Kings of Man
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Local History Exploring the Past Kings of Man John K Qualtrough 2 Front Cover Godred Crovan, depicted in a stained glass window in Tynwald Chamber, Douglas 3 Table of Contents Godred Crovan 1079 – 1095 ...................................................................... 6 Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald Hardråde ..................................................................................... 6 Time in the Byzantine Empire ................................................................ 6 Lagman 1095 - 1102 ................................................................................... 9 Donald 1103 - 1105 .................................................................................. 10 DNA shows Celtic hero Somerled's Viking roots ................................ 19 [edit] Accession as King of Scotland ................................................... 28 Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray ...................................................... 32 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ......... Error! Bookmark not defined. Sir Williem Le Scrope, K.G. ................................................................ 35 THE SECOND SCANDINAVIAN PERIOD ...................................... 41 CHAPTER IV ...................................................................................... 41 GODRED CROVAN AND HIS DYNASTY (1079-1266) ............. 41 TRANSLATION OF THE CHRONICLE. ...................................... 49 NOTES. ................................................................................................ 63 NOTE I, p. 44.–A uno ob incarncetione–domini M. Anno MXXIII. ............................................................................................ 63 NOTE 2, p. 50. ................................................................................. 64 First appearance of a Viking Ship on a Manx Monument. .................. 78 The Three Legs of Man ................................................. 80 Introduction .......................................................................................... 80 Manx Flag ............................................................................................ 81 Motto .................................................................................................... 81 Ship Seals ............................................................................................. 81 References: ........................................................................................... 82 Chronicle of the Kings of Man, taken out of M. Camdens Chorographie. ................................................................................... 82 List of Kings of the Isle of Man and the Isles .......................................... 93 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. .......................................... 93 List of Kings of the Isle of Man ............................................................... 94 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. .......................................... 94 Agreement between Magnus IV and Alexander III, 1266 ................... 96 4 Norse Kings of Man It is worth noting that in the period commencing with the Norse rule of Man and the coming of the Stanley’s, what happened here was largely dependant on what was happening elsewhere in the British Isles. What is absolutely certain is that the influence of the Scandinavian rulers has withstood the test of time and still effects everyday life on the Island. We have only to look at out land tenure system, our legislative system and our ecclesiastic system and well as a large number of place names to understand this. Under this Scandinavian period of rule the people of the Island are thought to have enjoyed considerable prosperity. There was a significant export trade in corn, hides, salt fish, raw wool and woollen cloth. It is almost certain that lead was exported and this lead would have an increasing trade value especially for ecclesiastical purposes like roofing and rainwater shoots for the abbeys and casing for their windows. Imports to the Island at this time would include wine and foods, fine cloth, silks, timber and metals especially iron. Life changed with the coming of Scottish rule. No sooner was Magus dead and Alexander had laid claim to the Islands than Alexander had to send a military mission to the island to quell a rebellion. The fight with the Manx chieftains was settled by way of a compromise, the terms of which can still be found in Edinburgh Castle. This document stipulated that Alexander “shall not go to Mann for a space of time.” 5 What do we know about these kings? Godred Crovan 1079 – 1095 Godred Crovan (Old Irish: Gofraid mac meic Arailt, Gofraid Méranech) (died 1095) was a Norse-Gael ruler of Dublin, the Isle of Man and the Hebrides in the second half of the 11th century. Godred's epithet Crovan means white hand (Middle Irish: crobh bhan). In Manx folklore he is known as King Orry. The notice of Godred's death in the Annals of Tigernach calls him Gofraid mac meic Aralt or Godred, son of Harald's son. As a result, it has been suggested that Godred was a son, or nephew, of the Norse-Gael king Imar mac Arailt (or Ivar Haraldsson) who ruled Dublin from 1038 to 1046, who was in turn a nephew of Sigtrygg Silkbeard. The Chronicle of Man reports that Godred, who it calls the son of Harald the Black of Iceland, was among the survivors of Harald Hardraade's defeat at battle of Stamford Bridge on 25 September 1066, and that he took refuge with his kinsman Godred Sigtryggsson, then king of the Isle of Man. Irish sources tell us that Godred Sigtryggsson was subject to the Irish king of Dublin, Murchad son of Diarmait mac Mail na mBo of the Uí Cheinnselaig. Godred and Murchad both died in 1070, and the rule of the Isle of Man passed to Godred's son Fingall. Harald III Sigurdsson (1015 – September 25, 1066), later surnamed Harald Hardråde Time in the Byzantine Empire Some years after Harald and his men had entered the land of the Rus, they packed up and left for the heart of the Byzantine Empire, the city of Constantinople. At the time, the Byzantine Empire was the wealthiest empire in Medieval Europe and the Near East. Harald and his men pledged themselves to the service of the armies of the empire. Harald's 6 forces joined the elite mercenary unit known as the Varangian Guard. It was not long until Harald had proven himself in battle and gained the respect of his fellow guardsmen. Harald became the leader of the entire force and used this power to undertake his own missions. Harald's forces won a great many victories in North Africa, Syria and Sicily. Through ingenuity, he and his men were able to besiege and defeat a number of castles. A contemporary source reports such tactics as attaching burning resin to birds, setting the castle ablaze, and feigning reluctance to fight, only to launch an attack at the most advantageous moment. Harald was able to build a large fortune in plunder from his victories. In 1079, the Chronicle of Man says that Godred invaded the Isle of Man three times: In the year 1056 [1079], Godred Crovan collected a number of ships and came to Man; he gave battle to the natives but was defeated, and forced to fly. Again he assembled an army and a fleet, came to Man, encountered the Manxmen, was defeated and put to fight. A third time he collected a numerous body of followers, came by night to the port called Ramsey, and concealed 300 men in a wood, on the sloping brow of a hill called Snaefell. At daylight the men of Man drew up in order of battle, and, with a mighty rush, encountered Godred. During the heat of the contest the 300 men, rising from the ambuscade in the rear, threw the Manxmen into disorder, and compelled them to fly. The Chronicle says, and Irish sources agree, that Godred then took Dublin although the date is unknown. In 1087 the Annals of Ulster record that "the grandsons of Ragnall" were killed on an expedition to the Isle of Man. In 1094 Godred was driven out of Dublin by Muircheartach Ua Briain. He died the following year, "of pestilence" according the Annals of the Four Masters, on Islay. Godred left three known sons, Lagmann, Olaf and Harald. Harald was blinded by Lagmann and disappears from the record, but the descendants of Lagmann and Olaf ruled the Kingdom of the Isles until the rise of Somerled and his sons, and ruled the Isle of Man until the end of the kingdom 1265 and its annexation by Alexander III, King of Scots. Even as late as 1275 Godred son of the last king of Man tried to seize the island. 7 The Chronicle of Man and the Isles1 tells us, “A third time ‘Godred Crovan’ collected a numerous body of followers, came by night to the port called Ramsey, and concealed 300 men in a wood, on the sloping brow of a hill called Scacafel (i.e. Skyhill). At daylight the men of Man drew up in order of battle, and, with a mighty rush, encountered Godred. During the heat of the contest the 300 men, rising from the ambuscade in the rear, threw the Manxmen into disorder, and compelled them to fly. When the natives saw that they were overpowered, and had no means of escape (for the tide had filled the bed of the river Sulby, and on the other side the enemy was closely pursuing them), those who remained, with piteous cries, begged Godred to spare their lives. Godred, yielding to feelings of mercy, and moved with compassion for their misfortune, for he had been brought up amongst them for some time, recalled his army, and forbade further pursuit. Next day Godred gave his army