Name David Scotus | Died 1139 | |
David Scotus was a medieval Gaelic chronicler.
Contents
His date of birth is unknown. Early in the twelfth century there was at Würzburg an ecclesiastic and teacher known as David. His surname Scotus shows that he was probably a Gael from either Ireland or Scotland, if he is identical with the homonymous Bishop of Bangor, from Wales (see below).
According to Ekkehard's Chronicon, Emperor Henry V received him, was charmed with his virtue and knowledge, and made him one of the imperial chaplains. With other scholars David accompanied the king on his expedition to Italy in 1100, and was appointed royal historiographer for the occasion.
He died in 1139.
Writings
His work in three books is now known only from excerpts of it in later historians, especially in Ekkehard and William of Malmesbury. The latter says that David described the expedition with partiality for the king.
Possibly identical homonym
A certain David was consecrated Bishop of Bangor in Wales, 4 April 1120; according to Malmesbury he was none other than the chaplain David Scotus. As bishop he took part in several English synods, and probably died in 1139, since his successor was then consecrated. But it is not easy to reconcile with the foregoing, the statement of the later historian Trithemius, that David became a monk under St. Macharius in the monastery of St. James in Würzburg, as this abbey was not founded until 1140.