Malcolm III of Scotland

In 1040 his father was killed in battle by his cousin Macbeth I of Scotland who became the new king. Malcolm found refuge in England under the protection of King Hardicanute of Denmark and England. In 1042 Hardicanute died and was succeeded to the throne of England by his cousin King Edward the Confessor. In 1053 Edward finally agreed to help Malcolm gain the throne of Scotland by offering him an army. Malcolm's invasion of Scotland started in the same year. Malcolm found support from the nobles of Southern Scotland. He managed to kill first Macbeth in 1057 and then his successor King Lulach I of Scotland in 1058. He then succeeded Lulach as king. He was crowned at Scone Abbey[?], Perthshire, on April 25, 1058.

He agreed on an alliance with England, sealed by his (second) marriage to Saint Margaret, Edgar Atheling's sister. During his reign Scotland fell under the influence of England. The Lowlands of Scotland started speaking a Middle English dialect and adopting English habits (whatever that means). Possibly as a result of Margaret's influence, the Catholic church gained a stronger presence in Scotland at the expense of the Celtic Church. Malcolm unsuccessfully tried to stop this influence by having wars with the Norman kings of England after 1066. In 1072 he was forced to give on oath of subservience to William I of England. His war against William II of England in 1093 only led to the loss of Scottish territory to England. Malcolm died on November of the same year in a battle against William's army. He was succeeded by his brother Donald III of Scotland.

Malcolm established the Dunkeld dynasty which ruled Scotland from 1058 until 1286. Four of his sons later became kings of Scotland, whilst a fifth (Edmund) ruled as co-ruler of Scotland with his uncle Donald III. His daughter Edith married Henry I of England in 1100. She became known as Mathilda[?] after her marriage.