Macbeth’s full name was Macbeth mac Findlaech. He was given the name Macbeth, which means “son of life” in Gaelic and the mac Findlaech describes him as the son of Findlaech mac Ruaidri. His father had the status of a subject king in Moray and was known as Mormaer of Moray. In the year 1005, Macbeth was born in Moray during a time of civil war. Fifteen years after his birth his father was killed, and Macbeth was given refuge by his grandfather, King Malcolm of Scotland. In 1034, 14 years after the death of his father, Macbeth’s grandfather passed away, leaving his throne to another grandson by the name of Duncan. Duncan became deeply involved in Anglo-Norse affairs and was involved in many failed conflicts against England. The reality of Duncan differs from the Duncan portrayed in the play Macbeth, who was written as being both gentle and wise.

Another difference between the play and the actual history is how Duncan died and Macbeth became king. In Macbeth, Duncan was repeatedly stabbed to death. In reality, Duncan died by Macbeth’s hand during battle and possibly also with the help of Thorfinn, his cousin. The annals of Tigernach state that Duncan was “slain by his subjects.” It is believed that Macbeth was able to overthrow and succeed Duncan because of the disillusionment of his people who backed Macbeth.

Macbeth’s real wife was a woman named Gruoch, whose lineage is disputed. She was, however, the widow of a man named Gillacomgain, whom either Macbeth or his people had previously killed. Her marriage to Macbeth was in all likelihood motivated by politics, a move intended to create peace between rival clans.

Boerce’s depiction of her was likely to be inferred from the animosity she might have felt toward Macbeth as a result of the death of her husband. Furthermore, there have been stories that suggest she conspired to kill her own husband so that she could marry Macbeth and place Lulach, her son, in Macbeth’s place after he died. There, however is no real evidence to support this theory.

In the play Macbeth, Macbeth dies at the hands of Macduff, a nobleman and the Thane of Fife. After Macbeth murdered Duncan, it was Macduff who discovered the body. Later his wife, Lady Macduff, was murdered by Macbeth. Macduff encourages Duncan’s son Malcolm to return from England to Scotland to take the throne from Macbeth. Upon returning to Scotland, Macduff confronts Macbeth and kills him.

Macbeth’s death in the play differs from Macbeth’s actual death in several ways. In reality, Malcolm had fled to England after the murder of his father and had become Edward the Confessor’s protegé. Edward sent Malcolm and Earl Siward back to Scotland to take the throne from Macbeth. It was Edward’s intention that Malcolm become the new, client King of Scots. Although they met in battle, Macbeth still lived, and the battle is thought to have come to a stalemate with no clear victor.

In August 1057, the two eventually met again in battle in Lumphanan. It is here that Macbeth was gravely injured by Malcolm and, as a result, died on August 15, 1057. He was succeeded by his stepson Lulach, who was murdered by Malcolm less than a year later.