The Real Macbeth

Say “Macbeth” and the first thing that comes to mind is probably the play by the famous playwright, William Shakespeare. This classic story has become a mainstay of high school English literature classes around the world. However, few people realize that there was a real king Macbeth who lived long before the Shakespearean character evolved. In fact, the only verity of historical truth in the play is King Duncan’s death at the hand of Macbeth. The “real” Macbeth was not exactly as weak and unsuccessful as Shakespeare portrayed him. The “real” Macbeth had reasons for murdering

Duncan, had a successful sovereignty, and had a very different defeat.

The real Macbeth was born a grandson of King Kenneth II who ruled from

971-995. His father was Finlay McRory who was a Mormaer (lord) of Moray. His mother’s name was Donada but it is unknown whether she was the daughter of King

Kenneth II, Kenneth III, or Malcolm II. He married Grauch (“Lady Macbeth”), a descendant of King Kenneth III, who ruled from 997-1005. Lady Macbeth already had a son, Lulach, by a first marriage to another Mormaer of Moray.

Becoming king in eleventh century Scotland was not strictly hereditary. There was a practice called thanistry. This meant that nobleman chose kings from a large selection of possible kings called thanes. In theory, thanistry should have worked. But in practice, what often happened was that the strongest and most cunning of the thanists would rise to power. As a result, the best person did not necessarily become king because thanistry encourage open conflict as well as the assassination or reigning kings and other thanes (Scotland 4). But, the “real” Macbeth’s murder of King

Duncan I in 1040 in a battle, was seen more as a good move than as a catastrophe.

Duncan’s rule in Scotland was not the golden age as described in Shakespeare’s

Macbeth. In truth, Duncan was described by Arthur M. Gunn as an “impetuous and spoiled young man whose six years of kingship brought glory neither to Scotland nor his family.” (Famous Scots 2) This differed from the public fury that was scene in

Shakespeare’s Macbeth when innocent King Duncan was murdered in his sleep.

Unlike, the Shakespeare Macbeth, the real Macbeth was a powerful and successful king who ruled for seventeen years. He had enough power to leave on an expedition to Rome in 1050 and then return to reign seven more years. That was a remarkable achievement in those times. Contrasting, Shakespeare’s Macbeth had a very unsuccessful monarchy. He is so caught up in his guilt that he doesn’t have time