Alexander I and David I

Alexander and David were the younger brothers of King Edgar and both served as king.

Alexander I

Alexander, who was known as the Fierce, ruled Scotland from 1107 until his death after being named heir by his brother Edgar. He was the fifth son of Malcom III and his second wife, Margaret of Wessex, the grandniece of Edward the Confessor.

Quick Facts:
Born:  1078
Died:  1124
Reign:  1107-1124
Parents: Malcom III and Margaret of Wessex
Predecessor:  Edgar
Successor:  David
Spouse: Sybilla of Normandy
Royal House:  Dunkeld

As King Edgar was unmarried and childless, he named his younger brother Alexander his heir and also instructed that their much younger brother David was provided for. Edgar’s will also granted David the lands of the former kingdom of Strathclyde and this was agreed in advance by Edgar, Alexander, David and their brother in law, Henry I of England. Throughout Alexander’s reign, David was known as Prince of the Cumbrians.

After being crowned, Alexander married Sybilla of Normandy, the illegitimate daughter of Henry I and also joined Henry on campaign in Wales against Gruffudd ap Cynan of Gwenydd. Sybillia died suddenly in 1122 and Alexander did not remarry, but it was noted that he had at least one illegitimate child who was later involved in a revolt against David I and spent much of his life in prison.

Alexander has been described as being a pious king, he was responsible for foundations at Scone and Incholm and also patronised Saint Andrews, granting land for a priory, which he intended to build to honour his wife. Despite his religious devotion, Alexander was known for being brutal on the battlefield, which is how he received the nickname “The Fierce”.

He died in April 1124 with his brother David at his side. As he had no legitimate children and David was already known as the Prince of the Cumbrians, he succeeded him.

David I

Quick facts: 
Born:  1084
Died:  1153
Reign:  1124-1153
Parents: Malcom III and Margaret of Wessex
Predecessor:  Alexander I
Successor:  Malcom IV
Spouse: Maud, Countess of Huntingdon
Children: Henry, the Earl of Northumberland, Hodiema, Claricia
Royal House:  Dunkeld

David I was known as Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and then later King of Scotland. He was the youngest son of Malcolm III and Margaret of Wessex. He spent most of his childhood in Scotland, but was exiled to England temporarily in the early 1090s. After spending a few years in England, he became a dependent at the court of King Henry I where he was influenced by Anglo-French culture.

On the death of his older brother Edgar, David was granted land in Scotland and received the title Prince of Cumbria. When his brother Alexander I died, he was named successor and with the backing of Henry I, took the kingdom of Scotland, despite opposition against him from his nephew, Alexander’s illegitimate son. It took around ten years for David to squash the rebellion, with his nephew being incarcerated for the rest of his life. Once David had gotten rid of his opposition, he was able to expand his control over more distant regions.

In the later part of 1113, Henry I gave David Matilda of Huntingdon as his wife. She was the daughter of the Earl of Northumberland and the heir to those lands. The territories that this marriage brought David, made him one of the most powerful magnates in the English kingdom, this allowed him to increase his income and manpower. Though the Earldom was technically defunct, on Henry’s death, David revived it and gave the Earldom to his son, also named Henry.

When Henry I died, he named his daughter, the Empress Matilda as his heir, however, she was usurped by her cousin Stephen of Blois, plunging Britain into a civil war which became known as the Anarchy. David supported the claims of Matilda and was drawn into the conflict against Stephen, allowing him to expand power in Northern England.

While fighting and attempting to dominate Northern England in the years following Henry’s death, David also continued to control land to the north of Scotland. He was somewhat successful, bringing Orkney back into Scottish rule. Before the December of Stephen’s first year as King, David occupied Carlisle, Wark, Alnick Northam and Newcastle. He would eventually be defeated in Durham, but would retain Carlisle.

David’s reign is known as the Davidian Revolution because of the great changes that took place in Scotland under his power. He founded a number of regional markets and introduced a similar government and feudalism structure to those used in England.

David’s plans to take most of northern England ended when his only son and heir died. It is reported that Henry, Earl of Northumberland had been suffering from a terminal illness and died under a year before his father too succumbed to illness. David, knowing that he didn’t have long left himself, quickly arranged for his grandson, Malcom IV to be his successor in Scotland and his younger grandson, William to take over the earldom. Young Malcolm was eleven when he was named heir and was placed under the care of one of Scotland’s senior magnates who would act as his regent.

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