Lulach of Scotland

Infobox Monarch
name=Lulach ("Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin")
title=King of Scots


reign=1057–1058
coronation = August 1057, Scone
predecessor = Macbeth ("Mac Bethad mac Findlaích")
successor = Malcolm III ("Máel Coluim mac Donnchada")
heir =
issue = Máel Snechtai of Moray
royal house = Moray
date of birth=
place of birth=Moray, Scotland
date of death=death date|1058|3|17|df=y
place of death=near Huntly
place of burial=Iona ?
consort=name unknown
father=Gille Coemgáin mac Máil Brigti
mother=Gruoch ingen Boite

Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin (Modern Gaelic: "Lughlagh mac Gille Chomghain", ["Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin" is the Mediaeval Gaelic form.] known in English simply as Lulach, and nicknamed Tairbith, "the Unfortunate" [Skene, "Chronicles", p. 102.] and Fatuus, "the Simple-minded" or "the Foolish" [Anderson, "Early Sources", vol. i, p. 603.] (died 17 March 1058), was King of Scots between 15 August, 1057 and 17 March 1058.

He appears to have been a weak king, as his nicknames suggest. He does, however, have the distinction of being the first king of Scotland of whom there are coronation details available. He was crowned in August 1057 at Scone.

Lulach was the son of Gruoch of Scotland, from her first marriage to Gille Coemgáin, Mormaer of Moray, and thus the stepson of Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findlaích). Following the death in battle of Macbeth in 1057, the king's followers placed Lulach in the throne. Lulach ruled only for a few months before being assassinated and succeeded by Malcolm III (Máel Coluim mac Donnchada).

Lulach's son Máel Snechtai was Mormaer of Moray, while Óengus of Moray was the son of Lulach's daughter.

He is believed to be buried on Saint Columba's Holy Island of Iona in or around the monastery. The exact position of his grave is unknown.

A fictional version of Lulach appeared in the animated television series Gargoyles under the name Luach [sic] .

References