Ancient Alba

One of the provinces or kingdoms of Pictland was known as Fortrenn. It was also the name for the whole of Pictland. However, the location of this kingdom is unknown. The traditional idea is that it was Strathearn and Menteith in southern Pictland. However, historians have recently suggested that Moray was Fortrenn. Moray would have been a province in northern Pictland. By the late 7 th century, Pictish kings were being referred to as kings of Fortrenn. Bridei Mac Beli was the first Pictish king to be referred to as a king of Fortrenn. The name Fortrenn is supposedly derived from Verturiones, the fortress people, a Pictish tribe mentioned alongside the Dicalydones in the late 4 th century. However, they’re only mentioned once in the historical sources. The Caledonians are mentioned on several occasions. According to Ammianus Marcellinus,   “At that time the Picts, divided into two tribes, called Dicalydones and Verturiones, as well as the Attacotti, a warlike race of men, and ...

Bridei Mac Beli was a prince of Strathclyde, who claimed the Pictish kingship around 672AD. He was famous for winning the battle of Dunnichen against the Northumbrian Angles in 685AD. The battle is actually referred to as the battle of Dun Nechtain or Nechtansmere. Bridei Mac Beli would have grown up at the fort on Dumbarton rock, which was the capital of Strathclyde. Dumbarton rock overlooks the River Clyde and the River Leven, which runs down from Loch Lomond to the north. It’s located at the southern end of the highland line, whilst Dunottar is located at the north eastern end on the coast. Bridei Mac Beli was a Brythonic prince and would have spoken a language similar to Welsh. His grandfather was called Neithon or Nechtan, which is a Pictish name. He was a king of Strathclyde and may have also been a king of the Picts. Neithon was the son of Guipno. The name Guipno may be derived from Vipno or Fibno. It was the Welsh version of Vipno, just as the name Gododdin is the Welsh versi...