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Donnchad mac Crínáin (Anglicised Duncan) (died 14 August 1040)^[1] was king of Alba. He was son of Crínán, hereditary lay abbot of Dunkeld, and Bethóc, daughter of king Máel Coluim mac Cináeda.

Unlike the "King Duncan" of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the historical Donnchad appears to have been a young man. He followed his grandfather Máel Coluim as king after the latter's death on 25 November 1034, without apparent opposition. He may have been Máel Coluim's acknowledged successor or tánaise as the succession appears to have been uneventful.^[2] Earlier histories, following John of Fordun, supposed that Donnchad had been king of Strathclyde in his grandfather's lifetime, ruling the former Kingdom of Strathclyde as an appanage. Modern historians discount this idea.^[3]

Another claim by Fordun, that Donnchad married a sister of Earl Siward of Northumbria, appears to be equally unreliable. An earlier source, a variant of the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba (CK-I), gives Donnchad's wife the Gaelic name Suthen.^[4] Whatever his wife's name may have been, Donnchad had at least two sons. The eldest, Máel Coluim mac Donnchada was king from 1057 to 1093, the second Domnall Bán was king afterwards. Máel Muire of Atholl is a possible third son of Donnchad, although this is uncertain.^[5]

The early period of Donnchad's reign was apparently uneventful, perhaps a consequence of his youth. Mac Bethad mac Findláich is recorded as his dux, literally duke, but in the context — "dukes of Francia" had lately replaced Carolingian kings of the Franks and the over-mighty Godwin of Wessex was called a dux — this suggests that Mac Bethad was the power behind the throne.^[6]

In 1039, Donnchad led a large Scots army south to besiege Durham, but the expedition ended in disaster. Donnchad survived, but the following year he led an army north into Moray, traditionally seen as Mac Bethad's domain. There he was killed, at Pitgaveny near Elgin, by his own men led by Mac Bethad, probably on 14 August 1040.^[7]

Duncan is depicted as an elderly King in Macbeth by William Shakespeare. He is killed in his sleep by the protagonist, Macbeth.

v • d • e Monarchs of Scotland (Alba)

Traditional List of Monarchs of the Picts Legendary Monarchs • Drest of the Hundred Battles • Talorc I • Nechtan I • Drest II • Galan • Drest III • Drest IV • Gartnait I • Cailtram • Talorc II • Drest V • Galam Cennalath • Bruide I • Gartnait II • Nechtan II • Cinioch • Gartnait III • Bruide II • Talorc III • Talorgan I • Gartnait IV • Drest VI • Bruide III • Taran • Bruide IV • Nechtan IV • Drest VII • Alpín I • Óengus I • Bruide V • Cináed I • Alpín II • Talorgan II • Drest VIII • Conall • Caustantín • Óengus II • Drest IX • Eogán • Ferat • Bruide VI • Cináed II • Bruide VII • Drest X Traditional List of Monarchs of the Scots Cináed I • Domnall I • Causantín I • Áed • Giric • Domnall II • Causantín II • Máel Coluim I • Idulb • Dub • Cuilén • Cináed II • Causantín III • Cináed III • Máel Coluim II • Donnchad I • Mac Bethad • Lulach • Máel Coluim III • Domnall III Bán • Donnchad II • Domnall III Bán • Edgar • Alexander I • David I • Máel Coluim IV • William I • Alexander II • Alexander III • First Interregnum • John • Second Interregnum • Robert I • David II • Robert II • Robert III • James I • James II • James III • James IV • James V • Mary I • James VI* • Charles I* • Charles II • The Covenanters • The Protectorate • Charles II* • James VII* • Mary II* • William II* • Anne* * also monarch of Ireland and England