ACHAIUS, or AC 11 tees, the son of king Ethwin, succeeded to the crown of Scotland in 788, upon the death of Soluatius. Having lived familiarly with the nobles before his accession to the throne, he was well acquainted with the sources of their mutual animosi ties, with which the kingdom was so frequently agitated. It was, therefore, the first act of his reign, to reconcile the nobles, and check the turbulent spirit which their animosities had engendered. No sooner had he suc ceeded in uniting the hearts of his subjects, than the tranquillity of the nation was disturbed by an aggres sion of the Irish. A number of banditti, from Ireland, who infested the district of Cantire, in the west Scot land, having been completely routed by the inhabitants, the Irish nation was highly exasperated, and resolved to revenge the injury. Achains despatched an ambas sador to soften their rage, but before he had tine to return from his fruitless mission, an immense number of Irish plundered and laid waste the island of Isla. These depredators were all drONVIlud returning home with their spoil ; and such was the terror w hid) this calamity inspired into the Irish, that they imme diately sued for which generously granted to them by the. st.,:s.; of Scotland. •1 shott time after
the conclusion of this treaty, the Citailultiugifi; sent an ambassador to ,\ chains, requesting him to enter into a strict :titian( e with hint against the English, who, in the tanguas2,e of the emu), shameful!) tilled both sea and land with their piracies, and bloody invasions." Alter much hesitation and (I( bale aiming the king's counsellw s, the alliance was tinanimously agieecl to, and sc ut his brother ill) Cle .loin Siaus, Italian, and :‘ four of List Most learned men in Sittland, together with 'au army of •0')0 men, to artmnpany the lunch ambassador to Paris, where the alliance \,as con( hided, on terms very favour able to the Scots. In order to perpetuate the remem brance of this event, Achaius added to the arms of Scot land, a double field sowed with lilies. Alter ;Assisting king of the Picts, to repel an aggression or Athelstane, Ling of the •( st Saxons, Achaius spent the rest of Isis reign in complete tranquillity, and died in 819, distinguished for his pit ty and ivisdom. See Litslens Origin. de of jUor. ,Vcotorum, p. 173-178; nue thius Mat. .S'cotorzon. lib. x. 184-191; and Altzerav .15rege de r Mat. de la Prance, tom. i. p.242. (w)