These are the names of the rulers of the House of Canmore;

(Which is given here if only because the list under Rulers of Scotland omits poor Edmund.)


The name Canmore is derived from the nicknmae given to founder king Malcolm's nickname (from the Gaelic Caen-Mor or Big Head) and is considered a separate royal house even though Malcolm was a direct male descendant of Duncan I. Technically speaking Donald III or 'Donald Bane' isn't a Canmore at all as he was Malcolm's brother, but he is always lumped in with the rest of them.

The House of Canmore are characterised by the fact that they all married good English girls (With the exception of Alexander II who opted for a change took the French option) Between them they basically transformed the old multi-lingual tribal kingdom of the Scots into the modern English speaking feudal state of Scotland.

The House of Canmore Scotland ruled for 232 years, until Margaret Maid of Norway the last of the line, died at nine years of age, en route to the Orkneys and marriage to the future Edward II of England.


A note on Siward Bjornsson

Siward Bjornsson is included if only because it is through his son Waltheof that the Canmore's also became Earls of Huntingdon. It is also the case that Duncan I's wife "Sybil" is often given as being a daughter of Siward, the reality is that no one is really sure who Sybil was. The only evidence is a statement by John of Fordun (never the most reliable source) that Duncan married a kinswoman of Siward. But some relationship is generally assumed as it is through Siward's efforts that Malcolm became king in the first place.

It was these family connections assumed or real that led to the claims by the Canmores to the earldom of Northumberland which is something they pursued with vigour over the years. This claim together with their position as Earls of Huntingdon inevitably involved the Canmores in conflict with England.


The House of Canmore


                                                        
                           Duncan I....m....Sybil?                          Siward Bjornsson
                                       |                                  Earl of Northumberland      
                                       |                                              |
                           |-----------|-----------|                                  |
                           |                       |                                  |
                           |                   Donald III                             |
                           |              Ruled 1093-1094,1094-1097                   |
                           |                                                          |
    Ingiborg..m..Malcolm III Canmore..m..Margaret of England                 Waltheof Siwardson
              |    Ruled 1058-1093                                           Earl of Huntingdon  
              |                                                                       | 
     |--------|------|---------------|---------------|--------------------|           |
     |               |               |               |                    |           | 
  Duncan II       Edmund          Edgar          Alexander I         David I...m...Matilda
 Ruled 1094    Ruled 1094-1097  Ruled 1097-1007  Ruled 1107-1124  Ruled 1124-53|
                                                                               |
                                                                               |
                             |-------------------------------------------------|
                             |
                     Henry of Huntingdon..m..Ada of Warenne
                                          |
      |---------------------|-------------|-------------------------------|
      |                     |                                             |
 Malcolm IV          William the Lion..m..Ermengarde of Beaumont     David of Huntingdon..m..Maud of Chester
Ruled 1153-1165     Ruled 1165-1214    |                                                  |
                                       |                                                  |
                                       |                                                  |
                  |--------------------|                     |----------------------------|
                  |                                          |                            |
             Alexander II..m.. Marie de Coucy             Margaret               Isabel of Huntingdon
           Ruled 1214-1249 |                                 |                            |
                           |                        See House of Balliol        See House of Bruce
                           |
                           | 
                           |
                 Alexander III..m..Margaret (daughter of Henry III)
               Ruled 1249-1286  |
                                |
                     |----------|----------|-------------|
                     |                     |             | 
                 Alexander               David      Margaret..m..Eric II of Norway
                 Died 1284             Died 1281              |
                                                              |
                                                    Margaret Maid of Norway
                                                       Ruled 1286-1290

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