeded by his nephew Constantine I—only the second occasion when a family had retained the kingship for more than a generation.

Dauvit Broun

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