Haraldr Óláfsson (born 1223 or 1224; died 1248) was a thirteenth-century
King of Mann and 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 Nort ...
, and a member of the
Crovan dynasty
The Crovan dynasty, from the late 11th century to the mid 13th century, was the ruling family of an insular kingdom known variously in secondary sources as the Kingdom of Mann, the Kingdom of the Isles, and the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. The ...
. He was one of several sons of
Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles, although the identity of his mother is uncertain. When his father died in 1237, Haraldr succeeded to the kingship as a fourteen-year-old, and held the kingship for about a decade afterwards.
Early in his reign, Haraldr was forced to contend with an apparent coup perpetrated by a kinsman and perhaps an otherwise unknown younger brother. Following this, Haraldr was then ejected from Mann by envoys of his father's overlord,
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 y ...
, who probably took action against Haraldr because the former had refused to render him
homage
Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to:
History
*Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance
*Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts
*Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
. Unable to overcome Hákon's supporters in the Isles, Haraldr eventually submitted to Hákon in Norway, and remained there for about two or three years before being restored in the Isles.
Unlike his immediate royal predecessors, who appear to have favoured the title ''rex insularum'', Haraldr appears to have preferred ''rex mannie et insularum''. Three
charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...
s from Haraldr's reign are known, two of which are recorded to have borne a waxen
seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...
, depicting a galley on one side and a lion on the other. Haraldr reigned during a period of competing claims to overlordship of the Isles by the
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
,
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
, and
Scottish Crowns. Like his father before him, and a younger brother after him, Haraldr was
knighted
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
by
Henry III, King of England
Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry ass ...
. The act itself brought Haraldr closer within the orbit of the English Crown. Late in 1247, however, Haraldr returned to Norway and married Hákon's daughter, CecilÃa, and thereby bound himself closer to the Norwegian Crown. Whilst attempting to return to the Isles in the autumn of 1248, the newly-wed's ship was lost at sea south of
Shetland
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.
The islands lie about to the no ...
in a tidal race known as Sumburgh Roost. News of Haraldr's demise appears to have reached Mann by the spring of 1249, whereupon his younger brother,
RÇ«gnvaldr
RÇ«gnvaldr is an Old Norse language, Old Norse name.
People
* Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson (died 1229), King of the Isles
Derived or cognate names
Given names include:
*''Raginald'', German
*''Reginold'', German
*''Ragenold'', German
*''Ragenald'' ...
, succeeded to the kingship.
Haraldr was evidently a popular and capable king who appears to have garnered much of his support from the Hebridean portion of his realm. His untimely death, however, led to the continuation of the vicious kin-strife which had wracked the Crovan dynasty 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 indicatin ...
. The chaos brought about by Haraldr's demise appears to have contributed to the invasion of
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
, and near conquest of the Hebrides, by
Alexander II, King of Scotland
Alexander II (Medieval Gaelic: '; Modern Gaelic: '; 24 August 1198 – 6 July 1249) was King of Scotland from 1214 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of York (1237) which defined the boundary between England and Scotland, virtually unc ...
.
Background
![Haraldr Óláfsson (map)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/Haraldr_%C3%93l%C3%A1fsson_%28map%29.png)
Haraldr was a son of
Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles, and a member of the
Crovan dynasty
The Crovan dynasty, from the late 11th century to the mid 13th century, was the ruling family of an insular kingdom known variously in secondary sources as the Kingdom of Mann, the Kingdom of the Isles, and the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. The ...
. The identity of Haraldr's mother is less certain. Óláfr is known to have had two wives. His first marriage was to "'", a woman who was likely a member of
Clann Somhairle
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 ...
, possibly a daughter of either
Ruaidhrà mac Raghnaill
Ruaidhrà mac Raghnaill (died 1247?) was a leading figure in the Kingdom of the Isles and a member of Clann Somhairle. He was a son of Raghnall mac Somhairle, and was the eponymous ancestor of Clann RuaidhrÃ. Ruaidhrà may have become the princ ...
or
Domhnall mac Raghnaill
Domhnall mac Raghnaill was a Hebridean noble in the late 12th and early 13th centuries. He is the eponymous progenitor of Clan Donald (''Clann Dhòmhnaill'', "Children of Donald"). For this reason some traditions accumulated around him in the la ...
, or else a daughter of their father,
Raghnall mac Somhairle
''Ragnall'', ''Raghnall'', ''Raonall'', and ''Raonull'' are masculine personal names or given names in several Gaelic languages.
''Ragnall'' occurs in Old Irish, and Middle Irish/Middle Gaelic. It is a Gaelicised form of the Old Norse '' Røgnva ...
. Óláfr's second wife was CairistÃona, daughter of
Fearchar mac an tSagairt
Fearchar of Ross or Ferchar mac in tSagairt (''Fearchar mac an t-sagairt'', often anglicized as ''Farquhar MacTaggart''), was the first of the Scottish Ó Beólláin (O’Beolan, Beolan) family who received by Royal Grant the lands and Title of Mor ...
. Although no contemporaneous source names Haraldr's mother, the thirteenth- to fourteenth-century ''
Chronicle of Mann
The ''Chronicles of the Kings of Mann and the Isles''
– British Library ( la, Chron ...
'' states that Óláfr died in 1237, and specifies that Haraldr was fourteen-years-old at the time. This would place his birth in about 1222 or 1223, at about the time that Óláfr married his second wife, indicating that either woman could have been Haraldr's mother.
Haraldr reigned during an apparent lull in an ongoing and vicious struggle over the kingship fought between two rival branches of the Crovan dynasty. This kin-strife had its origins in the late twelfth century, on the death of Haraldr's paternal grandfather,
Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Dublin and the Isles
Guðrøðr is a masculine Old Norse personal name. The name is rendered in Old Irish and Middle Irish as '' Gofraid'' or ''Gofraidh'' (later ''Goraidh'' in Scottish Gaelic). Anglicised forms of the Old Norse name are ''Godred'', ''Guthred'', and ...
, after which the king was succeeded by
Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson
Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson (died 14 February 1229) ruled as King of the Isles from 1187 to 1226. He was the eldest son of Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Dublin and the Isles. Although the latter may have intended for his younger son, Óláfr, ...
. Although the latter was Guðrøðr Óláfsson's eldest son, and had the support of the Islesmen, RÇ«gnvaldr Guðrøðarson's mother was an uncanonical wife or concubine. Haraldr's father, on the other hand, was the product of canonically recognised marriage, and may well have been Guðrøðr Óláfsson's chosen successor. After a period of imprisonment, RÇ«gnvaldr had Óláfr marry Lauon, the sister of his own wife. Óláfr, however, managed to have the union nullified, and married CairistÃona. Tensions between the half-brothers turned to outright warfare in the 1220s, in which RÇ«gnvaldr's son,
Guðrøðr Dond
Guðrøðr is a masculine Old Norse personal name. The name is rendered in Old Irish and Middle Irish as ''Gofraid'' or ''Gofraidh'' (later ''Goraidh'' in Scottish Gaelic). Anglicisation, Anglicised forms of the Old Norse name are ''Godred'', ''Gu ...
, was captured and mutilated by Óláfr. Rǫgnvaldr was slain battling Óláfr in 1229, after which the latter gained complete control of the kingdom. In the 1230s, during a period of heightened tensions between the
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
*Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
*Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including the ...
and
Scottish realms, Óláfr and Guðrøðr Dond temporarily shared control of the Crovan dynasty's partitioned realm. When the latter was killed in 1231, Óláfr assumed control of the entire kingdom, and ruled it peacefully until his own death.
Haraldr also ruled during a period of competing claims to the overlordship of the Isles,
[ Stringer (2004); Helle (2009).] a region comprising 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 ...
and
Mann
Mann may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Mann (chess), a variant chess piece which moves as a king
* ''Mann'' (film), a 1999 Bollywood motion picture
* ''Mann'' (magazine), a Norwegian magazine
* Mann Theatres, a theatre chain corp ...
, known in the Norse world as ' (the "Southern Islands") due to its geographical position in relation to
Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
itself. Since the reign of
Magnús berfœttr, King of Norway, a king who conquered
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) north ...
, the Isles, and possibly
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
before his death in 1103, the
Norwegian Crown
The krone (, currency sign, abbreviation: kr (also NKr for distinction); ISO 4217, code: NOK), plural ''kroner'', is currency of the Kingdom of Norway (including Svalbard). Traditionally known as the Norwegian Crown (currency), crown in English. ...
appears to have claimed ultimate authority in the Isles. In fact, on several occasions during the reigns of Haraldr's royal predecessors, leading Islesmen sought recognition and protection from Norwegian monarchs. The ruler of Norway during Haraldr'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 indicatin ...
was
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 y ...
, a formidable ruler who spent the latter part of his reign focused on foreign policy and strengthening royal authority throughout far-flung Norse colonies such as the Isles. At the same time the
Scottish Crown, in the person of
Alexander II, King of Scotland
Alexander II (Medieval Gaelic: '; Modern Gaelic: '; 24 August 1198 – 6 July 1249) was King of Scotland from 1214 until his death. He concluded the Treaty of York (1237) which defined the boundary between England and Scotland, virtually unc ...
, consolidated control over Scotland's western seaboard, and moved to extend Scottish influence further into the Isles.
Meanwhile,
Henry III, King of England
Henry III (1 October 1207 – 16 November 1272), also known as Henry of Winchester, was King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine from 1216 until his death in 1272. The son of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, Henry ass ...
also had an interest in the Isles, and worked to bring the Crovan dynasty closer under the orbit of the
English Crown
This list of kings and reigning queens of the Kingdom of England begins with Alfred the Great, who initially ruled Wessex, one of the seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms which later made up modern England. Alfred styled himself King of the Anglo-Sax ...
.
[ Barrow (1981) p. 111.]
Accession and overlordship
After his father's death, Haraldr succeeded to the kingship. Unlike the reign of his father, who temporarily ruled a partitioned kingdom, and endured years of near catastrophic kin-strife, Haraldr appears to have ruled a whole kingdom, and his kingship does not seem to have suffered from serious dynastic discord. Haraldr's young age at the time of his accession, and the fact that he had a potential rival in the person of Haraldr Guðrøðarson, suggests that Haraldr had been designated successor during his father's lifetime. Not long after his accession, the ''Chronicle of Mann'' records that he sailed into the Hebridean portion of the kingdom, and left a kinsman named Lochlann as governor on Mann. Lochlann's tenure on the island led to factional strife, and when Haraldr made his return the following spring, the chronicle states that Lochlann fled the island for
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, taking with him his
foster-son, Guðrøðr Óláfsson. There, somewhere along the northern Welsh coast, the chronicle claims that their ship was lost, with Lochlann and his foster-son amongst the dead. Quite why Lochlann was compelled to flee his sovereign in uncertain. The chronicle states that a friend of Haraldr had been slain in the uprising quelled by Lochlann, possibly indicate that the latter fled in fear of the king. Another possibility, is that Lochlann led a coalition opposed to Haraldr. Quite why Lochlann chose to Wales as his destination is also unknown, although the Crovan dynasty certainly had diplomatic and familial connections with the Welsh. In fact, a transaction between
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 11 December 1282), sometimes written as Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, also known as Llywelyn the Last ( cy, Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, lit=Llywelyn, Our Last Leader), was the native Prince of Wales ( la, Princeps Wall ...
and
Ralph de Mortimer
Ranulph or Ralph de Mortimer (before 1198 to 6 August 1246) was the second son of Roger de Mortimer and Isabel de Ferrers of Wigmore Castle in Herefordshire. He succeeded his elder brother before 23 November 1227 and built Cefnllys and Knuckla ...
that concerns the lands of
Maelienydd
Maelienydd, sometimes spelt Maeliennydd, was a cantref and lordship in east central Wales covering the area from the River Teme to Radnor Forest and the area around Llandrindod Wells. The area, which is mainly upland, is now in Powys. During the M ...
and
Gwerthrynion, and appears to date to 1241, makes note of a witness named "'". The precise identity of this man is uncertain.
[ McDonald (2007b) pp. 106–107.] One possibility is that he is identical to Lochlann's foster-son. If the chronicle is in error in its account of the maritime demise of Guðrøðr Óláfsson, and he is indeed identical to the like-named Manx prince on record in Wales, his activities outwith the kingdom of his forefathers may have been a consequence of the troubles following the Haraldr's accession. The chronicle's account of the flight to Wales may, therefore, reveal that Lochlann tried and failed to replace Haraldr with an otherwise unknown younger son of Óláfr. If so, the episode would appear to be yet another example of the Crovan dynasty enduring internal strife.
[ Oram (2013).]
![Tynwald tingvollen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Tynwald_tingvollen.jpg)
Later in 1238, the chronicle reveals that envoys of Hákon expelled Haraldr from Mann because the latter had refused to render
homage
Homage (Old English) or Hommage (French) may refer to:
History
*Homage (feudal) /ˈhɒmɪdʒ/, the medieval oath of allegiance
*Commendation ceremony, medieval homage ceremony Arts
*Homage (arts) /oʊˈmɑʒ/, an allusion or imitation by one arti ...
to his overlord in Norway. Hákon's delegates in the Isles—a certain Gospatric, and Giolla CrÃost mac Muircheartaigh—are described by the chronicle to have seized control of the island, and taken tribute which was due to the Norwegian king. By sending such emissaries—men apparently without any hereditary claim to the kingdom—Hákon ignored other potential claimants, such as other members of the Crovan dynasty and members of Clann Somhairle. About a decade before, when Haraldr's father first gained complete control of the kingdom, Óláfr journeyed to Norway and may have rendered homage to Hákon. Later in 1235 Óláfr rendered homage to Henry, before being called back to Norway the following year. The episode concerning the ejection of Haraldr may well be related to his father's fealty to the English Crown, and appears to indicate that the latter was deposed for not fulfilling his duties as a Norwegian
vassal
A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain. W ...
; and that upon his subsequent removal, Haraldr's rights of vassalage passed to Hákon himself.
Although Haraldr attempted to oust Hákon's representatives on several occasions, his successive invasions of Mann from the Hebrides ultimately proved unsuccessful, and the chronicle indicates that he finally journeyed to Norway to render his submission. After a stay of about two or three years in Scandinavia, the chronicle reports that Haraldr became reconciled with Hákon, who restored him to the kingship. The source reveals that the boundaries of his kingdom were carefully defined by Hákon as the islands which had been previously ruled by Haraldr's father, his uncle (Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson), and his paternal grandfather. The Norwegian king, therefore, not only deliberately excluded the island territories ruled by Clann Somhairle, but limited the possibility of Haraldr becoming in drawn into alignment with Scottish interests like some leading members of Clann Somhairle had been.
Upon his return to the Isles, the chronicle states that the Manxmen rejoiced at his arrival; and declares that he afterwards reigned quietly and peacefully, enjoying an alliance of friendship with both the English and Scottish Crowns.
Acta and honours
![Harald Olafsson, King of Mann and the Isles (seal 03)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Harald_Olafsson%2C_King_of_Mann_and_the_Isles_%28seal_03%29.png)
The earliest member of the Crovan dynasty known to have utilised a
seal
Seal may refer to any of the following:
Common uses
* Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly:
** Earless seal, or "true seal"
** Fur seal
* Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...
is Haraldr's paternal grandfather, who attached such a device to a confirmation charter granted in about 1154. Although none of the original seals borne by the Crovan dynasty have survived, several were documented by sixteenth- and seventeenth-century
antiquarian
An antiquarian or antiquary () is an fan (person), aficionado or student of antiquities or things of the past. More specifically, the term is used for those who study history with particular attention to ancient artifact (archaeology), artifac ...
s. In regards to Haraldr himself, one such antiquarian named
Christopher Hatton
Sir Christopher Hatton KG (1540 – 20 November 1591) was an English politician, Lord Chancellor of England and a favourite of Elizabeth I of England. He was one of the judges who found Mary, Queen of Scots guilty of treason.
Early years
Sir ...
not only transcribed two of Haraldr's charters, but made drawings of the seals which were attached to them. The devices themselves were in poor condition by Hatton's time, as his illustrations show portions of them broken away. It is clear, however, that the seals bore a lion on one side, and a
clinker-built
Clinker built (also known as lapstrake) is a method of boat building where the edges of hull (watercraft), hull planks overlap each other. Where necessary in larger craft, shorter planks can be joined end to end, creating a longer strake or hull ...
galley with sails furled on the other side. About a century later, the charters and seals, along with other priceless documents of the
Cottonian Library
The Cotton or Cottonian library is a collection of manuscripts once owned by Sir Robert Bruce Cotton MP (1571–1631), an antiquarian and bibliophile. It later became the basis of what is now the British Library, which still holds the collection. ...
, were destroyed by fire at
Ashburnham House
Ashburnham House is an extended seventeenth-century house on Little Dean's Yard in Westminster, London, United Kingdom, which since 1882 has been part of Westminster School. It is occasionally open to the public, when its staircase and first fl ...
in 1731. Waxen seals affixed to acta not only served to authenticate the written documents, but also physically symbolise the authority and significance of them. For example, when Hákon formally confirmed the kingship of
Magnús Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles
Magnus, meaning "Great" in Latin, was used as cognomen of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus in the first century BC. The best-known use of the name during the Roman Empire is for the fourth-century Western Roman Emperor Magnus Maximus. The name gained wid ...
, Haraldr's younger brother and eventual royal successor, the Norwegian king is said by the ''Chronicle of Mann'' to have done so "by the protection of his seal". To the kings of the Crovan dynasty, whose military strength laid in the power of armed galley-fleets, the symbol of such a vessel upon their seals represented the strength and authority they held in the Isles.
One of Haraldr's charters to which a seal was attached was a grant to 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 ...
concerning mining rights on Mann, the use of a depot at "'" (probably
Ronaldsway
Ronaldsway () is a place in the parish of Malew in the south of the Isle of Man, between the village of Ballasalla and the town of Castletown.
Features
It is notable as the location of Isle of Man Airport and historically of RNAS Ronaldsway, to ...
), and the freedom from tolls and customs. The record of this document is the earliest evidence for mineral exploitation on the island, an industry that expanded throughout the island by the century's end. In another charter, Haraldr pledged the protection of the abbey's ships and goods. His amiable interactions with the English abbey contrasted the apparent aggression of his father, who was warned by the English king not to harm the monks or their property. In a further charter, evidenced from a sixteenth-century copy, Haraldr confirmed his father's earlier grant of the lands of "'" (probably Ballaharry), and the churches of St Ninian of "'" and St Runius (all located in the
Manx parish of
Marown
Marown ( , rhymes with "gown"; gv, Marooney) is one of the seventeen historic parishes of the Isle of Man. It is the only landlocked parish on the Island.
It is located in the centre of the island, in the sheading of Middle, though historical ...
), to
Whithorn Priory
Whithorn Priory was a medieval Scottish monastery that also served as a cathedral, located at 6 Bruce Street in Whithorn, Wigtownshire, Dumfries and Galloway (54.7357N, 4.415954W; OS grid reference NX445405).
History
The priory was founded ab ...
in
Galloway
Galloway ( ; sco, Gallowa; la, Gallovidia) is a region in southwestern Scotland comprising the historic counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. It is administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway.
A native or i ...
. Of the twenty royal charters known to have been issued by the Crovan dynasty, only three can be assigned to Haraldr's reign.
[ McDonald (2007b) p. 202.]
Like his father before him, and his brother Magnús after him, Haraldr was
knighted
A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the Christian denomination, church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood ...
by Henry. The chronicle claims that the event took place in 1247, and elaborates that Haraldr returned home with "much honour, and great gifts". Contemporary English administrative records, however, reveal that the deed took place early in 1246. Specifically, a letter of safe-conduct, issued by the English king on 9 January 1246, orders that Haraldr was to be given safe-passage through England until
Pentecost
Pentecost (also called Whit Sunday, Whitsunday or Whitsun) is a Christianity, Christian holiday which takes place on the 50th day (the seventh Sunday) after Easter Sunday. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Ne ...
(27 May 1246). Similarly, the thirteenth-century ''
Chronica majora
The ''Chronica Majora'' is the seminal work of Matthew Paris, a member of the English Benedictine community of St Albans and long-celebrated historian. The work begins with Creation and contains annals down to the year of Paris' death of 1259. ...
'' reports that Henry confirmed the honour of knighthood upon Haraldr on
Easter day
Easter,Traditional names for the feast in English are "Easter Day", as in the ''Book of Common Prayer''; "Easter Sunday", used by James Ussher''The Whole Works of the Most Rev. James Ussher, Volume 4'') and Samuel Pepys''The Diary of Samuel P ...
that year. Numerous titles were accorded to the kings of the Crovan dynasty. The style apparently preferred by Haraldr's father was '. As for Haraldr and Magnús, they appear to have favoured the variant form '. According to the seventeenth-century antiquarians
William Camden
William Camden (2 May 1551 – 9 November 1623) was an English antiquarian, historian, topographer, and herald, best known as author of ''Britannia'', the first chorographical survey of the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, and the ''Annal ...
and
John Selden
John Selden (16 December 1584 – 30 November 1654) was an English jurist, a scholar of England's ancient laws and constitution and scholar of Jewish law. He was known as a polymath; John Milton hailed Selden in 1644 as "the chief of learned ...
, this title appeared on the legend of seals borne by the dynasty. It is unknown whose emblems these men were referring to, although they may well have been those of Haraldr. These titles are an equivalent of the
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 ...
title ' ("king of the islands of the foreigners") first recorded in 989, a style almost certainly referring to Mann and the Hebrides. Other sources accord Haraldr similar titles. The
Icelandic annals Icelandic Annals are manuscripts which record chronological lists of events of thirteenth, fourteenth century in and around Iceland, though some, like the Annal of the Oddaverjar and the Lawman's annal (Lögmannsannáll) reach the fifteenth century, ...
, for example, style him "'" ("king of the Hebrides").
Dynastic alliance
![Haakon4](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Haakon4.jpg)
In the autumn of 1247, Haraldr again voyaged to Norway, as evidenced by the ''Chronicle of Mann'' and the thirteenth-century ''
Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar
''Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar'' ("The Saga of Haakon Haakonarson") or ''Hákonar saga gamla'' ("The Saga of Old Haakon") is an Old Norse Kings' Saga, telling the story of the life and reign of King Haakon Haakonarson of Norway.
Content and style
...
''. After Haraldr removed from
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
to
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula of ...
, these sources reveal that Hákon gave the hand of his widowed daughter, CecilÃa, in marriage to Haraldr. Throughout his long reign, Hákon endeavoured to strengthen his far-flung Norwegian realm. In regard to the Isles, his bestowal of CecilÃa in matrimony to Haraldr brought relations between the rulers of the realms to its climax. The compilers of the chronicle clearly considered the union to have elevated Haraldr's prestige above that of his predecessors,
as this source claims that Hákon had declared he would hold his new son-in-law "in great glory and exalt the throne of his kingdom above all who ruled before him in the Isles".
![CecilÃa Hákonardóttir (AM 45 fol, fol](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Cecil%C3%ADa_H%C3%A1konard%C3%B3ttir_%28AM_45_fol%2C_fol._112v%29.jpg)
Whilst Haraldr was still in Norway, the saga states that two leading members of Clann Somhairle arrived at Hákon's court, with each seeking the kingship of the Isles:
Eóghan Mac Dubhghaill, Lord of Argyll and
Dubhghall mac RuaidhrÃ
Dubhghall mac Ruaidhrà (died 1268) was a leading figure in the thirteenth-century Kingdom of the Isles, on the West Coast of Scotland. He was a son of Ruaidhrà mac Raghnaill, and thus a member of Clann RuaidhrÃ. Dubhgall was the last Norse–G ...
. Although 1247 was also the year of Hákon's royal coronation, and it is possible that the arrival of the Clann Somhairle dynasts was a result of the reimposition of Norwegian overlordship (as appears to have been the case with Haraldr), there may have been other reasons for the arrival of Eóghan and Dubhghall. For example, 1247 was also the year that a prominent member of Clann Somhairle, called "Mac Somhairle" in
Irish sources, was slain in Ireland battling the English. The knighting of Haraldr the year previous may well have entailed some act of submission to the Henry,
[ Dahlberg (2014) pp. 51–52; Oram (2013); Woolf (2007) pp. 83–84.] and it is possible that Hákon had consequently recognised Mac Somhairle's kingship in the Isles in response to Haraldr's acceptance of English overtures.
[ Woolf (2007) pp. 83–84.] An alliance with a ruler of the Isles would have certainly benefited Henry's ongoing military operations in Ireland, and it is possible that it was such a pact that had prompted Mac Somhairle's involvement against the English.
Haraldr's subsequent marriage to CecilÃa, therefore, may have been a successful attempt by Hákon to lure Haraldr back to his side.
Death and after-effects
![Sumburgh Head - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Sumburgh_Head_-_geograph.org.uk_-_485752.jpg)
In 1248, the ''Chronicle of Mann'', ''Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar'', and the Icelandic annals indicate that Haraldr and CecilÃa drowned whilst voyaging from Norway to the Isles. Whilst the former source laments that Harald's death "a cause of grief to all who had known him", the latter states that his death was the "greatest harm and ill-luck" to the Islsemen who "lost so suddenly such a prince, when his voyage to Norway had been so lucky". Since the wreckage of their vessel washed ashore from the south, the saga specifically states that the ship was thought to have been lost south of
Shetland
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands and formerly Zetland, is a subarctic archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands and Norway. It is the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.
The islands lie about to the no ...
in ', a treacherous
tidal race
Tidal race or tidal rapid is a natural occurrence whereby a fast-moving tide passes through a constriction, resulting in the formation of waves, eddies and hazardous currents. The constriction can be a passage where the sides narrow, for example ...
otherwise known in more modern times as
Sumburgh Roost and Da Roost, lying between
Sumburgh Head
Sumburgh Head is a headland located at the southern tip of the Shetland Mainland in northern Scotland. The head consists of a 100 m high rocky spur and topped by the Sumburgh Head Lighthouse. In the Old Norse language, Sumburgh Head was cal ...
and
Fair Isle
Fair Isle (; sco, Fair Isle; non, Friðarey; gd, Fara) is an island in Shetland, in northern Scotland. It lies about halfway between mainland Shetland and Orkney. It is known for its bird observatory and a traditional style of knitting. Th ...
(). Amongst those drowned was Laurence, Archdeacon of Mann, a man who had recently been elected
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 ...
by the chapter of Mann. Although Laurence had presented himself in Norway to Haraldr and Sigurðr tapsi Indriðason, Archbishop of Niðaróss, the chronicle reveals that Haraldr had postponed his consecration until the former could be publicly elected in the Isles before king, clergy, and people.
Haraldr's death led to what was the final stage of inter-dynastic strife amongst his family. News of Haraldr and CecilÃa's death does not appear to have reached Mann until the spring of 1249.
According to the chronicle, Haraldr's younger brother, Rǫgnvaldr, succeeded to the kingship on 6 May 1249, only to be slain on 30 May by a man who appears to have been an accomplice of Rǫgnvaldr and Haraldr's cousin, Haraldr Guðrøðarson. With Rǫgnvaldr out of the way, Haraldr Guðrøðarson successfully seized the throne, and replaced Haraldr's former supporters with proponents of his own. According to the chronicle, one of the men who suffered under Haraldr Guðrøðarson's regime was a certain chieftain called "'". This man is stated to have been held in high esteem by Haraldr, but held a prisoner by Haraldr Guðrøðarson. Although the identity of this man is uncertain, he could be identical to Domhnall, the eponym of
Clann Domhnaill
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, meaning ...
. If such an identification is correct, and if Haraldr's mother was indeed Lauon of Clann Somhairle, the captive Dofnaldus would have been a close kinsman of Haraldr (perhaps a maternal uncle or maternal grandfather). In fact, Haraldr seems to have relied upon Hebridean support as opposed to Manx support during his reign. For example, the chronicle makes note of three sons of a certain Niall who supported Haraldr's cause early in his reign. It is possible that these men were related to a certain Domhnall mac Néill,
an obscure figure who faced the brunt of a Scottish royal army in 1221. The latter's patronym suggests that he may have had Hebridean or
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
connections.
![Alexander II, King of Scotland, coat of arms (Royal MS 14 C VII, 146v)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Alexander_II%2C_King_of_Scotland%2C_coat_of_arms_%28Royal_MS_14_C_VII%2C_146v%29.jpg)
The maritime disaster in which Haraldr and CecilÃa lost their lives demonstrates some of the difficulties faced by the
Norwegian Crown
The krone (, currency sign, abbreviation: kr (also NKr for distinction); ISO 4217, code: NOK), plural ''kroner'', is currency of the Kingdom of Norway (including Svalbard). Traditionally known as the Norwegian Crown (currency), crown in English. ...
in maintaining control of the far-flung Norse colonies west over sea.
Not only did the calamity deprive the Islesmen of a capable king, but cost the Norwegian Crown a closely connected advocate in the region.
Upon learning of the catastrophe, Hákon quickly sent Eóghan west over sea to temporarily take up the kingship of the Isles on his behalf. Eóghan, however, was not only a Norwegian dependant in the Isles, but an immanent Scottish
magnate
The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...
on the mainland.
[ Oram (2013); Sellar (2004).] For several years the
Scottish Crown appears to have attempted to acquire the Hebrides from Norwegian overlordsip, and expand its authority in
Argyll
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
. The apparent cooling of relations between Eóghan and Alexander,
along with Haraldr's later demise, the resulting kin-strife concerning his succession, and Eóghan's subsequent acceptance of royal powers on Hákon's behalf, could all have contributed to the massed invasion into Argyll by Scottish royal forces within the year.
After Alexander demanded Eóghan renounce his allegiance to Hákon, and ordered him to hand over certain mainland and island fortresses, Eóghan apparently withdrew into the northern Hebrides. The unfolding crisis only ended with the Scottish king's untimely death soon afterwards in July. According to ''Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar'', Alexander had made it clear that he had no intention of turning back until he had acquired control of the western Norwegian dominions within his sights. Within about two decades, such desires would be fully realised by his
successor-son, with the final eclipse of Norwegian overlordship in the Isles and the extinction of the Crovan dynasty itself.
[ Carpenter (2003) ch. 12.]
Ancestry
Notes
Citations
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Haraldr Olafsson
1220s births
1248 deaths
13th-century Manx people
13th-century rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles
Accidental deaths in Scotland
Crovan dynasty
Deaths due to shipwreck at sea
Monarchs of the Isle of Man