This map of Scotland concerns the period between the 7th and 9th centuries. Before
the Kingdom of Scotland actually came into being, the Northern third of the island of
Britain was divided into four warring Kingdoms.
Alba was home to the mysterious Picts, and Strathclyde to the ancient
Britons. On the rugged West Coast, the Scots of Antrim had long since formed
the Kingdom of Dalriada. These were the Celtic Kingdoms. To the South-East,
the brutal Germanic Angles formed the Kingdom of Northumbria
Eventually, the land
hungry Angles sought to conquer all. A mighty Anglian army stormed Northwards,
heading for Alba.
A Pictish force, under the High King Brude mac Bile, met
and annihilated the Angles at the Battle of Nechtansmere, in 685ad. Victory in this battle is regarded by some historians as even more crucial to Scotland than Bannockburn proved to be.
