In the latter half of the 9th century, chaos reigned supreme in the far north of Britain.

For two generations or more, opportunistic Scandinavians have not only sailed across the North Sea from their original homelands in Scandinavia,

to lay waste to the formerly Pictish kingdoms of the mainland and the Gaelic Daliartan realms of the Isles.

But also made permanent bases on the shores of the Irish Sea,

from where they pushed ever outwards to claim more and more territory from the last remnants of the aforementioned kingdoms.

It was into this maelstrom of war and chaos that a new ruler came to the fore in the 840s,

solidifying control over the area around the River Tay, near modern-day Perth,

that would eventually become the heartland of the medieval kingdom about to be born.

His name was Kenneth McAlpine.

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In later centuries, often considered the founding father of Scotland. Kenneth McAlpine emerged in the aftermath of the deaths of practically all of the highest ranking Pictish and Gaelic rulers in 839, eventually

establishing himself as the foremost native king in the area by 848.

Though in actuality, he ruled over little more than a rump state near modern-day Perth,

much like Alfred would rule over a much diminished Wessex a generation later.

So it was that the precariously placed Kenneth McAlpine, still using the title King of the Picts,

harassed from without by Vikings and plagued from within

...