David I

David I. (1084-1153), (sometimes called Saint, though never canonised), King of Scotland, son of Malcolm and St. Margaret. In his youth he went to England with his sister Matilda. In 1107, when his elder brother became king, David was made Prince of Cumbria, and in 1110 he married Matilda. heiress of Waltheof. and thereby became Earl of Huntingdon and Earl of Northampton. In 1124 he came to the Scottish throne, and for some years was occupied by battles against tribes of his wild subjects. He took part with Matilda against Stephen, and advanced into England as far as Durham, where he made peace with Stephen. In 1138 he again engaged in war with England, but, deserted by his Norman nobles, he was defeated at the battle of the Standard at Northallerton. He did much towards uniting and organising his kingdom, and was especially active' in endowing bishoprics and founding abbeys, by which he reduced his revenues so greatly that one of his successors declared him to have been a "sair saint for the crown."