List of kings of the Picts

The list of kings of the Picts is based on the Pictish Chronicle king lists. These are late documents and do not record the dates when the kings reigned. The various surviving lists disagree in places as to the names of kings, and the lengths of their reigns. A large portion of the lists, not reproduced here, belongs with the Caledonian or Irish mythology. The latter parts of the lists can largely be reconciled with other sources.

Pictish kings

Pictish kings ruled in northern and eastern Scotland. In 843 tradition records the replacement of the Pictish kingdom by the Kingdom of Alba, although the Irish annals continue to use Picts and Fortriu for half a century after 843. The king lists are thought to have been compiled in the early 8th century, probably by 724, placing them in the reigns of the sons of Der-Ilei, Bridei and Nechtan.
Irish annals refer to some kings as king of Fortriu or king of Alba. The kings listed are thought to represent overkings of the Picts, at least from the time of Bridei son of Maelchon onwards. In addition to these overkings, many less powerful subject kings existed, of whom only a very few are known from the historical record.
Mythical kings of the Picts are listed in the Lebor Bretnach's account of the origins of the Cruithne. The list begins with Cruithne son of Cing, who is reported to be "father of the Picts". The account of the Pictish Chronicle then splits into four lists of names:

The first is a list of the sons of Cruithne;
The second is a list of early kings with no distinguishing information other than dates;
The third is another list of early kings with neither stories nor dates, all of whom have two names that begin with "Brude". It is possible that "Brude" is an ancient title for "king" from another source, which was misinterpreted as a name by the compiler ;
The fourth is a list of later kings. The first of these to be attested in an independent source is Galam Cennalath.

The dates given here are drawn from early sources unless specifically noted otherwise. The relationships between kings are less than certain and rely on modern readings of the sources.

Names

Orthography is problematic. Cinioch, Ciniod and Cináed all represent ancestors of the modern Anglicised name Kenneth. Pictish "uu", sometimes printed as "w", corresponds with Gaelic "f", so that Uuredach is the Gaelic Feredach and Uurguist the Gaelic Fergus, or perhaps Forgus. As the Dupplin Cross inscription shows, the idea that Irish sources Gaelicised Pictish names may not be entirely accurate.

Kings of the Picts

Colouring indicates groups of kings presumed to be related.

Early kings

Early historical kings

The first king who appears in multiple early sources is Bridei son of Maelchon, and kings from the later 6th century onwards may be considered historical as their deaths are generally reported in Irish sources.

Reign	Ruler	Other names	Family	Remarks
550–555	Galam	Galam Cennalath		The death of "Cennalaph, king of the Picts" is recorded, may have ruled jointly with Bridei son of Maelchon
554–584	Bridei I	Bridei son of Maelchon Brude son of Melcho		His death and other activities are recorded, he is named in Adomnán's Life of Saint Columba; the first Pictish king to be more than a name in a list
584–595	Gartnait II	Gartnait son of Domelch, Gernard son of Dompneth
595–616	Nechtan II	Nechtan grandson of Uerb Nechtan son of Cano		His reign is placed in the time of Pope Boniface IV
616–631	Cinioch	Cinioch son of Lutrin Kinet son of Luthren
631–635	Gartnait III	Gartnait son of Uuid	son of Gwid son of Peithan?
635–641	Bridei II	Bridei son of Uuid or son of Fochle	son of Gwid son of Peithan?
641–653	Talorc III	Talorc son of Uuid or son of Foth	son of Gwid son of Peithan?
653–657	Talorgan I	Talorgan son of Eanfrith	son of Eanfrith of Bernicia
657–663	Gartnait IV	Gartnait son of Donnel or son of Dúngal
663–672	Drest VI	Gartnait son of Donnel or son of Dúngal

Later historical kings

Kings of the Picts 839–848 (not successively)

The deaths of Eógan and Bran appear to have led to a large number of competitors for the throne of Pictland.

Reign	Ruler	Other names	Family	Remarks
839–842	Uurad	Uurad son of Bargoit	Unknown	Said to have reigned for three years, probably named on the Drosten Stone
842–843	Bridei VI	Bridei son of Uurad	Possibly the son of the previous king	Said to have reigned one year
843	Ciniod II		Possibly the brother of the previous king	Said to have reigned one year in some lists
843–845	Bridei VII	Brudei son of Uuthoi	Unknown	Said to have reigned two years in some lists
845–848	Drest X	Drest son of Uurad	As previous sons of Uurad	Said to have reigned three years in some lists; the myth of MacAlpin's treason calls the Pictish king Drest
848– 13 February 858	Kenneth MacAlpin		Unknown, but his descendants made him a member of the Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata	Conquered Pictland in the year 843 AD and was crowned at Scone, the First King of Scots

Kings of the Picts traditionally counted as King of Scots

defeated the rival kings, winning out by around 845–848. He is traditionally considered the first "King of Scots", or of "Picts and Scots", allegedly having conquered the Picts as a Gael, which is turning history back to front. As most modern scholars point out, he was actually "King of Picts", and the terms "King of Alba" and the even later "King of Scots" were not used until several generations after him.

Reign	Ruler	Other names	Family	Remarks
Died 13 February 858	Kenneth MacAlpin	Ciniod son of Elphin Cináed mac Ailpín Coinneach mac Ailpein Cenioyth Ceniod	Unknown, but his descendants made him a member of the Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata
Died 862	Domnall	Domnall mac Ailpín Dòmhnall mac Ailpein Donald MacAlpin Donald I	Brother of Cináed
Died 877	Causantín	Causantín mac Cináeda Còiseam mac Choinnich Constantín mac Cináeda Constantine I	Son of Cináed
Died 878	Áed	Áed mac Cináeda Aodh mac Choinnich Aedth Edus	Son of Cináed
Deposed 889?	Eochaid		Son of Rhun ap Arthgal, and maternal grandson of Cináed	Associated with Giric. Could have shared kingship with Giric, either as an equal partner or adversary. Could have also reigned as King of Strathclyde
Deposed 889?	Giric	Giric mac Dúngail Griogair mac Dhunghail "Mac Rath"	Cináed's daughter's son?	Associated with Eochaid
Died 900	Domnall	Domnall mac Causantín Dòmhnall mac Chòiseim Donald II "Dásachtach"	Son of Causantín mac Cináeda	Last to be called "king of the Picts"

King of Alba

Reign	Ruler	Other names	Family	Remarks
Abdicated 943, died 952	Causantín	Causantín mac Áeda Còiseam mac Aoidh Constantine II	Son of Áed mac Cináeda	First king of Alba, the kingdom that later became known as "Scotland".