The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

CHAP. Ill] OF SCOTLAND 41
people from the rest of Scotland, under their ancient
peculiar
and
name of Cruithen tuath, or CruitJuie of the North. We
must consequently conclude that the Cruithne were not affected
by the conquest, but remained a peculiar and distinct people
for many years afterwards. The northern Picts, however, are
not the only exceptions ; for the Strath Clyde
Britons exhibit
a parallel instance of the same thing. They are frequently
mentioned after the date of the conquest, by their peculiar
national appellation. i\nd we know from history that they
were not included in the conquest, but remained for a long
period independent, and under the government of their own
kings.
Not only, however, do the northern Picts appear as a distinct
body under their peculiar appellation of Cruithne, as late as the
year 865, but we even find that their territories, consisting of the
whole of Scotland north of the Grampains, retained the appellation
of Pictavia as late as the year 894. This appears very clear
from the Pictish Chronicle, for in 865, when the annals of Ulster
mention that the Northmen ravaged the Cruithen tuath, or
northern Picts, the Pictish Chronicle, in relating the same event,
uses the expression Pictavia, instead of Cruithen tuath. After-
wards, in 894, the Pictish Chronicle mentions that the Norwegians
conquered Pictavia, but we know from the Norse Sagas that this
conquest was confined to the country north of the Grampians.
Wherever the Norwegians ravaged other parts of the country,
the Pictish Chronicle invariably uses the expression Albania
instead of Pictavia. If the northern Picts appear as a distinct
people, retaining their ancient appellation so late as the
year 865, and if their territories also retained the name of
Pictavia as late as the end of the ninth century, it is evident
that that territory could not have been comprised within those
conquered by the Scots, and that the name of Scotland must
have spread over that part of the country from other causes
than that of conquest.
This result is confirmed by all the native writers of Scotland,
who invariably confine the Scottish conquest to the country
south of the Grampians, although they err in supposing that the
country north of that range had been previously in possession
of the Scots.