Dub mac Maíl Coluim, often anglicized as Duff MacMalcolm Niger, also known as "the Black," was a significant figure in Scottish history. He lived and reigned over certain black divisions in Scotland.
Cináed mac Duib, anglicized as Kenneth III, nicknamed An Donn, "the Chief" or "the Brown," reigned as King of Scots from 997 to 1005. He was the son of Dub (Dub mac Maíl Coluim), otherwise known as Kenneth Niger or the black.
His line of Kings descending from King Kenneth Dubh was known as the “sons of the black.”
The father of Kenneth III was known as “the black”, while Kenneth himself was known as “the brown”. Probably because he was mixed blood or probably because he was lighter in complexion than his father. Whatever may be that answer, it is clear that Kenneth Dub and Kenneth III were darker in complexion than what represents itself as the Scots of today.
The Reign of Kenneth III
Cináed mac Duib (Kenneth III) was King of Scots from 997 to 1005. Kenneth was known as the ‘Donn’ meaning the brown-haired.
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He succeeded to the throne perhaps after killing his cousin Constantine III (reigned 995-997); he was himself killed at Monzievaird by Malcolm (son of Kenneth II), who became Malcolm II.
The only event reported in Kenneth’s reign is the killing of Dúngal mac Cináeda by Gille Coemgáin mac Cináeda, by the Annals of the Four Masters s.a. 999. It is not certain that this refers to events in Scotland, and whether one or both were sons of this Kenneth, or of Cináed mac Maíl Coluim, or some other person or persons, is not known.
Kenneth had a son called Giric, to confirm him as the next King in line Kenneth made Giric a joint King or legh-righ. He was trying to go against the laws of tranisty and ensure that Giric was his successor.
Succession and Legacy
Kenneth was the last king of Scotland to succeed to the throne through the tanistry system, whereby the succession was shared between two family lines and the dying king named his successor from the other family line. This system led to constant struggle between the ruling families and was abandoned.
Malcolm II took to the throne and proceeded to hunt down and kill all of Kenneth II’s male descendants. However, he did not succeed and the line of Kenneth III was not totally extinguished.
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His grand-daughter Gruoch ngen Boite meic Cináeda, (Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth) had a son called Lulach from her first marriage to Gillacomgain, Mormaer of Moray. Lulach succeeded to the throne on the death of his mother’s second husband, King MacBeth.
His first cousin Malcolm succeeded him and abolished the tanistry system by killing all of his male descendants. However Kenneth had a granddaughter, Gruoch, via his daughter Boite, whose first husband was Gillacomgain. They had a son called Lulach. She then married King Macbeth I of Scotland (becoming Lady Macbeth). On the death of Macbeth her son via her first marriage, Kenneth III’s great grandson, succeeded to the throne, to become King Lulach of Scotland.
Whether Boite mac Cináeda was a son of this Kenneth, or of Kenneth II, is uncertain, although most propose this Kenneth.
Boite's daughter, Gruoch (Gruoch ingen Boite meic Cináeda) - William Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth - was wife firstly of Gille Coemgáin, mormaer of Moray, and secondly of King Macbeth; her son by Gille Coemgáin, Lulach (Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin), succeeded Macbeth as King of Scotland.
The two rival branches of the family continued to fight for the right to the throne.
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Malcolm II managed to kill Kenneth III, it signified the triumph of his line. However, the rivalry between the two lines survived Kenneth III.
In 1033, Malcolm II killed a descendant of Kenneth III. Gruoch, another descendant of Kenneth III, was the consort of Macbeth, King of Scotland (reigned 1040-1057), whose rival Duncan I (reigned 1034-1040) was the grandson and heir of Malcolm II.
According to this history, the blood of Kenneth flows through the royal houses of Scotland.
Kenneth and his son Giric were both killed at Monzievaird, Tayside in 1005.
Kenneth III was killed in battle at Monzievaird in Strathearn by King Malcolm II (Máel Coluim mac Cináeda), which took place about 25 March 1005.
Clan MacDuff
A clan of Scots known as ‘the sons of the blacks’ (MacDub or MacDuib, MacDuff) succeeded him in history.
The theory that Clan MacDuff were descendants of Kenneth III was based on their close connection to royalty.
Andrew of Wyntoun reported that Malcolm III (reigned 1058-1093) had granted to a "MacDuff, thane of Fife" the privilege of enthroning the kings at their inauguration. John of Fordun has Malcolm III promise this same unnamed MacDuff that he will be the first man of the kingdom, second only to the King.
This unnamed MacDuff appears frequently in stories connected to the rise of Malcolm III to the throne and was later immortalised in the Shakespearean character Macduff.
The status of the successive heads of this clan as the "senior inaugural official" seems confirmed by records of the inauguration ceremonies of Alexander II (reigned 1214-1249) and Alexander III (reigned 1249-1286).
Earlier heads of this house "witnessed royal documents far more frequently" than other members of the nobility; their names were often listed first among the lay witnesses, ahead of both the native Scottish nobility and the Anglo-Norman nobles.
A number of 12th century heads of house served as justiciars of Scotia.
Their leaders were named Donnchadh (Duncan), Mael-Coluim (Malcolm), and Causantin (Constantine), names shared by the royal family, making a close relation to the reigning royal house likely.
Dynastic Conflicts
During the 10th century, there were dynastic conflicts in Scotland between two rival lines of royalty: one descended from Causantín mac Cináeda (Constantine I, reigned 862-877), the other from his brother Áed mac Cináeda (reigned 877-878).
John of Fordun claims that Kenneth II of Scotland (reigned 971-995) attempted to establish new succession rules, which would limit the right to the throne to his own descendants, excluding all other claimants.
While Constantine III of Scotland (reigned 995-997) did manage to rise to the throne, he was the last known descendant of Áed.
One line descended from Kenneth II and was represented by his son Malcolm II. The other line descended from his brother Dub, King of Scotland (reigned 962-967) and was represented by Kenneth III.
Neither Constantine III nor Kenneth III were able to extend their control to Cumbria, which likely served as a stronghold and powerbase for Malcolm II. He was the legitimate heir according to the succession rules of Kenneth II.
The case of tanistry
The Enigmatic "Niger"
King Kenneth was also known as ‘Kenneth the Niger’ or Kenneth Dubh, a surname which means ‘the black man’. It is a matter of history that many seafaring warriors were North African, travelled via Iberia into Europe, and joined in many cultures and held power and position.
Niger Val Dubh lived and reigned over certain black divisions in Scotland, and some histories state that a race known as ‘the sons of the blacks’ succeeded him.
Whether Dubh meant black or dark, as in north-African / southern-European, we may never know for sure.
Kenneth III: A Summary
Here's a table summarizing key information about Kenneth III:
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Cináed mac Duib (Kenneth III), An Donn ("the Chief" or "the Brown") |
| Reign | 997 - 1005 |
| Predecessor | Constantine III |
| Successor | Malcolm II |
| Father | Dub (Dub mac Maíl Coluim) |
| Death | c. 25 March 1005 at Monzievaird |
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