Dubhghall mac Ruaidhrí (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 Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill, and thus a member of Clann Ruaidhrí. Dubhgall was the last Gaelic King of Mann.

Dubhghall was also active in Ireland, and is recorded to have conducted military operations against the English in Connacht. In 1259, the year after his victory over the English Sheriff of Connacht, Dubhghall's daughter was married to Aodh na nGall Ó Conchobhair, son of the reigning King of Connacht. This woman's tocher consisted of a host of gallowglass warriors commanded by Dubhghall's brother, Ailéan. This record appears to be the earliest notice of such soldiers in surviving sources. The epithet borne by Dubhghall's son-in-law——can be taken to mean "of the Hebrideans", and appears to refer to the Hebridean military support that contributed to his success against the English.

The careers of Dubhghall and his Clann Somhairle kinsman, Eóghan Mac Dubhghaill, exemplify the difficulties faced by the leading Norse-Gaelic lords in the Isles and along western seaboard of Scotland. In theory, these regions formed part of the greater Norwegian commonwealth. However, during the tenures of Dubhghall and Eóghan, successive thirteenth-century Scottish kings succeeded in extending their own authority into these Norse-Gaelic regions. Whilst Eóghan eventually submitted to the Scots, Dubhghall steadfastly supported the Norwegian cause. Recognised as a king by the reigning Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway, Dubhghall was one of the leading figures in the failed 1263 campaign against the Scots. Although Dubhghall is last recorded resisting the encroachment of Scottish overlordship, the Scots succeeded in wrenching control of the Isles from the Norwegians in 1266. Dubhghall may have died in exile in Norway, where his son, Eiríkr, was an active baron.

Clann Ruaidhrí

Dubhghall was a son of Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill, Lord of Kintyre in Scotland,Holton (2017) p. viii fig. 2; Fisher (2005) 86 fig. 5.2; Raven (2005b) fig. 13; Brown (2004) p. 77 tab. 4.1; Sellar (2000) p. 194 tab. ii; Roberts (1999) p. 99 fig. 5.2; McDonald (1997) p. 258 genealogical tree ii; Rixson (1982) p. 14 fig. 1. the eponym of Clann Ruaidhrí,Holton (2017) pp. 126–127; McDonald (2007b) p. 110; Raven (2005a) p. 56; Raven (2005b) fig. 13; Duffy (2004) p. 47; Dalglish (2003) p. 158. a branch of Clann Somhairle.Beuermann (2010) p. 108 n. 28; Dalglish (2003) p. 158. By the second decade of the thirteenth century, Ruaidhrí may have been the leading member of Clann Somhairle.Woolf (2007) pp. 80–82.

The little that is known of Dubhghall's father suggests that, much like Dubhghall himself, Ruaidhrí operated against the looming threat of Scottish overlordship of Argyll and the Isles. Although Ruaidhrí appears to have originally held power in Kintyre, the Scottish Crown seems to have expelled him from the region in the 1220s.Oram (2011a) pp. 186, 189; Woolf (2007) pp. 81–82; Woolf (2003) p. 178. In Ruaidhrí's place, Alexander II, King of Scotland appears to have planted Ruaidhrí's younger brother, Domhnall, an apparently more palatable candidate from the Scots' perspective.Oram (2011a) p. 186. This dramatic projection of Scottish royal authority may have also resulted in the king's establishment of the Clann Dubhghaill lordship of Argyll which appears on record not long afterwards.Woolf (2007) p. 82. By the midpoint of the thirteenth century, Clann Dubhghaill—yet another branch of Clann Somhairle—was represented by Eóghan Mac Dubhghaill,McDonald (2004) p. 180. whilst Dubhghall himself represented Clann Ruaidhrí.McDonald (2004) p. 181.

Although it is possible that Dubhghall's power base was located in GarmoranSellar (2000) p. 206; Cowan (1990) p. 115. and perhaps the Uists,Sellar (2000) p. 206. there is uncertainty as to how and when these territories entered into the possession of his family.Raven (2005a) pp. 56–58; Rixson (2001) p. 86. Later leading members of Clann Ruaidhrí certainly possessed these lands, but evidence of custody before the mid thirteenth century is lacking.Ross (2012) pp. 3–4; Raven (2005a) pp. 56–58. In theory, these territories could have been awarded to the kindred following the Scots' acquisition of the Isles in 1266.Ross (2012) p. 3; Raven (2005a) p. 57. On the other hand, the family's position in the Isles may have stemmed from its marital alliance with the Crovan dynasty, an affiliation undertaken at some point before Ruaidhrí's apparent expulsion from Kintyre.Raven (2005a) pp. 57–58; Woolf (2003) p. 178.

Alignment with the Norwegian Crown

In 1248, both Dubhghall and Eóghan are stated by the thirteenth-century Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar to have arrived in Norway, with both men seeking the kingship of the northern from Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway.Holton (2017) p. 129; Oram (2013) ch. 6; Wærdahl (2011) p. 49; Beuermann (2010) p. 108; Broun (2007) pp. 4, 26 n. 17; Woolf (2007) p. 83; Murray (2005) pp. 302–304; Power (2005) p. 46; Brown (2004) p. 80; McLeod (2002) p. 30; Rixson (2001) p. 86; Sellar (2000) pp. 203–204, 206; McDonald (1997) pp. 68, 98–99; Williams, DGE (1997) p. 118; Cowan (1990) p. 115; Duncan; Brown (1956–1957) p. 207; Anderson (1922) p. 548; Jónsson (1916) p. 627 ch. 287; Kjær (1910) p. 608 ch. 304/259; Dasent (1894) p. 266 ch. 259; Vigfusson (1887) p. 255 ch. 259; Unger (1871) p. 535 ch. 264; Flateyjarbok (1868) pp. 174–175 ch. 230. The entirety of the —an Old Norse term meaning "Southern Islands"—roughly equates to the Hebrides and Mann.Dumville (2018) pp. 113; McDonald (2012) p. 152; Williams, G (2007) pp. 130–132 n. 8. The precise jurisdiction that Dubhghall and Eóghan competed for is uncertain. For example, the northern Hebridean islands of Lewis and Harris and Skye appear to have been held by the Crovan dynasty, then represented by the reigning Haraldr Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles.Holton (2017) p. 129; McDonald (1997) p. 99; Duncan; Brown (1956–1957) p. 207. In about 1241, the dominion of the latter appears to have been defined by Hákon as the islands which had been previously ruled by Haraldr's father, uncle, and grandfather. Hákon, therefore, appears to have not only deliberately excluded the island territories ruled by Clann Somhairle, but limited the possibility of Haraldr becoming drawn into alignment with Scottish interests as some leading members of Clann Somhairle had been. Eóghan and Dubhghall, therefore, may have contended for all the islands excluded from Haraldr's allotment. It is conceivable that Eóghan and Dubhghall sought kingship of the same jurisdiction that Hákon had awarded to Óspakr-Hákon about a decade before—a region which could have included some or all of the islands possessed by Clann Somhairle.Wærdahl (2011) p. 49 n. 66; McDonald (1997) p. 99; Duncan; Brown (1956–1957) p. 207.

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 in the Isles,Oram (2013) ch. 6; Wærdahl (2011) p. 49; Woolf (2007) p. 83. another reason for their arrival may relate to the death of a certain Mac Somhairle, an apparent member of Clann Somhairle, slain whilst resisting an English invasion of Tír Chonaill in 1247.Oram (2013) ch. 6; Woolf (2007) p. 83; Sellar (2000) p. 201. Merely a year before, Haraldr seems to have submitted to Henry III, King of England,Dahlberg (2014) pp. 51–52; Oram (2013) ch. 6; Woolf (2007) pp. 83–84. and it is possible that Hákon had consequently recognised Mac Somhairle's kingship in the Isles in retaliation to Haraldr's acceptance of English overtures. If so, Dubhghall and Eóghan may have both sought to succeed their kinsman in the Isles.Woolf (2007) pp. 83–84. In fact, Dubhghall's father may well be identical to Mac Somhairle.Oram (2013) ch. 6; Woolf (2007) pp. 79–80; McLeod (2005) p. 42, n. 77; Power (2005) p. 46; Brown (2004) pp. 80–81; Duffy (2004) p. 47; Woolf (2004) p. 108; McLeod (2002) p. 31 n. 23; Sellar (2000) pp. 200–201. Certainly, Dubhghall's presence in Norway suggests that Ruaidhrí was indeed dead by this date.Murray (2005) p. 302.

An alliance with a ruler of the Isles would have certainly benefited Henry's ongoing military operations in Ireland,Dahlberg (2014) p. 56; Woolf (2007) pp. 83–84. and it is possible that it was Haraldr's pact with him that had prompted Mac Somhairle's involvement against the English in Ireland. In fact, Clann Somhairle may have faced immediate repercussions for their alignment with the Norwegian Crown.Woolf (2007) p. 84. For example, English financial records for 1248 reveal that Walter Bisset was tasked to fortify a castle along the Scottish coast. This castle appears to have been that of Dunaverty, seated upon the southern coast of Kintyre,Woolf (2007) p. 84; Duffy (2004) p. 47; Duffy (1993) p. 251; Calendar of the Patent Rolls (1908) p. 11; Sweetman (1875) p. 436 § 2925. which could indicate that Walter's Ulster-based actions in Kintyre were undertaken as a means to divide the Isles, isolating Mann from the Hebrides.

Repercussions from the Scottish Crown