Gaelic Kingship to Norman Influence: Duncan I to Alexander I

The period between the accession of King Duncan I in 1034 and the death of Alexander I in 1124 marked significant transitions for Scotland, just before the arrival of the Normans. Duncan I's reign was notably unstable, marked by his military failure at Durham in 1040 and his subsequent overthrow by Macbeth, Mormaer of Moray. Duncan's lineage continued to rule, as Macbeth and his successor Lulach were eventually succeeded by Duncan's descendants.

Malcolm III, Duncan's son, significantly shaped the future Scottish dynasty. Nicknamed "Canmore" (Great Chief), Malcolm III's reign saw both consolidation of power and expansion through raids. His two marriages—to Ingibiorg Finnsdottir and then Margaret of Wessex—produced a large number of children, securing his dynasty's future. Malcolm's reign, however, was marked by aggressive raids into England, exacerbating the suffering in the wake of the Norman Conquest.

Malcolm's death in 1093 during one of these raids triggered increased Norman interference in Scotland. His sons, through Margaret, were given Anglo-Saxon names, underscoring his aspirations for claims to the English throne. After Malcolm's death, his brother Donalbane initially took the throne, but Norman-backed Duncan II, Malcolm's son, briefly seized power before being killed in 1094, allowing Donalbane to reclaim the kingship.

Norman influence persisted, and Malcolm's son Edgar, supported by the Normans, eventually took the throne. This period saw the implementation of a succession system resembling the Norman primogeniture, marking a shift from traditional Gaelic practices. Edgar's reign was relatively uneventful, notable mainly for his diplomatic gift of a camel or elephant to the High King of Ireland.

When Edgar died, his brother Alexander I became king, while their youngest brother David was granted rule over "Cumbria" and Lothian. This era laid the groundwork for future Scottish governance, intertwining traditional practices with new influences from the Normans, setting the stage for the transformations that would follow under later rulers like David I.