Artgal of Alt Clut

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Artgal of Alt Clut (d. 872) was the ruler of Alt Clut (the area around modern Dumbarton Rock), for some time in the mid ninth century. According to the Harleian genealogies, he was the son of Dumnagual, probably one of his predecessors as king.[1] Artgal's reign is notable in that he is the first certain king of Alt Clut since Dumnagual III of Alt Clut a century before. It is also notable because both the Welsh and Gaelic annals report the siege and sack of Alt Clut in 870.[2] The siege lasted four months, and led to the destruction of the citadel.[3] Artgal was probably taken to Dublin as a prisoner. The Annals of Ulster report that he "was killed at the instigation of Causantín mac Cináeda" in 872.[4] The same entry styles him "rex Britanorum Sratha Cluade", i.e. "King of the Britons of Strathclyde", the first documented use of the term Strathclyde. Causantín married his sister to Artgal's son, Run, perhaps inaugurating the association between the British kingdom and Alpinid dynasty of Alba, which would lead to the former kingdom's subordination to the latter kingdom.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Harleian genealogy of the Kings of Alt Clut, here.
  2. ^ Annales Cambriae, s.a. 870, here; Annals of Ulster, s.a. 870.6, here
  3. ^ Alan MacQuarrie, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 12-13.
  4. ^ AU 872.5, here.

[edit] References

  • MacQuarrie, Alan, "The Kings of Strathclyde", in A. Grant & K.Stringer (eds.) Medieval Scotland: Crown, Lordship and Community, Essays Presented to G.W.S. Barrow, (Edinburgh, 1993), pp. 1-19

[edit] External links

Regnal titles
Preceded by
Dumnagual?		 King of Alt Clut
d. 872		 Succeeded by
?Run