The location of the battle of Dunnichen

The Pictish stone at Aberlemno.

In 685AD, the Picts, led by King Bridei Mac Beli defeated an army of Northumbrian Angles at the battle of Dunnichen. The Northumbrian king, Ecgfrith, was killed in the battle. The battle of Dunnichen secured the independence of Pictland for the next 200 years or so and paved the way for the kingdom of Alba. The battle was recorded in a number of sources including Bede's history of the English people, Nennius' Historia Brittonum, the Anglo-Saxon chronicles and the Irish annals. According to Bede,

"The very next year (685AD), that same king (Ecgfrith), rashly leading his army to ravage the province of the Picts, much against the advice of his friends, and particularly of Cuthbert, of blessed memory, who had been lately ordained his bishop, the enemy made show as if they fled, and the king was drawn into the straits of inaccessible mountains, and slain with the greatest part of his forces, on the 20th of May, in the fortieth year of his age, and the fifteenth of his reign." 

In 671AD, the Picts were defeated by the Northumbrians at the battle of the Two Rivers. In the following year, Bridei Mac Beli rose to power as king of the Picts. Bridei was the son of Beli, a king of Strathclyde. His grandfather was the Pictish king, Nechtan. During his reign, Bridei besieged the fort of Dunnotar on the north east coast, raided the Orkney islands and fought a war with the Gaels of Dalriada to the west, before defeating the Northumbrians at the battle of Dunnichen. It's unclear where Bridei Mac Beli would have been based. He may have been a king of southern Pictland or a king of northern Pictland who claimed the high kingship. I would suggest that he was a king of southern Pictland as this would explain why he besieged Dunnotar and raided the Orkney islands. He may have been dealing with opposition to his rule in northern Pictland. A king of southern Pictland would also be better placed to wage a war with Dalriada. The Gaels of Dalriada besieged the hillfort of Dundurn on the frontier with southern Pictland. 

The battle of Dunnichen probably took place at Dunnichen hill in Angus. The name Dunnichen is derived from Dun Nechtan, the fort of Nechtan. The battle is also known as the battle of Nechtansmere (Nechtan's mire) and the battle of Linn Garan (loch of the crane). In the small village of Aberlemno nearby, there is a Pictish stone which supposedly commemorates the battle. However, a place called Dunachton close to Aviemore in the highlands has also been suggested as a possible location. Although Dunachton suits the description of the Northumbrians being led into the straits of inaccessible mountains, I think Dunnichen hill is a much more likely location. Just to the north of Dunnichen, there are a couple of lochs and to the south, there would have been marshland. However, the Anglo-Saxon chronicles probably provide the best indication as to where the battle took place. According to the Anglo-Saxon chronicles,

"The same year (685AD) Everth was slain by the north sea, and a large army with him, on the thirteenth day before the calends of June. He continued king fifteen winters; and his brother Elfrith succeeded him in the government. Everth was the son of Oswy." 

Everth would presumably be Ecgfrith and Elfrith would be his successor, Aldfrith. The Anglo-Saxon chronicles also provide an account of King Ecgfrith's raids against Brega in Ireland in 684AD. Dunnichen hill is of course, very close to the North Sea. I think this decisively confirms where the battle of Dunnichen took place. 

Finally, on the Pictish stone at Aberlemno, there are two symbols above the battle scene - a rectangle and Z rod (or more accurately a backwards N rod) and a 'triple disc', which is a material object of some kind. On the other side of the stone, there's an ornate Christian cross. It's unclear when this stone was raised. It's doubtful that it was raised during the reign of Bridei Mac Beli. However, it may have been raised by a king like Nechtan Mac Derilei in the early 8th century. Nechtan may have been the grandson of Bridei Mac Beli. Nechtan is known for inviting Northumbrian stone masons to build churches and monasteries. The rectangle and Z rod on the Pictish stone at Aberlemno could therefore be the symbol of Nechtan's dynasty.  

Dunnichen hill in Angus.