Cináed mac Maíl Coluim (before 954 –
995) (
Anglicised Kenneth MacMalcolm) was
King of Alba. The son of
Máel Coluim mac Domnaill, he succeeded
Cuilén mac Iduilb on the latter's death at the hands of
Amdarch of Strathclyde in 971.
The
Chronicle of the Kings of Alba was compiled in Cináed's reign, but many of the place names mentioned are entirely corrupt, if not fictitious. Whatever the reality, the Chronicle states that "[h]e immediately plundered <nowiki>[</nowiki>
Strathclyde<nowiki>]</nowiki> in part. Kenneth's infantry were slain with very great slaughter in Moin Uacoruar." The Chronicle further states that Cináed plundered
Northumbria three times, first as far as Stainmore, then to
Cluiam and lastly to the
River Dee by
Chester. These raids may belong to around 980, when the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle records attacks on
Cheshire.
In 973, the
Chronicle of Melrose reports that Cináed, with
Máel Coluim mac Domnaill, the
King of Strathclyde, "Maccus, king of very many islands" (i.e. the
King of Man and the Isles Magnus Haraldsson, called Maccus mac Arailt) and other kings,
Welsh and
Norse, came to
Chester to acknowledge the overlordship of the English king
Edgar. It may be that Edgar here regulated the frontier between the southern lands of the kingdom of Alba and the northern lands of his English kingdom.
Cumbria was English, the western frontier lay on the
Solway. In the east, the frontier lay somewhere in later
Lothian, south of
Edinburgh.
The
Annals of Tigernach, in an aside, name three of the
Mormaers of Alba in Cináed's reign in entry in 976: Cellach mac Fíndgaine, Cellach mac Baireda and Donnchad mac Morgaínd. The third of these, if not an error for Domnall mac Morgaínd, is very likely a brother of Domnall, and thus the
Mormaer of Moray. The Mormaerdoms or kingdoms ruled by the two Cellachs cannot be identified.
The feud which had persisted since the death of
Idulb mac Causantín between his descendants and Cináed's family persisted. In 977 the
Annals of Ulster report that "Amlaíb mac Iduilb, i.e. King of Scotland, was killed by Cináed mac Domnaill." The
Annals of Tigernach give the correct name of Amlaíb's killer: Cináed mac Maíl Coluim. Thus, even if only for a short time, Cináed mac Maíl Coluim had been overthrown by the brother of the previous king.
Adam of Bremen tells that
Sweyn Forkbeard found in exile in Scotland at this time, but whether this was with Cináed, or one of the other kings in Scotland, is unknown. Also at this time,
Njal's Saga, the
Orkneyinga Saga and other sources recount wars between "the Scots" and the Northmen, but these are more probably wars between
Sigurd Hlodvisson, Earl of Orkney, and the Mormaers, or Kings, of Moray.
The Chronicle says that Cináed founded a great monastery at
Brechin.
Cináed was killed in 995, the
Annals of Ulster say "by deceit" and the
Annals of Tigernach say "by his subjects". Some later sources, such as the
Chronicle of Melrose,
John of Fordun and
Andrew of Wyntoun provide more details, accurately or not. The simplest account is that he was killed by his own men in
Fettercairn, through the treachery of Finnguala (or Fimberhele) daughter of
Cuncar, Mormaer of Angus, in revenge for the killing of her only son.
The
Prophecy of Berchán adds little to our knowledge, except that it names Cináed "the kinslayer" states he died in
Strathmore.
Cináed's son
Máel Coluim was later king of Alba. Cináed may have had a second son, named either Dúngal or Gille Coemgáin. Sources differ as to whether
Boite mac Cináeda should be counted a son of this Cináed or of Cináed mac Duib.
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