Kenneth II MACMALCOLM King Of Scotland ²²⁹⁶

   FamilySearch ID: LZF6-M94

  General Notes:

LifeSketch
Kenneth II of King of Alba was also known as Cináed mac Maíl Coluim, Coinneach mac Mhaoil Chaluim, Kenneth An Fionnghalach, and Kenneth the Fratricide; His date of birth is not known, he died in 995). The son of Malcolm I (Máel Coluim mac Domnaill), he succeeded King Cuilén (Cuilén mac Iduilb) on the latter's death at the hands of Rhydderch ap Dyfnwal in 971.

In 973 Kenneth II, along with many other kings, acknowledged Edgar, King of England as his lord in return for recognition that he held Lothian, which he had seized from the Angles. In about 994, he broke his promise and invaded England. He was defeated and lost Lothian again. He killed Culen (the prior king's brother)in 977 and was himself killed in a blood feud by Culen's son, Constantine, who became the next king of Scotland.

According to John of Fordun (14th century), Kenneth II of Scotland (reigned 971-995) attempted to change the succession rules, allowing "the nearest survivor in blood to the deceased king to succeed", thus securing the throne for his own descendants. He reportedly did so to specifically exclude Constantine (III) and Kenneth (III), These two conspired against Kenneth and succeeded in causing his death.

The name of Kenneth's mother and the name of his wife are not known.

Children:
- Malcolm II (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda) later king of Alba; confirmed son of Kenneth II
- Dúngal or Gille Coemgáin, possible 2nd son

Sometimes considered sons of Kenneth II but more likely to be the sons of Kenneth III (Cináed mac Duib)
- Boite mac Cináeda
- Suibne mac Cináeda, a king of the Gall Gaidheil

A King of the united Picts and Scots (from 971), Kenneth II was a son of Malcolm I. He succeeded Culen, another great-great-grandson of Kenneth I and reigned from 971-95. He began his reign by ravaging the Britons, but his name is also included among a group of northern and western kings said to have made submission to the Anglo-Saxon King Edgar in 973. Shortly after this, some say, Kenneth received from Edgar Lothian, the area between the Tweed and Forth rivers. This is a very early, if not the first, mention of the River Tweed as the recognised border between England and Scotland.
Kenneth II was a patron of the church at Brechin. He was killed at Fettercairn in the Mearns, apparently by his own subjects. Later stories relate that the daughter of the Thane of Angus arranged a lethal booby trap, in revenge for the death of her only son.
Scotland.org.uk/king-queens-of-scotland/kenneth-2

Kenneth married McALPIN. (McALPIN was born about 936 in , , , Scotland ²²⁹⁶.)