The Battle of Abberdeon occurred in 878 AD when King Aed mac Cinaeda of Scotland defeated the rebel army of the rival claimant Cinaed of Abberdeon in Aberdeenshire. Aed's victory at Abberdeon consolidated his rule over the traditional Pictish kingdom of Circenn, and he went on to annex Fortriu and conquer much of Scotland from the Norse.
Background[]
By 878, the Scottish kingdoms had been worn down by years of war with the invading Norwegian Vikings of the Northern Isles and Sudreyjar. This was King of Circenn Aed mac Cinaeda's chance to bring the whole of Scotland under his sway, but he first had to consolidate his hold on the heartlands of Alba. Cinaed of Abberdeon led a rebellion against Aed in Aberdeenshire and claimed the throne for himself, having gained limited support against the House of Alpin. Aed and the Scots faced off with the rebel army in the east before attacking them to the north of Aberdeen.
Battle[]
The ensuing battle saw the Scots array themselves in an order of battle located at a clearing in the local woodlands. The Scottish skirmishers pelted the rebels with missiles before retreating behind the safety of their spearmen, and the rebels were provoked into attacking. Aed and his cavarlymen charged Cinaed's bodyguards as the rest of his army attacked the rebels from all sides, with the spearmen and swordsmen attacking the rebel footmen and the cavalry attacking the rebel skirmishers and cavalry raiders. The rebels were overwhelmed and attempted to flee, but 234 of their 255 men were killed or captured. The 38 captives were recruited into Aed's army, more than making up for his mere 19 losses. The 12 remaining rebels under Mael Doraid were chased down and crushed shortly after.