Constantine III

Constantine III

Constantine III was the King of Scotland from 995 to 997.

History

Constantine was the son of King Culen of Scotland, born in 971, the same year that Kenneth II overthrew his father. Kenneth spared Constantine's life, and let him grow up at court, unaware of the young man's true nature. Constantine hungered for the throne, and by 995, was already prepared to seize it. He had already gathered a body of supporters, and next plotted the murder of King Kenneth.

Constantine began courting the Lady Finella, whom Kenneth had fallen in love with, and duped her into believing that he really did love her. He persuaded Finella to tell the King quietly, in the drying-house, that she wished to marry Constantine instead of him, and then took Kenneth by surprise, murdered him, and seized the throne. To secure his claim all the better, he decided to force Princess Katharine to marry him, using the gargoyle eggs in her charge as hostages. The Magus, Tom, and Mary helped the Princess and the eggs flee to Avalon, after which Mary and Finella, who was eager to foil Constantine's schemes after discovering how she had been used by him, took the Grimorum Arcanorum into their possession, to keep Constantine and the sorcerers in his employ from obtaining it and reaching Avalon ("Avalon" Part One).

Upon discovering Katharine, her cohorts and the eggs had escaped him, he initiated a plan to eradicate all the gargoyles from Scotland. No doubt, his father's defeat due to an alliance with the Wyvern Clan played a part in this decision. Meanwhile, Constantine's men pursued Mary and Finella until Brooklyn spirited them away to the United States in the 1970s on his first Timedancer adventure. In 997, just two years after his usurpation, Constantine was overthrown and slain by Kenneth III and Maol Chalvim II at the Battle of Ratheveren.

Real World History

Constantine III was a real Scottish king, although it is uncertain whether he actually did murder Kenneth II or merely took advantage of his death to become King of Scotland. His parentage and dates in Gargoyles are historically accurate. He is also known as "Constantine the Bald," a feature not found in the appearance of the Constantine of Gargoyles, however.

Appearances

• "Avalon Part One" (First Appearance)

Production Background

Voice Actor: Ian Buchanan

See also

• Constantine III at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia