Battle of 839 (Disaster of 839)
Who Fought
Vikings versus a combined force of Picts (men of Fortriu) and Gaels of Dal Riata under Uuen son of Onuist
History & Significance
The Battle of 839, also known as the Disaster of 839 or the Picts’ Last Stand, was fought in 839 between Vikings and the Picts and Gaels. It was a decisive victory for the Vikings in which Uuen, the king of the Picts, his brother Bran and Aed son of Boanta, King of Dál Riata, were all killed. Their deaths led to the rise of Kenneth I and the formation of the Kingdom of Scotland, as well as the disappearance of Pictish identity. It has therefore been described as "one of the most decisive and important battles in British history."
Vikings had been raiding Britain since the late eighth century. In 793, the monastery at Lindisfarne was sacked. Iona Abbey was also repeatedly attacked by Vikings: In 802, the Annals of Ulster note that "Iona was burned by the heathens"; in 806 it states that "the community of Iona, to the number of sixty-eight, was killed by the heathens"; and in 825 the monk Blathmac was brutally killed during a Viking raid.
During this time the two main powers in northern Britain were the kingdoms of Pictland and Dál Riata. However, despite these coastal Viking raids, there are no recorded conflicts between these kingdoms and Vikings until 839.
"The heathens won a battle over the men of Fortriu and Uuen son of Onuist and Bran son of Onuist and Aed son of Boanta and others almost innumerable fell there."
The appearance of Aed along with "almost innumerable others" suggests that this was a large battle and probably the culmination of a campaign that had allowed Uuen enough time to gather a large force. Aed's appearance fighting alongside the men of Fortriu also suggests that he had given an oath of allegiance to Uuen and that the Kingdom of Dál Riata was under the dominion of the Picts.
The location of the battle is currently unknown. The record of the battle given in the Annals of Ulster does not mention any location; however, it is possible that it took place within Fortriu and probably close to the sea. Fortriu was the core territory of Pictland and was likely based around Moray and Easter Ross. Therefore, a possible location could be near the shores of the Moray Firth.
Uuen was the last king of the house of Fergus, which had dominated Pictland for at least 50 years, and his decisive defeat by the Vikings led to a period of instability in northern Britain. Into this chaos emerged Kenneth I.
Later sources provide some information about the years following the battle. The list of Pictish kings (probably written in the late 10th century) preserved in the Poppleton manuscript states that Uuen was followed by Uurad son of Bargoit, who reigned for three years, and then Bred, who reigned for one year, and then Kenneth. Another list, sometimes referred to as the Q list, suggests Kenneth's early years were disputed. It follows Bred with Kenneth son of Uurad, who reigned for one year, then Bridei son of Fochel, who reigned for two years, then Drest son of Uurad, who reigned for three years. The first contemporary source to mention the Picts after the battle states that in 858 "Kenneth son of Alpin, King of the Picts, died."
The ground they fought on
The site of Battle of 839 (Disaster of 839) lies on Arbuthnott-Garvock Group, bedrock that formed in the Pragian. The rock here is sandstone with subordinate conglomerate, siltstone and mudstone.
The sole contemporary record of the battle, the Annals of Ulster, conveys the scale of the catastrophe in stark terms: 'Uuen son of Onuist and Bran son of Onuist and Aed son of Boanta and others almost innumerable fell there.' In a single engagement, the Vikings destroyed the ruling dynasty of Pictland, killed the dependent king of Dal Riata, and shattered a force large enough to have drawn together the principal powers of northern Britain, setting in motion the chain of events that would ultimately produce the Kingdom of Scotland.
- Uuen son of Onuist (King of the Picts), Bran son of Onuist, Aed son of Boanta (King of Dal Riata), and 'others almost innumerable'
Frequently Asked Questions
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