Macbeth Era in Scotland

Timeline

1. 1034–1037Moray · HighlandsIn 1034 Macbeth killed his cousin, the reigning Earl of Moray, Gille Coemgán, and married his widow Gruoch, thereby gaining control of the Moray lands. By around 1037 he had become the most powerful magnate in northern Scotland, in tension with the central authority of Duncan's dynasty in the south.
2. 1037–1040Scotland · ScotlandDuncan I, since his accession in 1034, sought to strengthen royal authority, but the northern magnates were powerful. Macbeth's firm base in Moray sharpened the power conflict with Duncan. According to later chronicles, Duncan campaigned unsuccessfully in the north, and relations deteriorated, setting the stage for Duncan's killing at Pitgaveny in 1040.