115-530: McKay , MacKay or Mackay is a Scottish and Irish surname. The last phoneme in the name is traditionally pronounced to rhyme with 'eye', but in some parts of the world this has come to rhyme with 'hey'. In Scotland, it corresponds to Clan Mackay . Notable people with the surname include: Scottish people Modern ethnicities The Scottish people or Scots ( Scots : Scots fowk ; Scottish Gaelic : Albannaich ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Scotland . Historically, they emerged in
230-476: A guerilla campaign against the Vikings from the mountains of Munster. They attacked Viking forts and patrols and survived with whatever food and weapons they found. Their attacks were successful in weakening the Vikings, but casualties began to mount and according to writings by Brian's scribe, just 15 men remained. However, at this point Mathgamain, inspired by the courage of his younger brother, decided to attack
345-721: A European style of feudalism to Scotland along with an influx of people of French descent – by invitation, unlike England where it was by conquest. To this day, many of the common family names of Scotland can trace ancestry to Normans from this period, such as the Stewarts , the Bruces , the Hamiltons , the Wallaces and the Melvilles . The Northern Isles and some parts of Caithness were Norn -speaking (the west of Caithness
460-709: A centre for Scottish migration in the 1930s. In 1961 a third of residents were born in Scotland, and in 2011 the figure was 12.7%. Other European countries have had their share of Scots immigrants. The Scots have emigrated to mainland Europe for centuries as merchants and soldiers. Many emigrated to France, Poland, Italy , Germany, Scandinavia, and the Netherlands. Recently some scholars suggested that up to 250,000 Russian nationals may have Scottish ancestry. A number of Scottish people settled in South Africa in
575-525: A connection to Scotland. This connection may be active through cultural, linguistic, friendship, or professional links, or who may simply be interested Scotland’s heritage or culture). The majority of Scotch-Irish Americans originally came from Lowland Scotland and Northern England before migrating to the province of Ulster in Ireland (see Plantation of Ulster ) and thence, beginning about five generations later, to North America in large numbers during
690-482: A disadvantage it is most likely he would have taken full advantage of it rather than allowing his enemy the time to even the odds. Also, given the length and intensity of the struggle between Máel Sechnaill and Brian, it seems unlikely that the High King would surrender his title without a fight. In any case, it is generally accepted that in 1002 Brian became the new High King of Ireland. Brian, then in his 60s, spent
805-450: A fleet making a diversionary attack on an enemy in a location far away from where Brian planned to strike with his army. Direct support involved naval forces acting as one arm in a strategic pincer , the army forming the other arm. The conflict began in 982, when Brian was campaigning against the kingdom of Osraige . With Munster undefended, Maél Sechnaill attacked the Dál gCáis, destroying
920-572: A holding. Brian Boru Brian Boru ( Middle Irish : Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig ; modern Irish : Brian Bóramha ; c. 941 – 23 April 1014) was the High King of Ireland from 1002–1014. He ended the domination of the High Kingship of Ireland by the Uí Néill , and is likely responsible for ending Viking invasions of Ireland. Brian Boru is mentioned in
1035-653: A museum, 'The Scots House' in the town of Veere was the only place outwith Scotland where Scots Law was practised. In Rotterdam, meanwhile, the doors of the Scots International Church have remained open since 1643. The first Scots to be mentioned in Russia's history were the Scottish soldiers in Muscovy referred to as early as the 14th century. Among the 'soldiers of fortune' was the ancestor of
1150-577: A number of problems. The provinces of Meath and Connacht were separated by the Shannon River, which served as both a route by which Brian's naval forces could attack the shores of either province and as a barrier to the two rulers providing mutual support for each other. Máel Sechnaill came up with an ingenious solution; two bridges would be erected across the Shannon. These bridges would serve as both obstacles preventing Brian's fleet from traveling up
1265-493: A raid on a Dal gCáis fort by the Vikings of Limerick. The fort was located on the banks of the River Shannon , allowing the Vikings to sail up the river from Limerick to attack it. According to the story, Brian, Mathgamain, and another older brother were on a hill or high ground near the fort tending to a herd of cattle. While they were there, they saw the raid from the mountainside after hearing screams and seeing smoke in
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#17327730710251380-514: A region of it himself, with the Cogad Gaedel re Gallaib even asserting he actually achieved this until routed by Mathgamain and Brian in the celebrated Battle of Sulcoit in 968. Initially, Mathgamain had made peace with the Norse of Limerick. However, Brian was eager to avenge the deaths of his family members at the hands of the Vikings, and deserted with a band of his followers and launched
1495-616: Is still spoken by a small number of residents. Cape Breton is the home of the Gaelic College of Celtic Arts and Crafts . Glengarry County in present-day Eastern Ontario is a historic county that was set up as a settlement for Highland Scots , where many from the Highlands settled to preserve their culture as a result of the Highland Clearances. Gaelic was the native language of the community since its settlement in
1610-497: Is the fourth most commonly nominated ancestry and represents over 8.9% of the total population of Australia. Significant numbers of Scottish people also settled in New Zealand. Approximately 20 per cent of the original European settler population of New Zealand came from Scotland, and Scottish influence is still visible around the country. The South Island city of Dunedin , in particular, is known for its Scottish heritage and
1725-538: The Annals of Inisfallen and in Chronicon Scotorum as "Brian mac Cennétig" (Brian, son of Cennétig). The name Brian of Bóruma or Brian Boru was given to him posthumously Brian built on the achievements of his father, Cennétig mac Lorcain , and especially his elder brother, Mathgamain . Brian first made himself king of Munster , then subjugated Leinster , eventually becoming High King of Ireland . He
1840-533: The Annals of Inisfallen , Brian had to take the hostages forcefully). Flaithbertaigh again submitted, and also married one of Brian's daughters, Bé Binn. Despite this, Brian continued to be troubled by the rebellious Flaithbertaigh. In the year 1009, Flaithbertaigh blinded and then executed the king of the Cenél Chonaill. Later that year he would also launch raids in the Midlands going as far south as
1955-586: The Borders ( OE: Loðene ), a northern variety of Old English , also known as Early Scots , was spoken. As a result of David I, King of Scots' return from exile in England in 1113, ultimately to assume the throne in 1124 with the help of Anglo-Norman military force, David invited Anglo-Norman families from France and England to settle in lands he granted them to spread a ruling class loyal to him. This Davidian Revolution , as many historians call it, brought
2070-681: The Britons , Augustus of all north-western Europe), the only Irish king to receive that distinction in the annals. Brian's hard-won authority was seriously challenged in 1013 when his ally Máel Sechnaill was attacked by the Cenél nEógain king Flaithbertach Ua Néill , with the Ulstermen as his allies. This was followed by further attacks on Máel Sechnaill by the Germanic Norsemen of Dublin under their Norse king Sigtrygg Silkbeard and
2185-505: The Hill of Tara in the province of Meath, but the High King requests a month-long truce so that he can mobilise his forces, which Brian grants him. Máel Sechnaill fails to rally the regional rulers who are nominally his subordinates by the time the deadline arrives, and he is forced to surrender his title to Brian. There have been some doubts expressed about this explanation, given Brian's style of engaging in war; if he had found his opponent at
2300-525: The Middle Ages . Craftsmen and tradesmen followed courtiers and in later centuries a brisk trade grew up between the two nations: Scotland's primary goods (wool, hides, salmon and then coal) in exchange for the luxuries obtainable in the Netherlands, one of the major hubs of European trade. By 1600, trading colonies had grown up on either side of the well-travelled shipping routes: the Dutch settled along
2415-551: The River Boyne . This led to Brian's return to Ulster yet again, this time taking hostages from the Cenél Eoghain back to his home province, finally gaining the proper submission of Flaithbertaigh. Flaithbertaigh would then take part in campaigns against the Cenél Chonaill, the final kingdom yet to submit to Brian, in the year 1011 alongside Brian's sons Murchad and Domnall . However, they were unsuccessful in gaining
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#17327730710252530-563: The River Tweed to the south. They also occupied the southwest of Scotland up to and including the Plain of Kyle . Their language, Old English , was the earliest form of the language which eventually became known as Scots . Use of the Gaelic language spread through nearly the whole of Scotland by the 9th century, reaching a peak in the 11th to 13th centuries, but was never the language of
2645-773: The United States and Canada . Scots have travelled internationally for centuries, helping to build Scotland's international reputation and the promotion of Scottish culture , music , literature and art . The Scottish Government uses the term "Scottish connections" when described Scottish diaspora, and recognises Scottish connections as people of Scottish heritage (by ancestry, marriage or other family connection), lived diaspora (those who moved to Scotland to permanently reside at any time for any reason), educational diaspora (alumni of Scottish educational institutions, and Scots studying or working in international institutions) and affinity (individuals who associate themselves with
2760-606: The early Middle Ages from an amalgamation of two Celtic peoples , the Picts and Gaels , who founded the Kingdom of Scotland (or Alba ) in the 9th century. In the following two centuries, Celtic-speaking Cumbrians of Strathclyde and Germanic-speaking Angles of Northumbria became part of Scotland. In the High Middle Ages , during the 12th-century Davidian Revolution , small numbers of Norman nobles migrated to
2875-801: The plantation of Ulster , resulted in a Presbyterian and Scottish society, which formed the Ulster-Scots community. The Protestant Ascendancy did not however benefit them much, as the ascendancy was predominantly Anglican . The number of people of Scottish descent in England and Wales is difficult to quantify due to the many complex migrations on the island, and ancient migration patterns due to wars, famine and conquest. The 2011 Census recorded 708,872 people born in Scotland resident in England, 24,346 resident in Wales and 15,455 resident in Northern Ireland. Northamptonshire town Corby became
2990-659: The ' New World ' lands of North and South America, Australia and New Zealand . The highest concentrations of people of Scottish descent in the world outside of Scotland are in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada, Otago and Murihiku/Southland in New Zealand, the Falkland Islands , and Northern Ireland in the United Kingdom. Canada has the highest level of Scottish descendants per capita in
3105-580: The 1800s and were known for their road-building expertise, their farming experience, and architectural skills. The largest population of Scots in Latin America is found in Argentina , followed by Chile , , Colombia and Mexico . It is said that the first people from the Low Countries to settle in Scotland came in the wake of Maud's marriage to the Scottish king, David I , during
3220-444: The 1840s, Scots-born immigrants constituted 12% of the non-Aboriginal population. Out of the 1.3 million migrants from Britain to Australia in the period from 1861 to 1914, 13.5% were Scots. Just 5.3% of the convicts transported to Eastern Australia between 1789 and 1852 were Scots. A steady rate of Scottish immigration continued into the 20th century and substantial numbers of Scots continued to arrive after 1945. From 1900 until
3335-493: The 18th century although the number of speakers decreased as a result of English migration . As of the modern 21st century, there are still a few Gaelic speakers in the community. John Kenneth Galbraith in his book The Scotch (Toronto: MacMillan, 1964) documents the descendants of 19th-century Scottish pioneers who settled in Southwestern Ontario and affectionately referred to themselves as 'Scotch'. He states
3450-647: The 18th century as " Erse ") and the Inglis -speaking " Lowlanders " (a language later to be called Scots ). However, movement between the two regions increased over the last few centuries. Highlanders moved to major cities (e.g. Glasgow and Edinburgh) and regions bordering the southern Highlands (e.g. Lowland Stirlingshire and Perthshire). This is evidenced by people with traditional Gaelic surnames (including anglicised varieties) currently living in these areas. Lowlanders also settled in Highland regions such as Moray , which
3565-536: The 1950s, Scots favoured New South Wales, as well as Western Australia and Southern Australia. A strong cultural Scottish presence is evident in the Highland Games , dance, Tartan Day celebrations, clan and Gaelic-speaking societies found throughout modern Australia. According to the 2011 Australian census , 130,204 Australian residents were born in Scotland, while 1,792,600 claimed Scottish ancestry, either alone or in combination with another ancestry. This
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3680-574: The Church in Ireland were together seeking to establish a new form of kingship in Ireland, one that was modelled after the kingships of England and France, in which there were no lesser ranks of regional kings—simply one king who had (or sought to have) power over all others in a unitary state . In any case, whether as high king or emperor, by 1011 all of the regional rulers in Ireland acknowledged Brian's authority. No sooner had Brian achieved this before it
3795-459: The Connachtmen attacked the ships, massacring the crews. Mael Sechnaill launched a counter-offensive into Munster and in the ensuing battle he defeated the Dál gCáis, killing around six hundred men, including Brian's uncle. There was a period of relative peace between the two afterwards for about nine years, with Brian continuing to campaign elsewhere as he attempted to expand his power in
3910-578: The Dal gCais (or Deis Tuisceart). This branch had recently taken power from the Ui Óengusso branch which had traditionally supplied the kings of the Dal gCais (also known as the Deisi Tuaiscirt). The Uí Toirdhealbhach had extended their influence over Thomond and in 925 the annals note that Ánrothán son of Máel Gorm assumed the kingship of Corco Mruad . In 934 Reabachán mac Mothla died and was named as "King of
4025-611: The Dál gCais" in the Annals (the earliest usage of this term). The same year of his death, his son Dub Gilla was killed by Brian's uncle Conghalach and Brian's grandfather Lorcáin is said to have succeeded to the kingship. He enjoyed a short reign before being succeeded by his own son Cinnéidigh who was the first King of Dál gCais to lead an army outside his own territory and lead an expedition as far north as Athlone . By his death in 951, he had been acknowledged as " King of Tuadmumu" . His brother, Mathgamain , built on these achievements and
4140-487: The High King as he was now open to attack from both north and south. In 996, Brian finally managed to control the province of Leinster , which may have been what led Máel Sechnaill to reach a compromise with him in the following year. The two kings met at Bleanphottogue, on the banks of Lough Ree in County Fermanagh , where the agreement was made. By recognising Brian's authority over Leth Moga , that is,
4255-517: The Leinstermen led by Máel Mórda mac Murchada . Brian campaigned against these enemies in 1013. In 1014, his armies confronted the armies of Leinster and Dublin. In the resulting Battle of Clontarf Brian was killed; nonetheless, his army was victorious against the Leinstermen and Norsemen. The battle is widely lauded as a pivotal moment in Irish history, and is well known in popular memory. Brian
4370-806: The Lowlands. In the 13th century, the Norse-Gaels of the Western Isles became part of Scotland, followed by the Norse of the Northern Isles in the 15th century. In modern usage, "Scottish people" or "Scots" refers to anyone whose linguistic, cultural, family ancestral or genetic origins are from Scotland. The Latin word Scoti originally referred to the Gaels, but came to describe all inhabitants of Scotland. Considered pejorative by some,
4485-701: The Northern Uí Néill and the Ulaid, in which the king of the Cenél Eoghain and of the Uí Neill was killed and most of the Ulaid royal bloodline was wiped out, with the Uí Néill gaining victory. This then led to a bloody war of succession within and between the clans of the Ulaid, and together with further attacks from the Uí Néill, which led to the kingdom's being severely weakened. Brian accepted
4600-682: The Scots. The Russian census lists do not distinguish Scots from other British people, so it is hard to establish reliable figures for the number of Scots living and working in modern Russia. From as far back as the mid-16th century there were Scots trading and settling in Poland . A "Scotch Pedlar's Pack in Poland" became a proverbial expression. It usually consisted of cloths, woollen goods and linen kerchiefs (head coverings). Itinerants also sold tin utensils and ironware such as scissors and knives. Along with
4715-403: The Shannon and a means by which the armies of the provinces of Meath and Connacht could cross over into each other's kingdoms. The Annals state that, in the year 1002, Máel Sechnaill surrendered his title to Brian, although they do not say anything about how or why this came about. The Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh provides a story in which Brian challenges High King Máel Sechnaill to a battle at
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4830-479: The South Island. All over New Zealand, the Scots developed different means to bridge the old homeland and the new. Many Caledonian societies were formed, well over 100 by the early twentieth century, that helped maintain Scottish culture and traditions. From the 1860s, these societies organised annual Caledonian Games throughout New Zealand. The Games were sports meets that brought together Scottish settlers and
4945-649: The Southern Half, which included the Provinces of Munster and Leinster (and the Hiberno-Norse cities within them), Máel Sechnaill was simply accepting the reality that confronted him and retained control over Leth Cuinn , that is, the Northern Half, which consisted of the Provinces of Meath, Connacht , and Ulster . Precisely because he had submitted to Brian's authority, the king of Leinster
5060-455: The Ulaid, and seemingly wanted to punish them for submitting to Brian, to which the Northern Uí Néill were vehemently opposed. He attacked the kingdom, killing several kings and princes of the Ulaid. He also took several hostages. This caused Brian to return in 1006 and again in 1007 to deal with Flaithbertach. On the latter occasion, he removed the hostages of the Ulaid from Flaithbertach's custody and took them into his own custody (according to
5175-524: The Vikings with Brian and drive them from Limerick and Munster once and for all. They gathered an army of kings from all over Munster, including their former enemy Maél Muad. They ambushed and routed the Norse at the Battle of Sulcoit. They followed up their victory by looting and burning Limerick . They killed every man of fighting age and enslaved the rest of the population. This was the first of three battles which highlighted Brian's career. This victory
5290-599: The area around Edinburgh. Their descendants gradually occupied all of the Lowlands." Knox College 's Stuart Macdonald, who specialises in early modern Scottish history, writes that during the 18th and 19th centuries, the people of Scotland remained grouped into multiple ethnicities: To speak of Scots as a single ethnic group is also somewhat problematic. It would be more accurate in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to talk of two distinct Scottish ethnic communities divided by language and culture, and, at times, mutual antagonisms – Highlanders and Lowlanders. With regard to
5405-489: The best-known being James Wylie . The next wave of migration established commercial links with Russia. The 19th century witnessed the immense literary cross-references between Scotland and Russia. A Russian scholar, Maria Koroleva, distinguishes between 'the Russian Scots' (properly assimilated) and 'Scots in Russia', who remained thoroughly Scottish. There are several societies in contemporary Russia to unite
5520-481: The book was meant to give a true picture of life in the community in the early decades of the 20th century. By 1830, 15.11% of the colonies' total non-Aboriginal population were Scots, which increased by the middle of the century to 25,000, or 20–25% of the non-Aboriginal population. The Australian Gold Rush of the 1850s provided a further impetus for Scottish migration: in the 1850s 90,000 Scots immigrated to Australia, far more than other British or Irish populations at
5635-596: The church. Around the same time, in 978, Brian challenged Máel Muad to battle, and defeated him in the fateful Battle of Belach Lechta . Máel Muad was killed in the battle and afterwards the Eóganachta were no longer viable for the provincial Kingship, which was based upon lineage. Therefore, the Kingship of Munster passed to the Dál gCais, and Brian became king. Afterwards, the last opposition remaining in Munster
5750-572: The city of Limerick who was loyal to the now-slain Ivar, fled the city by ship down the River Shannon towards the Shannon estuary and took refuge in a monastery on Inis Cathaigh (Scattery Island), accompanied by his sons. However, in an act of revenge for the death of his brother, Brian set aside the sacred traditions and attacked the island with his troops, slaughtered the Vikings and desecrated
5865-412: The death of Mathgamain, the Dál gCais remained a powerful force. Mathgamain was succeeded as King of Thomond by Brian, who quickly proved to be as fine a commander of armies as his brother was. After attacking and killing the much-weakened Ivar in the year 977, Brian pursued a new target, intending to eradicate the remaining Viking presence in Munster. Upon ascending to the throne, Imar, ruler or governor of
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#17327730710255980-410: The decade that followed, Brian campaigned against the northern Uí Néill, who refused to accept his claims; against Leinster, where resistance was frequent; and against the Norse-Gaelic Kingdom of Dublin . Brian was described in the Annals of Ulster as ardrí Gaidhel Erenn & Gall & Bretan, August iartair tuaiscirt Eorpa uile (High King of the Gaels of Ireland and the Norse foreigners and
6095-507: The defenders. Brian first had to find a means of getting through or around these defensive choke points and then he had to subdue the fiercely independent regional kings of Ulster. It took Brian ten years of campaigning to achieve his goal, which, considering that he could and did call on all of the military forces of the rest of Ireland, indicates how formidable the kings of Ulster were. Brian received naval support throughout his northern campaigns from Sigtrygg Silkbeard of Dublin. Silkbeard
6210-433: The descendants of emigrants, often Gaelic-speaking, from the Maritime Provinces of Canada , from the 1880s onward. Americans of Scottish descent outnumber the population of Scotland, where 4,459,071 or 88.09% of people identified as ethnic Scottish in the 2001 Census. In the 2013 American Community Survey 5,310,285 identified as Scottish and 2,976,878 as of Scots-Irish descent. Americans of Scottish descent outnumber
6325-454: The east and Connacht to the north-west. By doing so, he came into conflict with High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill whose power base was the Province of Meath . For the next fifteen years, from 982 to 997, High King Máel Sechnaill repeatedly led armies into Leinster and Munster, while Brian, like his father and brother before him, led his naval forces of around three hundred ships up the Shannon to attack Connacht and Meath on either side of
6440-417: The eastern seaboard of Scotland; the Scots congregating first in Campvere —where they were allowed to land their goods duty-free and run their own affairs—and then in Rotterdam , where Scottish and Dutch Calvinism coexisted comfortably. Besides the thousands (or, according to one estimate, over 1 million) of local descendants with Scots ancestry, both ports still show signs of these early alliances. Now
6555-432: The eighteenth century. In the 2000 census, 4.8 million Americans self-reported Scottish ancestry, 1.7% of the total U.S. population. Over 4.3 million self-reported Scotch-Irish ancestry, for a total of 9.2 million Americans self-reporting some kind of Scottish descent. Self-reported numbers are regarded by demographers as massive under-counts, because Scottish ancestry is known to be disproportionately under-reported among
6670-464: The entire province of Munster by capturing the Rock of Cashel , capital of the ancient Eóganachta , the hereditary overlords or High Kings of Munster, but who in dynastic strife and with multiple assassinations had weakened themselves to the point they were now impotent. Earlier attacks from both the Uí Néill and Vikings were also factors. This situation allowed the illegitimate (from the Eóganacht perspective) but militarized Dál Cais to attempt to seize
6785-482: The event is mentioned in the Annals, and the later source the Cogadh describes Brian making a "great slaughter" of his enemies, killing both Donnubán and Aralt, and securing his position within the province. However, he did allow some of the Norse to remain in their settlement, as they were wealthy and now central to trade in the region, particularly the slave trade, and possessed a fleet of great value, which Brian would utilise in his later naval expeditions. Cian ,
6900-427: The famous Russian poet Mikhail Lermontov , called George Learmonth. A number of Scots gained wealth and fame in the times of Peter the Great and Catherine the Great . These include Admiral Thomas Gordon , Commander-in-Chief of Kronstadt , Patrick Gordon , Paul Menzies , Samuel Greig , Charles Baird , Charles Cameron , Adam Menelaws and William Hastie . Several doctors to the Russian court were from Scotland,
7015-454: The following: "The basic ethnic and cultural division in the British Isles has been that between the Anglo-Saxon peoples of England and the Scottish Lowlands and the Celtic peoples of Wales, Ireland and the Scottish Highlands. In 2014, historian Steven L. Danver, who specialises in indigenous ethnic research, wrote regarding Lowlands Scots and Gaelic Scots' unique ancestries: "The people of Scotland are divided into two groups - Lowland Scots in
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#17327730710257130-436: The forces of the province of Munster and Mael Sechnaill assembled those of Meath, with the intention of laying siege to the Hiberno-Norse city of Dublin , which was ruled by Máel Mórda's ally and cousin, Sigtrygg Silkbeard . Together Máel Mórda and Sigtrygg determined to meet Brian's army in battle rather than risk a siege . Thus, in 999, the opposing armies fought the Battle of Glenmama . The Irish annals all agree that this
7245-458: The former wife of Máel Sechnaill. Brian made it clear that his ambitions had not been satisfied by the compromise of 997 when, in the year 1000, he led a combined Munster-Leinster-Dublin army in an attack on High King Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill 's home province of Meath. The struggle over who would control all of Ireland was renewed. Máel Sechnaill's most important ally was the king of Connacht , Cathal mac Conchobar mac Taidg , but this presented
7360-405: The kingship of Cashel or Munster, although this might be a later interpolation. Brian's mother was Bé Binn inion Urchadh , daughter of Urchadh mac Murchadh (d. 945), king of Maigh Seóla in west Connacht. That they belonged to the Uí Briúin Seóla may explain why he received the name Brian, which was rare among the Dál gCais. Brian's family were descended from the Ui Tairdelbach branch of
7475-430: The majority of mixed ancestry, and because areas where people reported "American" ancestry were the places where, historically, Scottish and Scotch-Irish Protestants settled in North America (that is: along the North American coast, Appalachia , and the Southeastern United States ). Scottish Americans descended from nineteenth-century Scottish emigrants tend to be concentrated in the West, while many in New England are
7590-429: The monastery of Armagh would last only so long as Brian remained the High King. Therefore, it was in the interest of Armagh to support Brian with all their wealth and power. Brian is not referred to in the passage from the Book of Armagh as the Ard Rí —that is, High King—but rather he is declared Imperator Scotorum , 'Emperor of the Gaels'. Though it is only speculation, it has been suggested that Brian and
7705-412: The most important monasteries was Armagh , located in the Province of Ulster. Brian's advisor, Maelsuthain O'Carroll , documented in the Book of Armagh that, in the year 1005, Brian donated 22 ounces of gold to this monastery and declared that Armagh was the religious capital of Ireland, to which all other monasteries should send the funds they collected. This was a clever move, for the supremacy of
7820-451: The next decade or so of his life subjugating and accepting the submissions of the last of the lesser kingdoms and regions which had not already submitted to him. Those campaigns included two full circuits of the island in 1005 and 1006, demonstrating his determination and energy despite his age. Unlike some who had previously held the title, Brian intended to be High King in more than name. To accomplish that, he needed to impose his will upon
7935-440: The nickname represented Old Irish bóruma "of the cattle tribute", referring to his capacity as a powerful overlord. As the youngest of twelve brothers, Brian was highly unlikely to be heir to his father's throne. When he was young, he was sent to a monastery to study Latin and the history of Ireland. He was taught at the monastery on the island of Innisfallen , near modern Killarney in County Kerry . His teacher or mentor
8050-442: The people, also known as the Gaels , in the Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the western edge of Scotland. Bede used the word natio (nation) for the Scots, where he often refers to other peoples, such as the Picts, with the word gens (race). In the 10th-century Anglo-Saxon Chronicle , the word Scot is mentioned as a reference to the "Land of the Gaels". The word Scottorum was again used by an Irish king in 1005: Imperator Scottorum
8165-427: The period spanning the 16th century to the 18th century, sociologist Ian Carter's research into marriage patterns found little intermarrying between the groups. Today, Scotland has a population of just over five million people, the majority of whom consider themselves Scottish. It is estimated around 40 million people worldwide claim Scottish ancestry, particularly in Australia , New Zealand , continental Europe ,
8280-415: The political practicalities of nation building . Academics have explored how 15th and 16th-century Scottish poets and orators, such as Blind Harry , constructed terms such as 'trew Scottis' in an effort to diminish differences between the ethnic groups living within Scotland in the popular consciousness. A 1974 International Political Science Association report defined this ethnic plurality in Scotland as
8395-515: The population of Scotland, where 4,459,071 or 88.09% of people identified as ethnic Scottish in the 2001 Census. The number of Americans with a Scottish ancestor is estimated to be between 9 and 25 million (up to 8.3% of the total US population), and "Scotch-Irish", 27 to 30 million (up to 10% of the total US population), but these subgroups overlap and are often not distinguishable. The majority of Scotch-Irish originally came from Lowland Scotland and Northern England before migrating to
8510-581: The preferred term is Scots . Many Scottish people find the term Scotch to be offensive when applied to people. The Oxford Dictionary describes Scotch as an old-fashioned term for "Scottish". In the Early Middle Ages , Scotland saw several ethnic or cultural groups mentioned in contemporary sources, namely the Picts , the Gaels , the Britons , and the Angles , with the last of these settling in
8625-511: The protection offered by King Stephen in the Royal Grant of 1576, a district in Kraków was assigned to Scottish immigrants. Records from 1592 mention Scots settlers who were granted citizenship of Kraków give their employment as traders or merchants. Fees for citizenship ranged from 12 Polish florins to a musket and gunpowder, or an undertaking to marry within a year and a day of acquiring
8740-684: The province of Ulster in Ireland (see Plantation of Ulster ) and thence, beginning about five generations later, to North America in large numbers during the 18th century. Several Presidents of the United States have claimed Scottish ancestry or Scotch-Irish ancestry, including James Monroe through his great-great-grandfather Patrick Andrew Monroe emigrated to America, Andrew Jackson , Theodore Roosevelt , Franklin D. Roosevelt , Harry S. Truman , Lyndon B. Johnson , Richard Nixon , Ronald Reagan , Bill Clinton , George W. Bush and Donald Trump , whose mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump ,
8855-464: The provincial kingship. Mathgamain was never fully recognized and was opposed throughout his career in the 960s and 970s by Máel Muad mac Brain , a semi-outsider from the Cashel perspective but still a legitimate Eóganacht claimant from far south Munster. In addition to Máel Muad, the Norse king Ivar of Limerick was a threat and may have been attempting to establish some overlordship in the province or
8970-549: The question and the numerous responses for "Canadian" do not give an accurate figure for numerous groups, particularly those of British Isles origins. Scottish-Canadians are the 3rd biggest ethnic group in Canada. Scottish culture has particularly thrived in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia ( Latin for "New Scotland"). There, in Cape Breton , where both lowland and highland Scots settled in large numbers, Canadian Gaelic
9085-417: The regional rulers of the only province that did not already recognise his authority, Ulster . The kingdoms of the northern Uí Néill and Ulaid were some of the most powerful in Ireland, and it took Brian considerable time and resources to subdue them. Ulster's geography presented a formidable challenge. There were three main routes by which an invading army could enter the province, and all three favoured
9200-532: The river. He suffered quite a few reverses in this struggle, but appears to have learned from his setbacks. He developed a military strategy that would serve him well throughout his career: the coordinated use of forces on both land and water, including on rivers and along Ireland's coast. Brian's naval forces, which included contingents supplied by the Hiberno-Norse cities that he brought under his control (particularly Waterford ), provided both indirect and direct support for his forces on land. Indirect support involved
9315-426: The sacred tree of Adair, under which many of the chiefs of the Dál gCáis had been crowned, including Brian's father Cénnetig, his brother Mathgamain and Brian himself. In response, Brian led an army into Westmeath where he plundered the land. Brian's fleet did suffer a setback when a squadron of his fleet attacked Connacht , where they killed a prince of Connacht, Muirgius, who was among the defenders. In retaliation,
9430-549: The sky. They rushed down to the town, only to find the Vikings had already left. The settlement was burnt and looted. Brian's mother was killed, as were several of Brian's brothers who were defending the town, along with many of the townspeople. This event horrified Brian and had a lasting impact on him. The River Shannon served as an easy route by which raids could be made against the provinces of Connacht and Meath . Both Brian's father, Cennétig mac Lorcáin, and his older brother Mathgamain had conducted river-borne raids, in which
9545-401: The son of his brother Mathgamain's sworn enemy Máel Muad, later became a loyal ally of Brian and served under him in a number of campaigns. According to some accounts, Cian would later marry one of Brian's daughters, Sadbh (died 1048). Having established unchallenged rule over his home Province of Munster , Brian turned to extending his authority over the neighboring provinces of Leinster to
9660-455: The south and east. Then in 993, Brian, now in control of much of Munster and gaining ground in Leinster, and unable to make significant progress against the High King on land , decided to utilise his naval superiority to attack Mael Sechnaill. His fleet sailed up the Shannon and invaded the Kingdom of Breifne , in what is now counties Leitrim and Cavan . In doing this, he put pressure on
9775-582: The south-east of the country. King Edgar divided the Kingdom of Northumbria between Scotland and England; at least, most medieval historians now accept the 'gift' by Edgar. In any case, after the later Battle of Carham the Scottish kingdom encompassed many English people, with even more quite possibly arriving after the Norman invasion of England in 1066. South-east of the Firth of Forth , then in Lothian and
9890-460: The southeast of the country. Culturally, these peoples are grouped according to language. Most of Scotland until the 13th century spoke Celtic languages , and these included, at least initially, the Britons , as well as the Gaels and the Picts . Germanic peoples included the Angles of Northumbria , who settled in south-eastern Scotland in the region between the Firth of Forth to the north and
10005-468: The southern part of the country and Highland Scots in the north - that differ from one another ethnically, culturally, and linguistically ... Lowlanders differ from Highlanders in their ethnic origin. While Highland Scots are of Celtic (Gaelic) descent, Lowland Scots are descended from people of Germanic stock. During the seventh century C.E., settlers of Germanic tribes of Angles moved from Northumbria in present-day northern England and southeastern Scotland to
10120-755: The submission of the Cenel Eoghain king in 1005 and later accepted the submission of many of the Ulaid clans at a sacred Ulaid site, Emain Macha. However Flaithbertaigh Ua Néill , the new king of the Northern Uí Néill and of the Cenél Eoghan, although having already submitted to Brian, was apparently unwilling to accept fully the High King's authority, and was quite rebellious. He was known for his continued aggression towards his neighbours despite previously accepting Brian's rule. In 1005, after Brian had departed Ulster, he attempted to exert his overlordship over
10235-402: The submission of the Cenél Chonaill. Brian then personally proceeded to lead a second invasion later that year, this time successfully subjugating and receiving the submission of the Cenél Chonaill. While Flaithbertaigh would continue attacking the Ulaid and Cenél Chonaill in late 1011 and in 1012, for the time he was no longer of any threat to Brian. Throughout his campaigns in the province, it
10350-579: The term Scotch has also been used for Scottish people, now primarily outwith Scotland. People of Scottish descent live in many countries. Emigration, influenced by factors such as the Highland and Lowland Clearances , Scottish emigration to various locales throughout the British Empire , and latterly industrial decline and unemployment, have resulted in the spread of Scottish languages and culture . Large populations of Scottish people settled
10465-746: The time. Literacy rates of the Scottish immigrants ran at 90–95%. By 1860, Scots made up 50% of the ethnic composition of Western Victoria , Adelaide , Penola and Naracoorte . Other settlements in New South Wales included New England , the Hunter Valley and the Illawarra . Much settlement followed the Highland Potato Famine , Highland Clearances and the Lowland Clearances of the mid-19th century. In
10580-476: The wider New Zealand public. In so doing, the Games gave Scots a path to cultural integration as Scottish New Zealanders. In the 1961 census there were 47,078 people living in New Zealand who were born in Scotland; in the 2013 census there were 25,953 in this category. Many people of Scottish descent live in other parts of the United Kingdom. In Ulster particularly the colonial policies of James VI , known as
10695-427: The wife of Amlaíb Cuarán , king of Dublin and York , then of Máel Sechnaill, and finally of Brian himself. Brian Boru was one of the twelve sons of Cennétig mac Lorcáin (d. 951), who was King of Dál gCais and king of Tuadmumu ( Thomond ), modern County Clare , then a sub-kingdom in the north of Munster . Cennétig was described as rígdamna Caisil , meaning that he was either heir or candidate ("king material") to
10810-507: The words Scot and Scottish are applied mainly to inhabitants of Scotland. The possible ancient Irish connotations are largely forgotten. The language known as Ulster Scots , spoken in parts of northeastern Ireland, is the result of 17th- and 18th-century immigration to Ireland from Scotland. In the English language, the word Scotch is a term to describe a thing from Scotland, such as Scotch whisky . However, when referring to people,
10925-569: The world and the second-largest population of Scottish descendants, after the United States. Originally the Romans used Scotia to refer to Ireland. The Venerable Bede ( c. 672 or 673 – 27 May, 735) uses the word Scottorum for the nation from Ireland who settled part of the Pictish lands: " Scottorum nationem in Pictorum parte recipit ." This can be inferred to mean the arrival of
11040-484: The young Brian would undoubtedly have participated. This may have been the root of his appreciation for naval forces in his later career. When their father died, the kingship of Tuadmumu passed to Brian's older brother, Mathgamain. Brian and Mathgamain campaigned together throughout Munster. When Mathgamain was killed in 976. Brian replaced him. Subsequently, he became king of the entire kingdom of Munster. In 964, Brian's older brother, Mathgamain , claimed control over
11155-732: Was Gaelic-speaking into the 20th century, as were some small communities in parts of the Central Highlands). From 1200 to 1500, the Early Scots language spread across the lowland parts of Scotland between Galloway and the Highland line, being used by Barbour in his historical epic The Brus in the late 14th century in Aberdeen. From 1500 on, Scotland was commonly divided by language into two groups of people, Gaelic-speaking " Highlanders " (the language formerly called Scottis by English speakers and known by many Lowlanders in
11270-551: Was a particularly fierce and bloody engagement, although claims that it lasted from morning until midnight, or that the combined Leinster-Dublin force lost 4,000 killed are open to question. In any case, Brian followed up his victory, as he and his brother had in the aftermath of the Battle of Sulcoit thirty-two years before, by capturing and sacking the enemy's city. Sigtrygg fled the city, seeking support from kings in Ulster, but he
11385-402: Was an alliance consisting of the rebellious Irish led by Donnubán (Donovan), the man responsible for Mathgamain's death, and the remaining Norse/Viking forces, possibly led by Ivar's last remaining son and designated successor, Aralt (Harold). Brian attacked them at the Battle of Cathair Cuan , which may have been either a single battle or an extended conflict over the period 977–978. In any case,
11500-543: Was born in Tong on the Isle of Lewis . As the third-largest ethnic group in Canada and amongst the first Europeans to settle in the country, Scottish people have made a large impact on Canadian culture since colonial times. According to the 2011 Census of Canada , the number of Canadians claiming full or partial Scottish descent is 4,714,970, or 15.10% of the nation's total population. Many respondents may have misunderstood
11615-485: Was during this process that Brian pursued an alternative means of consolidating his control, not merely over the province of Ulster, but over Ireland as a whole. In contrast to its structure elsewhere, the Church in Ireland was not centred around dioceses and archdioceses , but rather around monasteries headed by powerful abbots who were members of the royal dynasties of the lands in which their monasteries resided. Among
11730-412: Was eager to enact revenge against the Ulaid for when they refused to assist him after he was forced out of his kingdom of Dublin by Brian following the Battle of Glenmama in 999, forcing Silkbeard to return to Dublin and submit to him. Brian was also greatly helped by the fact that two years before his first campaign in Ulster, in the year 1003, the brutal battle of Craeb Telcha had taken place between
11845-426: Was lost again. Máel Mórda mac Murchada of Leinster had only accepted Brian's authority grudgingly, and in 1012 he rose in rebellion. The Cogadh Gaedhil re Gallaibh relates a story in which one of Brian's sons insults Máel Mórda, which leads him to declare his independence from Brian's authority and attack his neighbours. Another possible reason was that the kings of Leinster and Dublin believed Maél Sechnaill
11960-475: Was named as a tribute to Edinburgh by the city's Scottish founders. Scottish migration to New Zealand dates back to the earliest period of European colonisation, with a large proportion of Pākehā New Zealanders being of Scottish descent. However, identification as "British" or "European" New Zealanders can sometimes obscure their origin. Many Scottish New Zealanders also have Māori or other non-European ancestry. The majority of Scottish immigrants settled on
12075-473: Was not decisive and eventually there grew up a brief alliance of sorts between Mathgamain, Máel Muad and others to drive the Norse "soldiers" or "officials" out of Munster and destroy their Limerick fortress in 972. The two Gaelic claimants were soon back to fighting and the fortuitous capture of Mathgamain in 976 by Donnubán mac Cathail allowed him to be effortlessly dispatched or murdered by Máel Muad, who would now rule as king of Cashel for two years. Despite
12190-473: Was once again Brian's coordinated use of forces on land and at sea that allowed him to triumph; while the rulers of Ulster could bring the advance of Brian's army to a halt , they could not prevent his fleet from attacking the shores of their kingdoms. Once Brian entered the province of Ulster, he systematically defeated each of the regional rulers who defied him, forcing them to recognise him as their overlord. It
12305-405: Was overthrown in 998 and replaced by Máel Mórda mac Murchada . Given the circumstances under which Máel Mórda had been appointed, it is not surprising that he launched an open rebellion against Brian's authority. With Leinster in rebellion, the kingdoms of both Brian and Mael Sechnaill were threatened, and thus they decided to briefly sideline their own conflict to defeat Leinster. Brian assembled
12420-457: Was the first to capture Cashel and become King of Munster . Brian was born at Kincora, his father's residence or fort in Killaloe , a town in the region of Tuadmumu. Brian's posthumous cognomen "Bóruma" (anglicised as Boru) may have referred to " Béal Bóruma ", a fort north of Killaloe, where the Dál gCais held sway. Another explanation, though possibly a late (re-)interpretation, is that
12535-478: Was the founder of the O'Brien dynasty , and is widely regarded as one of the most successful and unifying monarchs in medieval Ireland. With a population of under 500,000 people, Ireland had over 150 kings, with greater or lesser domains. The Uí Néill king Máel Sechnaill mac Domnaill , abandoned by his northern kinsmen of the Cenél nEógain and Cenél Conaill , acknowledged Brian as High King at Athlone in 1002. In
12650-496: Was the noted monk, Maelsuthain Ua Cearbhaill , an Eóganacht chief who had become the head of the monastery, noted for starting the Annals of Inisfallen . Ua Cearbhaill would later become Brian's anmchara (advisor). However, when Brian was ten years old, he received news that his father had been killed in battle with the Vikings of Limerick , and he was brought home. According to a biography of Brian, he once witnessed
12765-454: Was the title given to Brian Bóruma by his notary, Mael Suthain, in the Book of Armagh . This style was subsequently copied by the Scottish kings. Basileus Scottorum appears on the great seal of King Edgar (1074–1107). Alexander I ( c. 1078 –1124) used the words Rex Scottorum on his great seal, as did many of his successors up to and including James VI . In modern times,
12880-408: Was traditionally Gaelic-speaking but replaced with Doric in the 19th century. Today, immigrants have brought other languages, such as Polish , Punjabi and Urdu , but almost every adult throughout Scotland is fluent in the English language. Historian Susan Reynolds has put forward how, since the Middle Ages , there have been attempts to obfuscate the ethnic plurality of Scottish people due to
12995-501: Was turned away by the Ulaid, leaving Sigtrygg few options but to return to Dublin and submit to Brian. Once again, Brian opted for reconciliation; he requested that Sigtrygg return and resume his position as ruler of Dublin, giving Sigtrygg the hand of one of his daughters in marriage, just as he had with the Eoganacht king, Cian. It may have been on this occasion that Brian married Sigtrygg's mother and Máel Mórda's sister Gormflaith ,
13110-505: Was weak and that the Kingdom of Meath was vulnerable. This was because Flaithbertaigh Uí Néill , king of the Cenél Eoghain and the northern Uí Néill, was again becoming troublesome for Brian. In 1013, he raided the Midlands , bringing him into direct conflict with Maél Sechnaill who was the king of Meath . The two armies had a stand-off near Kells , but Maél Sechnaill retreated for unknown reasons before any battle could occur. This led to
13225-492: Was well regarded by contemporary chroniclers. The Norse-Gaels and Scandinavians also produced works mentioning Brian, including Njal's Saga , the Orkneyinga Saga , and the now-lost Brian's Saga . Brian's war against Máel Mórda and Sigtrygg was to be inextricably connected with his complicated marital relations, in particular his marriage to Gormlaith , Máel Mórda's sister and Sigtrygg's mother, who had been in turn
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