Gille Coemgáin of Moray

Gilla Coemgáin or Gillecomgan was the King or Mormaer of Moray, a semi-autonomous kingdom centred on Inverness that stretched across the north of Scotland. Unlike his two predecessors, he is not called King of Scotland in his death notice, but merely Mormaer. This has led to some speculation that he was never actually the ruler of Moray, but merely a subordinate of Mac Bethad mac Findláich. (Hudson p. 136).

In 1020, he participated in the killing of his uncle Findláech. The Annals of Ulster (s.a. 1032) reports that Gille Coemgáin was burned to death, together with 50 of his men. The perpetrators are not mentioned in any sources. From circumstances, two candidates have been proposed to have led the atrocity: Malcolm II of Scotland or Gille Coemgáin's cousin Mac Bethad, who then became the only ruler of Moray. Mac Bethad reportedly married Gille Coemgáin's widow, Gruoch - either as a conquered enemy widow or a widow of an ally and kinsman, depending on who was responsible for the murder. Both scenarios are entirely credible, knowing archaic medieval customs - nothing exculpatory can be concluded from the marriage, whereas the adoption of the stepson may be a weightier indication.

Gille Coemgáin was the father of Lulach, a future King of Scotland, fostered by Mac Bethad, whom he succeeded.

In fiction

In the animated series Gargoyles, Gille Coemgáin is referred to as Gillecomgain. As a boy, Gille Coemgáin surprises Demona prowling around one night in his family's barn, and is promptly slashed in the face by the female gargoyle, creating the generational line of "hunters" bent on destroying all gargoyles.^[1] As an adult, just as in medieval reality, Gille Coemgáin kills his uncle Findlaech of Moray, here under the orders of Duncan I of Scotland. Duncan rewards Gillecomgain by making him High Steward of Moray and marrying him to Gruoch.

Bibliography

• Hudson, Benjamin T., Kings of Celtic Scotland, (Westport, 1994)

References

External links

• Annals of Ulster
• Annals of Tigernach