Ildulb mac Causantín

Indulf, or rather Ildulb mac Causantín, was an early King of Scotland, known then by the Gaelic name Alba, who reigned between 954 and 962. Malcom was the son of Constantine II (Causantín mac Áeda) and great-grandson of Kenneth MacAlpin (Cináed mac Ailpín), who according to the national myth, was the first King of Scotland. Indulf was a member Clann Áeda meic Cináeda branch of the House of Alpin. He succeeded the throne following the death of his cousin, Malcolm I.

Like most of his kin, Indulf spent much of his reign fighting Vikings.

According to the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba, during his reign ‘oppidum Eden’, usually identified as Edinburgh, was evacuated by the Northumbrians and abandoned to the Scots. This is usually read as an indication that Lothian, or some large part of it, was captured by Indulf. This is possible, although it may also be possible that Edinburgh lay within the control of the Kings of Alba long before this and that Indulf’s gains were part of a longer process of conquest.
 
He died in 962, with the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba stating that he fell while fighting Vikings near Cullen at the Battle of Bauds while the Prophecy of Berchán claims that he died where his father died, which is probably the céli dé monastery of St Andrews. He was buried on Iona and succeeded by his cousin Dub, the son of his predecessor Malcom I. He had three sons, Cuilén, and Amlaíb and Eochaid. Cuilén would be king between 966 and 971 and Amlaíb between 971 / 976 and 977.

This scene was built by Dan Harris as part of a series of models on the Kings and Queens of Scotland. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see them first.