Joel H. Morris's novel All Our Yesterdays imagines the lives of Macbeth and his wife, Lady Macbeth, before the events that unfold in Shakespeare's tragedy. Many are familiar with the tale but may not realize the couple are based on individuals who really did live in what is now Scotland during the eleventh century.

Scotland was known as the Kingdom of Alba from 900 to 1286 CE, and Macbeth (Mac Bethad mac Findláech, c. 1005–1057 CE) and his wife Gruoch (born c. 1015, death unknown) were both descended from Alba royalty through the line of Malcolm I (Máel Coluim mac Domnaill, d. 954).

Malcom had two sons who succeeded him: Duff (Dub mac Maíl Coluim, reigned 962–967) and Kenneth II (Cináed mac Maíl Coluim, 971–995). The kingdom changed hands several times as the branches of the family fought for control, with the Duncan of Shakespeare's play, Donnchad mac Crinain, ascending to the throne in 1034 CE. Both Duncan ...