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The MacAlpin dynasty, which ruled Scotland throughout the Dark Ages, united the warring races of Picts and Scots as one nation. Early Scottish Kings were appointed by the Celtic system of tanistry, a tanist or tanaise (literally the expected one) the successor to the King, was not neccesarily his eldest son, but was designated from among a group of his kindred, chosen during the life of the reigning King. This pattern of succession can be previously discerned amongst the ancient Kings of Dalraida. The House of MacAlpin continued to occupy the Scottish throne for the next two hundred years, which was marked by bitter dynastic conflict over tanist successors between rival branches of the dynasty.
The royal succession in Celtic Scotland was limited strictly to the elective agnatic or male line of the Siol Alpein or House of Alpin until the accession of King Malcolm II in 1005.
Tanistry -
The Tanist was chosen from among the heads of the roydammna or "righdamhna" (literally, those of kingly material) or alternatively among all males of the sept in question, and elected by them in full assembly. The eligibility was based on patrilineal relationship, which meant the electing body and the eligibles were agnates with each other; actually the composition and the governance of the clan were built upon male-line descent from a similar ancestor.
The tanistry rule of succession. With this law, the king was elected from the pool of nobles of the royal family, instead of the automatic inheritance of the eldest son. The system ultimately resulted in continuous conspiracy and intrigue for power.
The Tanist was chosen from among the heads of the roydammna or "righdamhna" (literally, those of kingly material) or alternatively among all males of the sept in question, and elected by them in full assembly. The eligibility was based on patrilineal relationship, which meant the electing body and the eligibles were agnates with each other; actually the composition and the governance of the clan were built upon male-line descent from a common ancestor. The office existed since the dawn of recorded history in Ireland, and probably greatly pre-dates it.
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The 19th century historian W. F. Skene named the clan as one of the seven clans of Siol Alpin—who according to Skene could all trace their ancestry back to Alpin, father of Cináed (Kenneth) MacAlpín.
Genealogy according to Skene's 1467 manuscript
In the early 19th century, Skene found and transcribed a 15th century Gaelic mansucript which gave the genealogies of many Highland clans. He first published his transcriptions and translations of it in the early 19th century Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, and later with revisions in the late 19th century—in his chief work Celtic Scotland. Today the manuscript, which Skene named MS 1450 and later 1467 MS, is stored in the National Library of Scotland (Adv. MS 72.1.1). The manuscript was written by Dubhghall Albanach mac mhic Cathail, in 1467 at Ballybothy, Co Tipperary.[48] The following is Skene's versions of the genealogy attributed to the chiefs of Clan Macfie in the manuscript; first as in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis secondly as in Celtic Scotland.
“ Donald, Niell, and Malcolm the three sons of Gillespic son of ...... son of Gilchrist son of Malcolm son of Dugald mor son of Duffie son of Murdoch son of Finlay the rash, son of Murdoch son of Ferchar son of Cormac son of Oirbertaigh son of Ferchar fada son of Feredach.[49] ”
—Collectanea de rebus albanicis
“ Donald and Niall and Malcolm the three sons of, Gillespic son of, Gillchrist son of, Malcolm son of, Dougall mor son of, Dubshithe son of, Murdoch son of, Finlaech cas son of, Murdoch son of, Ferchard son of, Cormac son of, Airbertach son of, Feradach.[50] ”
—Celtic Scotland
According to Skene in Collectanea de Rebus Albanicis, the Donald first mentioned may be the Donald MacDuffie who is recorded as witnessing a charter by John, Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles in 1463.[49] In Celtic Scotland, Skene thought it was possible the mentioned Duffie/Dubshithe was identical to the lector of Iona recorded in 1164 within the Irish annals.[51]
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William Forbes Skene (7 June 1809 – 29 August 1892), Scottish historian and antiquary, was the second son of Sir Walter Scott's friend, James Skene (1775–1864), of Rubislaw, near Aberdeen.
He was educated at Edinburgh Academy in Edinburgh and at the University of St Andrews, taking an especial interest in the study of Celtic philology and literature. In 1832, he became a Writer to the Signet (WS), and shortly afterwards obtained an official appointment in the bill department of the Court of Session, which he held until 1865. His early interest in the history and antiquities of the Scottish Highlands bore its first fruit in 1837, when he published The Highlanders of Scotland, their Origin, History and Antiquities.
In 1847, during the Highland Potato Famine, he was appointed Secretary to the Central Board for Highland Relief. In this position he worked closely with Sir Charles Trevelyan, Assistant Secretary to the Treasury.
His chief work, however, is his Celtic Scotland, a History of Ancient Alban (5 vols., Edinburgh, 1876-1880), perhaps the most important contribution to Scottish history written during the 19th century. In 1879 he was made a Doctor of Civil Law (DCL) of the University of Oxford, and in 1881 Historiographer Royal for Scotland. He died in Edinburgh on August 29, 1892.
The most important of Skene's other works are: editions of John of Fordun's Chronica genus Scotorum (Edinburgh, 1871–1872); of the Four Ancient Books of Wales (Edinburgh, 1868); of the Chronicles of the Picts and Scots (Edinburgh, 1867); and of Adomnán's Vita S. Columbae (Edinburgh, 1874); an Essay on the Coronation Stone of Scone (Edinburgh, 1869); and Memorials of the Family of Skene of Skene (Aberdeen, 1887).
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