Cuilén mac Ildulb (
Modern Gaelic:
Cailean), sometimes anglicised as
Culen or
Colin, and nicknamed
An Fionn, "the White" (died 971) was
king of Scotland (
Alba) from 967 to 971. He was one of three known sons of
King Indulf (Ildulb mac Causantín), the others being
Amlaíb and Eochaid.
It is supposed that Cuilén was implicated in the death of his predecessor Dub (Dub mac Maíl Coluim), who had defeated Cuilén in battle in 965.
The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba reports several events in the reign of Cuilén. It says that Marcan son of Breodalaig (or Breodalach) was killed in Lothian, that Cellach, Bishop of Cennrígmonaid and Máel Brigte, also a Bishop, died. Other reported deaths include Domnall mac Cairill and Máel Brigte mac Dubacain, the identities of whom are unknown, but they must evidently have been important men. Máel Brigte might be a son of the Dubacan mac Indrechtaig, Mormaer of Angus, who was killed at the Battle of Brunanburh in 937. Finally, we are told that Leot and Sluagadach went to Rome, presumably on church business.
In 971 Cuilén, along with his brother Eochaid, was killed in a hall-burning in Lothian by Amdarch, a prince of Strathclyde. The killing was said to be revenge for Cuilén's rape of Amdarch's daughter. The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba does not say that he was buried on Iona, but the report of Dub's death makes it clear that this was likely the case.
Cuilén was succeeded by Dub's brother Kenneth II (Cináed mac Maíl Coluim), who was driven from the throne for a short time in the later 970s by Cuilén's brother Amlaíb. Cuilén's son Constantine III (Causantín mac Cuilén) was later king.
Notes
References
For primary sources see also External links below.
Anderson, Alan Orr, Early Sources of Scottish History A.D. 500–1286, volume 1. Reprinted with corrections. Paul Watkins, Stamford, 1990. ISBN 1-871615-03-8
Duncan, A.A.M., The Kingship of the Scots 842–1292: Succession and Independence. Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2002. ISBN 0-7486-1626-8
Smyth, Alfred P. Warlords and Holy Men: Scotland AD 80-1000. Reprinted, Edinburgh: Edinburgh UP, 1998. ISBN 0-7486-0100-7
External links
CELT: Corpus of Electronic Texts at University College Cork includes the Annals of Ulster, Tigernach, the Four Masters and Innisfallen, the Chronicon Scotorum, the Lebor Bretnach (which includes the Duan Albanach), Genealogies, and various Saints' Lives. Most are translated into English, or translations are in progress.
(CKA) The Chronicle of the Kings of Alba
Category:10th-century births
Category:971 deaths
Category:971 crimes
Category:Scottish monarchs
Category:Murdered monarchs
Category:Medieval Gaels
Category:House of Alpin
Category:10th-century Scottish people
Category:10th-century monarchs in Europe
Category:Burials at Iona
Category:Scottish murder victims
