Macbeth, King of Scotland
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Macbeth or MacBeth | |
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King of Scots | |
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Reign | August 17th 1040 - August 17th 1057 |
Predecessor | Duncan I[1] |
Successor | Lulach[2] |
Born | c. 1005 |
Died | 17 August 1057 |
Spouse | Gruoch or Lady MacBeth[2] (as depicted by Shakespeare) |
Issue | Ferchar Og, prince of Scots (possibly) Lulach (stepson) |
Father | Finlay MacRoray |
Mother | Donalda, daughter of Malcolm II |
Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaích in Gaelic) was King of Scotland from 1040-1057.[2] William Shakespeare wrote a famous play about him called Macbeth. In the play, Macbeth is an evil king who murders his cousin so he can become king.[3]
Birth[change | change source]
Macbeth was born around 1005 in Morayshire, Scotland.[2] His name in Gaelic was "Mac Bethad mac Findlaích" (in modern Gaelic, it is MacBheatha mac Fhionnlaigh), meaning "son of life".[4] His father was Findláech mac Ruaidrí, Mormaer of Moray.[2] When Macbeth was born, he became Mormaer of Moray. Macbeth's mother, Donada, may have been Malcolm II's second daughter.[2]
Marriage[change | change source]
In 1032, before he became king, Macbeth married Gruoch of Scotland (called "Lady Macbeth" in English).[5] They remained married until his death in 1057. She died three years later, in 1060.[5]
Children[change | change source]
Macbeth may have had one child with Gruoch, but this is not certain. This child was Ferchar Og, Prince of Scots.[source?]
Macbeth did have a stepson, Lulach, who succeeded him as king but died in 1058.[6]
King of Scots[change | change source]
On 14 August 1040, Macbeth murdered his cousin King Duncan I in battle and was crowned King of Scotland.[1] His reign continued until 15 August 1050, when he was murdered in another battle.[7] Macbeth's stepson Lulach became king in his place.
In 1058, Lulachwas murdered in battle by his cousin Malcolm III, who then became king.
Burial[change | change source]
Macbeth's burial most likely took place soon after his death. He was buried in Iona, Scotland. This is a place where many kings have been buried, starting with the mythical first King of Scots, Kenneth MacAlpin.
Media[change | change source]
Macbeth is seen in a famous play by William Shakespeare, where he kills his cousin. In real life, Macbeth was more peaceful than this, though he did kill King Duncan I of Scotland.[1]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Johnson, Ben. "Duncan and MacBeth". Historic UK: The History and Heritage Accommodation Guide. Historic UK 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 "Macbeth (c. 1005 – 1057)". History: Historic Figures. BBC.
- ↑ Shakespeare, William (July 1, 2003). Macbeth. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0743477103.
- ↑ "Macbeth of Scotland". New World Encyclopedia. August 25, 2014.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Gruoch (fl. 1020 – 1054)". Women in World History: A Biographical Encyclopedia. Gale Research, Inc. 2002. ISBN 978-0787637361.
- ↑ "The House of Moray: Lulach 'The Simple,' 1057–1058". Scottish Monarchs. 2004.
- ↑ "Macbeth | king of Scots | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-04-13.