A history of the Highlands and of the Highland clans : with an ...

CHAPTER IV.
SCOTTISH PKRIOU, ANNO aW to 1097.
I'ictaTlau Kingdom— Attacks of the Danish VUsingr—Death of Kenneth Macalpln—
Defeat of the Danes by Constantine 111— Battles of Brunanbmg, of the Bands, and
of Liincarty— New Inroads of the Danes— Their defeat— Usuqiation of Macbeth
Slaliiilm Ceanmore— Accession of Donal-bane—Music and JIusical Instruments
of the Highlanders— Learning and Civilization^Chrouological Thale of the Scot-
tish Kings, Anno 84a— 1097.
The atcessiou of Kennetli, son of Ali)iii, to the Pirtish throne, led to
a union of the two crowns, or of two separate nations into one monarchy;
liut this union gave the Scots an ascendancy, which enabled them, after-
wards, to give their name to the whole of North Britain. The coali-
tion, or rather amalgamation of the Scots and Picts under one sovereign,
was greatly facilitated from their being of the same common origin,
and speaking respectively the Gaelic and British tongues, the differ-
ences between which were immaterial; for nothing tends more to keep
up a separation between the inhabitants of a country, than a marked
distinction in their language. The consolidation of the Scottish and
Pictish power, under the direction of one supreme Chief, enabled these
nations not only to repel foreign aggression, but afterwards to enlarge
their territories beyond the Forth, which had hitherto formed, for many
ages, the Pictish boundary on the south. Piclavia, or the country of
^he Picts, is said to have been anciently divided into six kingdoms or
states ; but, passing over these fictitious monarchies, we may observe,
that, at the time of the union in question, it consisted of the whole of
the territory north of the Forth, with the exception of that on the
western coast, extending from the Clyde on the south, to Lo(th-Ew
and Loch-Marce on the north, and from the sea on the west, to Drumalban
on the east ; which latter territory and the adjacent isles were
possessed by the Scots.
iVlthough the power of the tribes to the north of the Forth was greatly
augmented by the union which had taken place ; yet all the genius and
warlike energy of Kenneth were necessary to protect him and his people
from insult. Ragnor Lodbrog with his fierce Danes infested the country
round the Tay on the one side, and the Strathclyde Britons on the
other, wasted the adjoining territories, and burnt Dunblane. Yet
Kenneth overcame these embarrassments, and made frequent incursions
—