Nechtan I of the Picts
Encyclopedia
Nechtan son of Erip was a king of the Picts
. The Pictish Chronicle
king lists claim that he was the brother of Drest
.
The king lists supply a number of epithet
s for Nechtan: Morbet and Celchamoth and the Latin
Magnus (the Great). He is said to have reigned for twenty-four years. In a rare change from a bald statement of names and years, the king lists provide a tradition linking Nechtan to the foundation of Abernethy:
A life of Saint Boite, after whom Monasterboice
is named, claims that Boite raised Nechtan from the dead, and associated him with Kirkbuddo
in Strathmore
.
It has been suggested that these traditions should be associated with a later Pictish king, with the very similar name of Nechtan son of Irb
.
Nothing else can be said of Nechtan with any certainty.
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
. The Pictish Chronicle
Pictish Chronicle
The Pictish Chronicle is a name often given by historians to a list of the kings of the Picts beginning many thousand years before history was recorded in Pictavia and ending after Pictavia had been enveloped by Scotland...
king lists claim that he was the brother of Drest
Drest I of the Picts
Drest or Drust, son of Erp, is a legendary king of the Picts whose reign is recorded in the king lists of the Pictish Chronicle.The Chronicle tells that Drest reigned for 100 years and triumphed in 100 battles, which should be read as tradition rather than fact...
.
The king lists supply a number of epithet
Epithet
An epithet or byname is a descriptive term accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, divinities, objects, and binomial nomenclature. It is also a descriptive title...
s for Nechtan: Morbet and Celchamoth and the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Magnus (the Great). He is said to have reigned for twenty-four years. In a rare change from a bald statement of names and years, the king lists provide a tradition linking Nechtan to the foundation of Abernethy:
"So Nectonius the Great, Wirp's son, the king of all the provinces of the Picts, offered to Saint Brigid, to the day of judgement, Abernethy, with its territories ... Now the cause of the offering was this. Nectonius, living in a life of exile, when his brother Drest expelled him to IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, begged Saint Brigid to beseech God for him. And she prayed for him, and said: "If thou reach thy country, the Lord will have pity on thee. Thou shalt possess in peace the kingdom of the Picts."
A life of Saint Boite, after whom Monasterboice
Monasterboice
The historic ruins of Monasterboice are of an early Christian settlement in County Louth in Ireland, north of Drogheda. It was founded in the late 5th century by Saint Buithe who died around 521, and was an important centre of religion and learning until the founding of nearby Mellifont Abbey in...
is named, claims that Boite raised Nechtan from the dead, and associated him with Kirkbuddo
Kirkbuddo
Kirkbuddo is a village in the county of Angus, Scotland, between the towns of Forfar and Carnoustie. Nearby lie the remains of a temporary Roman marching camp dating to the third century AD. A worn type II pictish stone was found in the kirkyard there in the mid twentieth century and has...
in Strathmore
Strathmore
Strathmore, from the Scottish Gaelic for large valley , can refer to a number of people, places in Scotland, or places named by Scottish emigrants:-Buildings:...
.
It has been suggested that these traditions should be associated with a later Pictish king, with the very similar name of Nechtan son of Irb
Nechtan II of the Picts
Nechtan grandson of Uerb, was king of the Picts from 597 to around 620. It has been suggested that this Nechtan is the same person as the Neithon who ruled the kingdom of Alt Clut.According to the Pictish Chronicle, Nechtan reigned for 20 or 21 years...
.
Nothing else can be said of Nechtan with any certainty.