Dubgall mac Somairle (died 1175) was an apparent
King of the Isles
The Kingdom of the Isles consisted of the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Firth of Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries AD. The islands were known to the Norse as the , or "Southern Isles" as distinct from the or North ...
. He was a son of
Somairle mac Gilla Brigte
Somerled (died 1164), known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði , was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the ...
and Ragnhildr Óláfsdóttir. Dubgall was a leading figure of
Clann Somairle
Clann Somhairle, sometimes anglicised as Clan Sorley, refers to those Scottish and Irish dynasties descending from the famous Norse-Gaelic leader Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles, son of Gillabrigte (†1164) and ancestor of Clann Domhna ...
, and the
eponymous
An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''.
Usage of the word
The term ''epon ...
ancestor of
Clann Dubgaill
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as ...
. Dubgall's career is obscure, and little is certain of his life.
In 1155 or 1156, Dubgall was produced as a candidate to the kingship of the Isles, then-possessed by his maternal uncle,
Guðrøðr Óláfsson
Guðrøðr Óláfsson (died 10 November 1187) was a twelfth-century ruler of the kingdoms of Dublin and the Isles. Guðrøðr was a son of Óláfr Guðrøðarson and Affraic, daughter of Fergus, Lord of Galloway. Throughout his career, Guðrø ...
. Later that year, Somairle defeated Guðrøðr, and the kingdom was divided between them. Two years later, Somairle again defeated Guðrøðr, and assumed control over the entirety of the realm. Whilst is possible that Dubgall was the nominal King of the Isles, it is apparent that his father possessed the real power.
Dubgall's father died in an invasion of
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to th ...
in 1164. At least one of Somairle's sons was slain in
this defeat, and it is unknown if Dubgall was present. Whilst it is possible that Dubgall retained a degree of royal authority after Somairle's death, it is evident that his maternal uncle
Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson seized the kingship before being defeated by Guðrøðr. Nevertheless, the territories seized by Somairle in 1156 were retained by Clann Somairle.
Dubgall's next and last attestation occurs in 1175, when he is recorded to have made a donation to
St Cuthbert
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nor ...
at
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of ...
. Whilst Somairle appears to have been a religious traditionalist, his descendants associated themselves with reformed monastic orders from
continental Europe. Either Dubgall, his father, or his brother
Ragnall, may have been responsible for the foundation of the
Diocese of Argyll
The Diocese of Argyll was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Argyll, and was based at Lismore.
During the Scottish Reformation, the majority of the Scottish established ch ...
.
Although the division of Clann Somairle territories is uncertain, it is possible that Dubgall held
Lorne on the mainland, and the
Mull group of islands in the
Hebrides
The Hebrides (; gd, Innse Gall, ; non, Suðreyjar, "southern isles") are an archipelago off the west coast of the Scottish mainland. The islands fall into two main groups, based on their proximity to the mainland: the Inner and Outer Hebrid ...
. The date of Dubgall's death is unknown. There is reason to suspect that he was succeeded or superseded by Ragnall at some point. Certainly, Ragnall and yet another brother,
Aongus, came into conflict before the end of the century—possibly over the leadership of Clann Somairle. Despite Dubgall's apparent overshadowing by Ragnall, the former's Clann Dubgaill descendants were the most powerful branch of Clann Somairle until the fourteenth century.
Ancestry

Dubgall was a son of
Somairle mac Gilla Brigte
Somerled (died 1164), known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði , was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the ...
and Ragnhildr Óláfsdóttir. Somairle's familial origins are obscure, although he was almost certainly of
Norse-Gaelic ancestry. Ragnhildr was a daughter of
Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles. The union of Somairle and Ragnhildr may date to about 1140. According to the thirteenth- to fourteenth-century ''
Chronicle of Mann
The ''Chronicles of the Kings of Mann and the Isles''
– British Library ( la, Chron ...
'', the couple had several sons: Dubgall,
Ragnall,
Aongus, and Amlaíb. There is reason to suspect that Dubgall was the eldest of these sons. Certainly, near contemporary sources such as the chronicle and the thirteenth-century ''
Orkneyinga saga'' list his name before those of his brothers. Dubgall's name is
Gaelic
Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
. The mixture of Gaelic and Scandinavian names borne by Somairle and his sons appears to exemplify the hybrid Norse-Gaelic milieu of the Isles. The marriage between Somairle and Ragnhildr had severe repercussions on the later history of the Isles, as it gave Somairle's descendants
[ Beuermann (2012) p. 5; Beuermann (2010) p. 102; Williams, G (2007) p. 145; Woolf (2005); Brown (2004) p. 70; Rixson (2001) p. 85.]—
Clann Somairle
Clann Somhairle, sometimes anglicised as Clan Sorley, refers to those Scottish and Irish dynasties descending from the famous Norse-Gaelic leader Somerled, King of Mann and the Isles, son of Gillabrigte (†1164) and ancestor of Clann Domhna ...
—a claim to the kingship by way of Ragnhildr's royal descent.
[
]
King of the Isles
The year 1153 marked a watershed in the history for the Kingdom of the Isles. In June of this year—whilst Óláfr's son, Guðrøðr, was absent in Norway—Óláfr was assassinated by three Dublin-based nephews. Within months, Guðrøðr was able to overcome his kin-slaying cousins, and thereby secured kingship for himself. During the latter's reign as king, both Guðrøðr and Somairle appear to have involved themselves in military campaigns in Ireland. In 1154, for instance, troops from the Isles and the western seaboard of Scotland certainly supported Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn, King of Cenél nEógain in a defeat against the latter's rival Toirrdelbach Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht. Guðrøðr further appears to have unsuccessfully attempted to secure the kingship of Dublin. However, these setbacks suffered under Guðrøðr's rule—perhaps coupled with the rise of Muirchertach's influence in the Isles—may well have incited Dubgall's father to seize the initiative.
In 1155 or 1156, the ''Chronicle of Mann'' reveals that Somairle conducted a coup against Guðrøðr, specifying that Þorfinnr Óttarsson—described as one of the leading men of the Isles—produced Dubgall as a replacement to Guðrøðr's rule. The fact that the chronicle identifies Dubgall as the chosen son seems to be further evidence that he was the senior-most of Somairle's sons. Nevertheless, Somairle's stratagem does not appear to have received unanimous support, as the chronicle specifies that the leading Islesmen were made to render pledges and surrender hostages unto him, and that one such chieftain alerted Guðrøðr of Somairle's treachery. Late in 1156, on the night of 5/6 January, Somairle and Guðrøðr finally clashed in a bloody but inconclusive sea-battle. According to the chronicle, Somairle's fleet numbered eighty ships, and when the fighting concluded, the feuding brothers-in-law divided the Kingdom of the Isles between themselves.
Although the precise partitioning is unrecorded and uncertain, the allotment of lands seemingly held by Somairle's descendants in the twelfth- and thirteenth centuries could be evidence that he and his son gained the southernmost islands of the Hebrides, whilst Guðrøðr retained the northernmost. As such, Somairle could well have secured control of the Islay and Mull groupings of islands, which left his brother-in-law with Mann and the rest of the Hebrides. Two years after Somairle's initial victory of Guðrøðr, the chronicle reveals that Somairle, with a fleet of fifty-three ships, attacked Mann and drove Guðrøðr from the kingship into exile.
With Guðrøðr gone, it appears that either Dubgall or Somairle became King of the Isles.[ McDonald, RA (1997) p. 57.] Although the young Dubgall may well have been the nominal monarch, the chronicle makes it clear that it was Somairle who possessed the real power. Certainly, Irish sources regard Somairle as a king by the end of his career. The reason why the Islesmen specifically sought Dubgall as their ruler instead of Somairle is unknown. Evidently, Somairle was somehow an unacceptable candidate, and it is possible that Ragnhildr's royal ancestry lent credibility to Dubgall that Somairle lacked himself. It was certainly not an unheard-of phenomenon for a powerful figure to set up a son as king under his own overlordship. In fact, Magnús Óláfsson, King of Norway did just this about half a century before by marrying his young son, Sigurðr, to Bjaðmunjo, daughter of the King of Munster
The kings of Munster ( ga, Rí Mumhan), ruled from the establishment of Munster during the Irish Iron Age, until the High Middle Ages. According to Gaelic traditional history, laid out in works such as the ''Book of Invasions'', the earliest ...
, and installing Sigurðr as king over Orkney
Orkney (; sco, Orkney; on, Orkneyjar; nrn, Orknøjar), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago in the Northern Isles of Scotland, situated off the north coast of the island of Great Britain. Orkney is 10 miles (16 km) nort ...
and the Isles.[
]
There may be reason to suspect that Guðrøðr's defeat to Somairle was partly enabled by an alliance between Muirchertach and Somairle. For example, Argyllmen formed part of the mercenary fleet utilised by Muirchertach in 1154, and it is possible that the commander of the fleet, a certain Mac Scelling
Mac Scelling (fl. 1154 – 1173/1174), also known as Mac Scilling, was a prominent twelfth-century military commander engaged in conflicts throughout Ireland. He is first recorded in 1154 commanding the maritime forces of Muirchertach Mac Loch ...
, was a relation of Somairle himself. If Muirchertach and Somairle were indeed allied at this point in time it may have meant that Guðrøðr faced a united front of opposition. If correct, it could also be possible that Þorfinnr participated in Somairle's insurrection as an agent of Muirchertach. On the other hand, the fact that Somairle and Muirchertach jostled over ecclesiastical affairs in the 1160s suggests that these two were in fact rivals. Furthermore, the fact that Þorfinnr may have been related to a previous King of Dublin
Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest-lasting Norse kingdom in Ireland. Its territory corresponded to most of present-day County Dublin. The Norse refer ...
could reveal that Þorfinnr himself was opposed to Muirchertach's foreign overlordship. If Guðrøðr's difficulties in Dublin date to a period just before Somairle's coup, the cooperation of men like Þorfinnr could be evidence that Dubgall—on account of his mother's ancestry and his father's power—was advanced as a royal candidate in an effort to counter Muirchertach's overlordship of Dublin.
Clann Somairle succession
Somairle died in a seaborne invasion of Scotland that culminated in a disastrous battle
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
fought near Renfrew
Renfrew (; sco, Renfrew; gd, Rinn Friù) is a town west of Glasgow in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It is the historic county town of Renfrewshire (historic), Renfrewshire. Called the "Cradle of the House of Stewart, Royal Stewarts" ...
in 1164. The various depictions of Somairle's forces—stated to have been drawn from Argyll, Dublin, and the Isles—appear to reflect the remarkable reach of power that this man possessed at his peak. Several sources also state that a son of Somairle was slain in the battle. According to the thirteenth-century ''Gesta annalia I
''Gesta Annalia'' ("Yearly Deeds") is an important medieval chronicle detailing the history of Scotland.
The history seems to be split into two main sections. Whilst ''Gesta Annalia I'' seems to concern events to February 1285, ''Gesta Annalia I ...
'', Somairle was killed with a son named Gilla Coluim. It is possible that this source has mistaken the latter's name for Gilla Brigte, the name that the fourteenth-century ''Annals of Tigernach
The ''Annals of Tigernach'' (abbr. AT, ga, Annála Tiarnaigh) are chronicles probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish.
Many of the pre-historic entries come from the 12th-cen ...
'' accords to Somairle's slain son. In any case, Gilla Brigte appears to have been a product of another marriage, a union that may have predated Somairle's binding to Ragnhildr.[ Sellar (2000) p. 195.] It is unknown if Dubgall was at the battle with Somairle and Gilla Brigte. In fact, it is unknown what role Dubgall played in the administration of the Isles during his father's floruit
''Floruit'' (; abbreviated fl. or occasionally flor.; from Latin for "they flourished") denotes a date or period during which a person was known to have been alive or active. In English, the unabbreviated word may also be used as a noun indicat ...
.
Although it is conceivable that Dubgall was able to secure power following his father's demise, it is evident from the ''Chronicle of Mann'' that the kingship was seized before the end of the year by Guðrøðr's brother, Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson. Almost immediately afterwards, Guðrøðr is said by the same source to have arrived on Mann, and ruthlessly overpowered his brother. Guðrøðr thereafter regained the kingship, and the realm was divided between the Crovan dynasty and Clann Somairle, in a partitioning that stemmed from Somairle's original strike against Guðrøðr in 1156. At one point, after noting this 1156 segmentation, the chronicle laments the "downfall" of the Kingdom of the Isles from the time Somairle's sons "took possession of it". One possibility is that this statement is evidence that members of Clann Somairle held a share of the kingdom before their father's demise. It could even be evidence that it was not Somairle who possessed the partition, but his sons.
There is uncertainty regarding the succession of Clann Somairle after Somairle's demise. Although the ''Chronicle of Mann'' appears to reveal that Dubgall was the senior dynast in the 1150s, his next and last attestation fails to accord him a royal title. One possibility is that Dubgall was succeeded or supplanted by Ragnall, whose recorded title of ''rex insularum, dominus de Ergile et Kyntyre'' ("king of the Isles, lord of Argyll and Kintyre") could indicate that Ragnall claimed control over the Clann Somairle territories.[ Quite how Dubgall was succeeded or superseded is unrecorded and unknown.
Although there is no direct evidence that Somairle's imperium fragmented upon his death, there is reason to suspect that it was indeed divided between his sons. Whilst the division of territories amongst later generations of Clann Somairle can be readily discerned, such boundaries are unlikely to have existed during the chaotic twelfth century. It is possible that the territory of the first generation of Clann Somairle stretched from Glenelg in the north, to the ]Mull of Kintyre
The Mull of Kintyre is the southwesternmost tip of the Kintyre Peninsula (formerly ''Cantyre'') in southwest Scotland. From here, the Antrim coast of Northern Ireland is visible on a calm and clear day, and a historic lighthouse, the second ...
in the south: with Aongus ruling in the north, Dubgall centred in Lorne (with possibly the bulk of the inheritance), and Ragnall in Kintyre
Kintyre ( gd, Cinn Tìre, ) is a peninsula in western Scotland, in the southwest of Argyll and Bute. The peninsula stretches about , from the Mull of Kintyre in the south to East and West Loch Tarbert in the north. The region immediately nor ...
and the southern islands.
There is reason to suspect that Dubgall also controlled the Mull group of islands. According to the seventeenth-century ''Sleat History
The ''Sleat History'', also known as the ''History of the MacDonalds'', is a seventeenth-century historical source documenting the history of Clan Donald.
The history is preserved in one manuscript, NLS Advocates' MS 73.1.12. The work appears to ...
''—a Clann Dòmnaill source that is opening disparaging in its treatment of Dubgall's descendants—the territories allotted to Dubgall was confined to Lorne—from the head of Loch Leven in the north, to Asknish
Asknish ( gd, Aisginis) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.
The hamlet is made up of a large detached house (Asknish house) and farm buildings with a lodge and two other dwellings nearby on the A83 road. Asknish House has been a Category ...
in the south. The source further claims that he had no right of inheritance in the Isles on account of illegitimacy
Legitimacy, in traditional Western common law, is the status of a child born to parents who are legally married to each other, and of a child conceived before the parents obtain a legal divorce. Conversely, ''illegitimacy'', also known as '' ...
, and thus depicts Dubgall's control of the Mull group of islands as a baseless extension of authority at the expense of legitimate members of Clann Somairle. As such, the ''Sleat History'' attempts to associate the Ardnamurchan branch of Clann Domnaill with the maritime regions of Moidart
Moidart ( ; ) is part of the remote and isolated area of Scotland, west of Fort William, known as the Rough Bounds. Moidart itself is almost surrounded by bodies of water. Loch Shiel cuts off the eastern boundary of the district (along a sou ...
and Ardnamurchan
Ardnamurchan (, gd, Àird nam Murchan: headland of the great seas) is a peninsula in the ward management area of Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoiled and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main acces ...
, during the floruit of Ragnall, by way of a convoluted tale concerning the defeat of a supposed associate of Dubgall. In fact, when Ardnamurchan appears on record in 1293 it may have comprised part of the lordship held by Dubgall's descendants, and may well have been held by them for a considerable period of time before.
English attestation
Following Dubgall's part in his father's coup of 1156, Dubgall's next and last attestation occurs in 1175, when he visited Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of ...
upon the eve of the feast of St Bartholomew
Bartholomew (Aramaic: ; grc, Βαρθολομαῖος, translit=Bartholomaîos; la, Bartholomaeus; arm, Բարթողիմէոս; cop, ⲃⲁⲣⲑⲟⲗⲟⲙⲉⲟⲥ; he, בר-תולמי, translit=bar-Tôlmay; ar, بَرثُولَماو� ...
(23 August), with the ''Durham Cantor's Book'' recording his gift of two gold rings and the pledge of 1 mark
Mark may refer to:
Currency
* Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic
* Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927
* F ...
annuity to St Cuthbert
Cuthbert of Lindisfarne ( – 20 March 687) was an Anglo-Saxon saint of the early Northumbrian church in the Celtic tradition. He was a monk, bishop and hermit, associated with the monasteries of Melrose and Lindisfarne in the Kingdom of Nor ...
for the rest of his life.
Dubgall's donation was evidently undertaken in the context of travelling from York
York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...
, where William I, King of Scotland and leading Scottish magnates are otherwise known to have sworn fealty to Henry II, King of England
Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...
that very year.
Upon the occasion of his donation, Dubgall is stated to have been accompanied by Stephen—his chaplain—and a certain Adam de Stanford. Together the three are said to have been accepted into the fraternity of the church of Durham. The text specifies that Dubgall's gift was made "at the feet of the saint", suggesting that the ceremony took place before an image of St Cuthbert, or (perhaps more likely) at his shrine.
The Durham ''Liber vitae'' corroborates Dubgall's presence in Durham by recording his name with those of Stephen and Adam. Also noted are three sons of Dubgall: Amlaíb, Donnchad, and Ragnall. If the latter three were indeed present, however, it is unclear why they are not recorded to have entered the fraternity of St Cuthbert like the other three.[
]
Possible ecclesiastical foundation
The ecclesiastical jurisdiction within the Kingdom of the Isles was the far-flung Diocese of the Isles
The Diocese of the Isles, also known as the Diocese of Suðreyar, or the Diocese of Sodor, was one of the dioceses of medieval Norway. After the mid-13th-century Treaty of Perth, the diocese was accounted as one of the 13 dioceses of Scotlan ...
. Little is known of its early history, although its origins may well lie with the Uí Ímair imperium
In ancient Rome, ''imperium'' was a form of authority held by a citizen to control a military or governmental entity. It is distinct from '' auctoritas'' and '' potestas'', different and generally inferior types of power in the Roman Republic ...
. Early in Guðrøðr's reign, the diocese came to be incorporated into the newly established Norwegian Archdiocese of Niðaróss. In effect, the political reality of the Diocese of the Isles—its territorial borders and nominal subjection to far-off Norway—appears to have mirrored that of the Kingdom of the Isles. Before the close of the twelfth century, however, evidence of a new ecclesiastical jurisdiction—the Diocese of Argyll
The Diocese of Argyll was an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of Scotland in the Middle Ages. The Diocese was led by the Bishop of Argyll, and was based at Lismore.
During the Scottish Reformation, the majority of the Scottish established ch ...
—begins to emerge during ongoing contentions between Clann Somairle and the Crovan dynasty.
Although the early diocesan succession of Argyll is uncertain, the jurisdiction itself appears to have lain outwith the domain of the Crovan dynasty, allowing Clann Somairle to readily act as religious patrons without outside interference. Like the Kingdom of the Isles itself, the great geographic size of the Diocese of the Isles appears to have contributed to the alienation of outlying areas, and to its eventual disintegration. In fact, there is reason to suspect that portions of the Diocese of Argyll were likewise detached from the Scottish dioceses of Dunblane
Dunblane (, gd, Dùn Bhlàthain) is a small town in the council area of Stirling in central Scotland, and inside the historic boundaries of the county of Perthshire. It is a commuter town, with many residents making use of good transport links ...
, Dunkeld
Dunkeld (, sco, Dunkell, from gd, Dùn Chailleann, "fort of the Caledonians") is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The location of a historic cathedral, it lies on the north bank of the River Tay, opposite Birnam. Dunkeld lies close to ...
, and Moray. Although the Scottish Crown may well have welcomed the formation of the new diocese as a means to project Scottish royal authority into the region, Clann Somairle rulers generally appear to have been hostile to the Scots, and the diocesan seat on Lismore lay far outwith the Scottish king's sphere of authority.[ MacDonald (2013) pp. 33–36.]
The foundation of the Diocese of Argyll appears to have been a drawn-out and gradual process that is unlikely to have been the work of a single individual—be he Somairle, Ragnall, or Dubgall himself. Nevertheless, Dubgall's attestation in Durham could indicate that he was closely associated with William I. If the latter was involved in the creation of the diocese, he could well have facilitated the lords of Argyll in their ecclesiastical endeavours. The evidence of an amiable relationship between William I and Dubgall could add weight to the possibility that Dubgall was also involved. Although the early diocese suffered from prolonged vacancies—with only two bishops
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...
are recorded to have occupied the see before the turn of the mid thirteenth century—over time it became firmly established in the region, allowing the Clann Somairle leadership to retain local control of ecclesiastical power and prestige.
There is reason to suspect that Somairle and his sons were able to extend their influence into the Diocese of the Isles through the appointment of an Argyllman, Christian, as Bishop of the Isles
The Bishop of the Isles or Bishop of Sodor was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of the Isles (or Sodor), one of Scotland's thirteen medieval bishoprics. The bishopric, encompassing both the Hebrides and Mann, probably traces its origins as ...
. One possibility is that this man was appointed by Dubgall himself. Christian's predecessor was Reginald, a Norwegian. Christian's tenure appears to lasted from at least about 1170 to the early 1190s, although the fact that Reginald seems to have followed Guðrøðr into Norwegian exile could indicate that Christian began his episcopate whilst Somairle held the kingship.[ MacDonald (2013) p. 32.] Even though Christian's notice by the ''Chronicle of Mann'' suggests that he held the approval of the monks of Rushen Abbey
Rushen Abbey is a former abbey on the Isle of Man, located in Ballasalla. Originally home for monks of the Savignac order, it soon came under Cistercian control and remained so until its dissolution. The abbey is located from Castle Rushen, t ...
, his episcopacy appears to have spanned a period of reorientation from Mann towards territories controlled by Clann Somairle.[ In any case, it is evident that Christian was ousted and replaced by a Manxman, Michael, who appears to have been a candidate backed by the Crovan dynasty, represented by the recently inaugurated Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles. Although Christian probably received confirmation from the monks of ]Furness Abbey
Furness Abbey, or St. Mary of Furness, is a former Catholic monastery located to the north of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. The abbey dates back to 1123 and was once the second-wealthiest and most powerful Cistercian monastery in the coun ...
—a right originally granted to the monks by Dubgall's maternal grandfather—Christian's episcopacy is not noted by the '' Icelandic Annals'', which could be evidence that he was consecrated by the Archbishop of York
The archbishop of York is a senior bishop in the Church of England, second only to the archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and the metropolitan bishop of the province of York, which covers ...
rather than the Archbishop of Niðaróss.
Compared to his immediate descendants, who associated themselves with reformed monastic orders from continental Europe, Somairle appears have been something a religious traditionalist. In 1164, he attempted to persuade Flaithbertach Ua Brolcháin, Abbot of Derry—the '' comarba'' ("heir" or "successor") of St Columba
Columba or Colmcille; gd, Calum Cille; gv, Colum Keeilley; non, Kolban or at least partly reinterpreted as (7 December 521 – 9 June 597 AD) was an Irish abbot and missionary evangelist credited with spreading Christianity in what is tod ...
—to relocate to Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: �iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though the ...
. This attempt by Somairle to restore the Columban leadership to Iona starkly contrasted with the actions of his descendants, who oversaw the obliteration of the island's Columban monastery, and founded a Benedictine
, image = Medalla San Benito.PNG
, caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal
, abbreviation = OSB
, formation =
, motto = (English: 'Pray and Work')
, found ...
monastery in its place. The new monastery's foundation charter dates to December 1203, which could indicate that Ragnall was responsible for its foundation. The eighteenth-century ''Book of Clanranald
The Books of Clanranald are two paper manuscripts that date to about the early 18th century. The books are written in Classical Gaelic,. and are best known for their traditional account of the history of Clan Donald.. The manuscripts are commonly ...
'' certainly identifies Ragnall as the founder. However, there is no hard evidence linking him to it. Since the charter reveals that the monastery received substantial endowments from throughout the Clann Somairle domain, it is likely that the foundation was supported by other leading members the kindred, such as Dubgall (if he were still alive) or Donnchad. Dubgall's attestation in Durham certainly shows that he was a benefactor of the Benedictine order. In any event, the charter placed the monastery under the protection of Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III ( la, Innocentius III; 1160 or 1161 – 16 July 1216), born Lotario dei Conti di Segni (anglicized as Lothar of Segni), was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 to his death in 16 ...
, which secured its episcopal independence from the Diocese of the Isles. As such, the price for the privilege of Iona's papal protection appears to have been the adoption of the Benedictine Rule
The ''Rule of Saint Benedict'' ( la, Regula Sancti Benedicti) is a book of precepts written in Latin in 516 by St Benedict of Nursia ( AD 480–550) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot.
The spirit of Saint Benedict's Ru ...
, and the supersession of the island's centuries-old institution of St Columba.
Bethóc
Bethóc ingen Maíl Coluim meic Cináeda was the elder daughter of Máel Coluim mac Cináeda, King of Scots, and the mother of his successor, Duncan I.
Biography
Bethóc was the eldest daughter and heir of Malcolm II of Scotland, who had no kno ...
, a daughter of Somairle, appears to have been the first prioress of Iona Nunnery
The Iona Nunnery was an Augustinian convent of nuns located on the island of Iona in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It was established sometime after the foundation of the nearby Benedictine monastery in 1203. Bethóc, daughter of Somerled, w ...
. This Augustinian house may have been built near the end of the twelfth century, or perhaps in the first decade of the next. According to the ''Book of Clanranald'', Ragnall was responsible for the foundation of this house. The same source describes Bethóc as "a religious woman and a Black Nun", whilst the ''Sleat History'' states that she was a prioress on Iona. Although these accounts are somewhat suspect—as the colour black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...
refers to Benedictines not Augustinians—Bethóc's historicity is corroborated by an inscription upon her tombstone, transcribed in the seventeenth-century as: "". Dubgall's donation to the cult of St Cuthbert in Durham, together with the establishment of a Benedictine monastery and an Augustinian nunnery on Iona, are evidence of fundamental ecclesiastical changes affecting the Norse-Gaelic society of the Isles in the twelfth- and thirteenth centuries.
Descendants
Dubgall's attestation in Durham is one of the few examples of Clann Somairle integration into the Scottish realm before the end of the thirteenth century. Nothing further is recorded or known of Dubgall, and the date of his death is unknown.
Dubgall was the eponymous ancestor of the Clann Dubgaill
Clan MacDougall is a Highland Scottish clan, historically based in and around Argyll. The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in Scotland, issuing new grants of coats of arms, and serving as ...
branch of Clann Somairle. The two other main branches of Clann Somairle—Clann Ruaidrí
A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship
and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, clans may claim descent from founding member or apical ancestor. Clans, in indigenous societies, tend to be endogamous, mean ...
and Clann Domnaill—descended from eponymous sons of Dubgall's brother, Ragnall. Several late mediaeval pedigrees—such as those preserved by National Library of Scotland Advocates' 72.1.1 (MS 1467) and the ''Book of Lecan
The (Great) Book of Lecan (Irish: ''Leabhar (Mór) Leacáin'') ( RIA, MS 23 P 2) is a medieval Irish manuscript written between 1397 and 1418 in Castle Forbes, Lecan (Lackan, Leckan; Irish ''Leacán''), in the territory of Tír Fhíacrach, n ...
''—identify Dubgall's descendants variously as ''Clann Somairle''. The fact that such terminology is not accorded to Clann Ruaidrí and Clann Domnaill may be further evidence that Dubgall and his successors represented the senior line of Somairle's descendants.
Other than their notice by the ''Liber vitae'', nothing further is recorded of Dubgall's sons Amlaíb and Ragnall. Scandinavian sources reveal that Dubgall was the father of a certain Dubgall, who is accorded an epithet meaning "screech". Both Donnchad and this man—alongside a certain kinsman Somairle, who could have been either a son or nephew of Dubgall—are recorded to have participated in a Norwegian-backed invasion of the Isles in 1230. The leader of this campaign was Óspakr-Hákon
Óspakr (died 1230), also known as Hákon, was a King of the Isles. He seems to have been a son of Dubgall mac Somairle, King of the Isles, and therefore a member of the Meic Dubgaill branch of the Meic Somairle kindred. Óspakr spent a considerab ...
, yet another possible son of Dubgall. Certainly, Scandinavian sources state that Óspakr-Hákon was a brother of Dubgall's sons Dubgall and Donnchad. Óspakr-Hákon evidently carved out a career in Norway earlier in the century, and was eventually installed as King of the Isles by Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway
Haakon IV Haakonsson ( – 16 December 1263; Old Norse: ''Hákon Hákonarson'' ; Norwegian: ''Håkon Håkonsson''), sometimes called Haakon the Old in contrast to his namesake son, was King of Norway from 1217 to 1263. His reign lasted for 46 ...
. Donnchad's last certain attestation occurs in 1237.
About three and a half decades after Dubgall's final notice, several historical sources appear to indicate that kin-strife amongst Clann Somairle was a cause of increasing instability in the Isles: for example the fifteenth- to sixteenth-century ''Annals of Ulster
The ''Annals of Ulster'' ( ga, Annála Uladh) are annals of medieval Ireland. The entries span the years from 431 AD to 1540 AD. The entries up to 1489 AD were compiled in the late 15th century by the scribe Ruaidhrí Ó Luinín ...
'' reports that Ragnall's sons attacked the men of Skye
The Isle of Skye, or simply Skye (; gd, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach or ; sco, Isle o Skye), is the largest and northernmost of the major islands in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate from a mountainous hub dominated ...
in 1209, whilst the ''Chronicle of Mann'' relates that Aongus—along with his three sons—fell in battle on the same island in 1210. These records may be evidence that Ragnall's sons were attempting to extend their authority over Skye, and it is possible that they overcame and slew Aongus and his sons there. This last stand on Skye could indicate that Aongus had succeeded Ragnall as the representative of Clann Somairle, and that Ragnall's sons responded by eliminating their uncle and his line. If so, it is possible that Ragnall's son, Ruaidrí, seized the Clann Somairle succession after the annihilation of Aongus' branch of the kindred. These accounts of Hebridean warfare may, therefore, signify a radical redistribution of the Clann Somairle imperium.
Earlier in 1192, the ''Chronicle of Mann'' records that Ragnall was defeated by Aongus in a particularly bloody battle. The chronicle does not identify the location of the battle, or elaborate under what circumstances it was fought. Nevertheless, it is possible that the conflict took place in the northern part of the Clann Somairle domain where some of Aongus' territories may have lain. Whilst this clash could have been result of Ragnall's rise in power and expansion at Dubgall's expense, the encounter could also mark Ragnall's downfall, and perhaps even his death.
Although there is reason to suspect that there was also contention between Dubgall and Ragnall, and that the former came to be overshadowed by the latter, Dubgall's descendants overtook Ragnall's by the mid part of the thirteenth century. By the 1240s, for example, Clann Dubgaill was the dominant kindred on Scotland's western seaboard, and had begun to align itself with leading families in the eastern and lowland
Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland.
Definitions
Upland and lowland are portions of p ...
regions of the Scottish realm. Clann Dubgaill retained its supremacy in the west until its eclipse in the fourteenth century, during the reign of Robert I, King of Scotland
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...
.[ MacDonald (2013) p. 7.]
Ancestry
Notes
Citations
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dubgall Mac Somairle
12th-century Scottish people
12th-century Norwegian people
12th-century rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles
Clan MacDougall
Clann Somhairle
Norse-Gaels
Rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles
Scandinavian Scotland
Scottish clan chiefs
Year of birth unknown
Year of death unknown