Alba

## Overview

The Kingdom of Alba is a regional power located in Southern and Central Scotland and far Northern England in the British Isles. The country is a multiethnic realm dominated by Celtic Highlanders, the southwest consists mostly of Celtic Cumbrian cousins, however Norse-Gaelic settlers are present along the coast, the Southeast of the country has a sizable Germanic Scottish population, with the largest city in Alba, Lodainn, being Scottish. Alba rules over the small yet powerful Mormaerdom of Fife to it's immediate East, the country is currently very loyal to it's Alban overlords due to shared religion and culture in addition to Alba being overwhelmingly powerful in comparison. Along side Dubhlinn, Alba would form the Celtic Alliance in 1065, the largest and strongest alliance in the British Isles. Alba contains two autonomous nobles, Bernicia in the Southeast, and Strathclyde in the Southwest, and the Crownland of Caledonia in the North.

## Background

Although the exact date for the formation of Alba is unknown, the Kingdom was formed during the reign of Domnall mac Causantín "The Madman", between the years 889-900. Alba was born from the unification of Pictish Tribes, who were ruled by a King some what like the High King in Ireland. In 1040 King Duncan I, father of current King Malcom III, would be killed in battle by Macbeth, who would take the crown as his own, during his reign Macbeth would solidify his rule and lay claim to Caithness angering Jarl Thorfinn Sigurdsson of Orkney, however the contention would never escalate to war, that being said the Alban claim remains. In 1054 Siward, Earl of Northumbria would invade Alba, and gain support from Malcom III and the Earldom of Strathclyde, who would kill Macbeth in battle in 1057, however beyond this the invasion would be a failure, and after a brief stint under King Lulach mac Gille Coemgáin, the Kingdom would once again be ruled by a Dùn Chailleann, under King Malcom III.

## Relationships

### Ængland

Anglo-Alban relations remain poor with both claiming portions of one another's land, with Alba claiming parts of Northern Northumbria and Ængland laying claim to Cumbria, as such regular minor border conflicts and raids often occur however they have yet to develop into a formal conflict.

The Northumbrian-Alban relations are especially tense after Siward's campaign beginning in 1054, although the invasion was largely unsuccessful it did lead to the ascension of Malcom III, who has been more pro-English than his predecessors, that said Northumbria's ambitions are still directed at acquiring its English legitimised claims over Cumbria and it's illegitimated claims over Bernicia. The hostilities between Northumbria and Alba has since culminated to form an official rivalry in 1065.

Recently the the Standoff between these two powers has escalated again with the formation of the Celtic Alliance with Dubhlinn in 1065, which has levelled the playing field to an extent that Ængland and Alba are now on equal footing if the alliance were to be called in.

### Deheubarth

Despite being allies Deheubarth have remained neutral and contact has been limited.

The Count of Ceredigion, Oswain Pencig has regularly acted as a mediator in negotiations between the nations of the Celtic Alliance.

### Dubhlinn

(see Alban-Dubhlinner Relations for full article)

In 1065 King Malcom III would approach High Chief Murchad Ó Chennselaig of Dubhlinn, wishing to establish a formal relationship between Dubhlinn and Alba, in April this would result in the signing of the Alba-Dubhlinn Agreement of 1065, and in September the two nations and their client states would form the Celtic Alliance which since it's inception has rapidly expanded in members.

### Orkney

Alban-Orcadian relations have improved in recent years with Orkney's application to join the Celtic Alliance being accepted in 1065, that said however, Alban claims over Caithness have remained and tensions persist.