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The eldest son of Aed, Constantine II had one of the longest reigns in early history.
Keeping the Danish invaders at bay, and securing his hold on Alba, Constantine II managed to break through the Clyde border into southern Scotland, which brought him face to face, and into conflict with the English Anglo-Saxons for the first time. Thus began the age old English / Scottish rivalry, with Constantine repelling the English raiders, and successfully foraying into English territory.
Un the succession of Constantine's brother Donald to the throne of Strathclyde, following the death of the last British King in 908, the House of Alpin's dominance of Scotland was complete.
In 904 the Norse in the northern regions finally withdrew their threat, after being defeated by Constantine. In 912 he turned his attention to the Scandinavians in the south, retreating northward in 915. This period of war ended in 927 when combined armies, united under the English,drove the Dane's out of Britain.
At this time Constantine Recognized the border between Scotland and England.
Peace reigned between the two kingdoms until King Athelstan of England invaded Scotland, and took Constantine's son hostage. Constantine struck back with a vengeance, but was defeated in 937, at Brunanburgh. The Scots were slaughtered, but Constantine managed to survive.Defeated and bruised he stopped fighting the English and spent more time defending against the re-angered Dane's, who were driving further north. In 943 having seen his armies defeated, and his kingdom reduced, he abdicated the throne to spend his remaining years in a monastery. Some say this was not by choice.
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Constantine II named his second cousin Malcolm as successor. In these days, It was deemed necessary for a new King to stamp his authority by waging war and gaining new boundaries. Malcolm did this well, and after allying with the English, he and his new found friends marched on to stamp out the Scandinavian threat from Ireland. But in 950, with a little persuasion from Monk Constantine, Malcolm moved into England and started taking their northern territories.
On his return from his crusade in 954, Malcolm found his own northerly regions in revolt and, in a brief conflict with them, was killed at Fordoun in the Mearns.
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Constantine II's son Indulf inherited the throne of Alba.
The usual pattern of English - Dane - Scott rivalry continued, and Indulf's main claim to fame was the capture of the fortress at Edinburgh - Dun Eden, defeating Edwin the Anglian. In 962 Indulf ceased to be King.
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King Dubh, son of Malcolm, is somewhat a mystery.
Indulf's son Culen twice fought for the right to be the king, the first time without success in the town of Atholl, the second time in 967 at Forres, in Moray, Dubh was killed and Culen became King.
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During his short-lived but warring reign Culen struck hard at the English in an attempt to recapture and claim Strathclyde as Scottish territory.
He killed king Rhiderch's brother and stole away the dead mans daughter, thereby claiming the land as his. Riderch was revenged in battle at Lothian by the slaying of Culen . This caused the throne to fall to Dubh's brother, Kenneth .
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