Guðrøðr Rǫgnvaldsson (died 1231), also known as Guðrøðr Dond, was a thirteenth-century ruler of the Kingdom of the Isles. He was a member of the Crovan dynasty, and a son of Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles, the eldest son of Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Dublin and the Isles. Although the latter may have intended for his younger son, Óláfr, to succeed to the kingship, the Islesmen instead settled upon Rǫgnvaldr, who went on to rule the Kingdom of the Isles for almost forty years. The bitterly disputed royal succession divided the Crovan dynasty for three generations, and played a central role in Guðrøðr's recorded life.

Guðrøðr's mother was Rǫgnvaldr's wife. Whilst the name of this woman is unknown, she appears to have been a member of the Clann Somhairle kindred. Although Rǫgnvaldr was able to orchestrate a marriage between Óláfr and her sister, Óláfr was able to oversee the nullification of this alliance and proceeded to marry the daughter of a leading Scottish magnate. In consequence, Guðrøðr's mother ordered her son to attack Óláfr. Although Guðrøðr is recorded to have ravaged Óláfr's lands on Lewis and Harris, the latter was able to escape to the protection of his father-in-law on the Scottish mainland. In about 1223, Óláfr, and his adherent Páll Bálkason, invaded Skye, defeated Guðrøðr, and blinded and castrated him.

Guðrøðr's maiming marks a turning point in the feud between Rǫgnvaldr and Óláfr. With the escalation of hostilities, Rǫgnvaldr bound himself to Alan fitz Roland, Lord of Galloway. Although Rǫgnvaldr was greatly aided by Alan's military might, Óláfr eventually gained the upper hand, and Rǫgnvaldr was slain in 1229. Afterwards, Alan and his Clann Somhairle allies continued to pressure Óláfr, forcing him from the Isles to Norway where news of the continual warfare had already reached Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway. As a result, Hákon elevated an apparent Clann Somhairle dynast, a certain Óspakr, as King of the Isles, and outfitted him with a fleet to secure control of the Isles.

Guðrøðr seems to have been one of Óspakr's principal supporters, and accompanied him in the ensuing campaign that reached the Isles in 1230. Óspakr seems to have died from injuries sustained in the midst of the operation after which command fell to Óláfr. Although the latter proceeded to divert the fleet to Mann where he was reinstalled as king, Guðrøðr was recognised as king of the Hebridean portion of the realm. The following year, after the Norwegians vacated the Isles, both Guðrøðr and Páll are reported to have been killed. Although Óláfr consolidated control of the entirety of the Crovan dynasty's realm, ruling it for the rest of his life, Guðrøðr's son, Haraldr, continued the dynastic feud with Óláfr's successors, and temporarily held the kingship at the midpoint of the century.

Antecessors

Guðrøðr was a son of Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles,McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1; Power (2005) p. 34 tab.; MacLeod (2002) p. 275 tab.; Sellar (2000) p. 192 tab. i; Duncan; Brown (1956–1957) p. 200 tab. ii; Anderson (1922) p. 467 n. 2. tab. and a member of the Crovan dynasty.McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1. Guðrøðr's mother was Rǫgnvaldr's wife,Oram (2013) ch. 4; Sellar (1997–1998). a woman who is styled Queen of the Isles by the thirteenth- to fourteenth-century Chronicle of Mann.McDonald (2007b) pp. 79, 163; Anderson (1922) p. 458; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 86–87. Although her parentage is uncertain,McDonald (2019) pp. 60–61; Oram (2013) ch. 4; McDonald (2007b) pp. 116–117. the chronicle describes her father as a nobleman from Kintyre,McDonald (2019) pp. 60, 66; Cochran-Yu (2015) p. 36; Oram (2013) ch. 4; McDonald (2007a) p. 73 n. 35; McDonald (2007b) pp. 78, 116; Woolf (2007) p. 81; Pollock (2005) p. 27 n. 138; Duffy (2004); Woolf (2003) p. 178; McDonald (1997) p. 85; Anderson (1922) p. 457; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 84–85. which suggests that he was a member of Clann Somhairle.McDonald (2019) pp. 60–61; McDonald (2007a) p. 73 n. 35; Woolf (2007) p. 81. Rǫgnvaldr was a son of Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Dublin and the Isles.McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1; McNamee (2005); Duffy (2004); Sellar (2000) p. 192 tab. i. Other children of this ruler include Affrica,McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1; Power (2005) p. 34 tab.; Sellar (2000) p. 192 tab. i; Anderson (1922) p. 467 n. 2. tab. Ívarr,McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1; Anderson (1922) p. 467 n. 2. tab. Óláfr,McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; Oram (2011) p. xvi tab. 5; McDonald (2007b) p. 27 tab. 1; Power (2005) p. 34 tab.; Brown, M (2004) p. 77 tab. 4.1; MacLeod (2002) p. 275 tab.; Sellar (2000) p. 192 tab. i; McDonald (1997) p. 259 tab.; Duncan; Brown (1956–1957) p. 200 tab. ii; Anderson (1922) p. 467 n. 2. tab. a daughter whose name is unknown,Power (2005) p. 34 tab.; Anderson (1922) p. 467 n. 2 tab. and possibly a son named Ruaidhrí.

Whilst Óláfr's mother was Fionnghuala Nic Lochlainn,McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; Flanagan (2010) p. 195 n. 123; McDonald (2007b) pp. 27 tab. 1, 71–72; McNamee (2005). an Irishwoman whose marriage to Guðrøðr Óláfsson was formalised (at about the time of Óláfr's birth) in 1176/1177,McDonald (2007b) pp. 71–72. Rǫgnvaldr's mother appears to have been another Irishwoman named Sadbh.McDonald (2019) p. ix tab. 1; McDonald (2007b) pp. 27 tab. 1. When Guðrøðr Óláfsson died in 1187, the chronicle reports that he left instructions for Óláfr to succeed to the kingship since the latter had been born "in lawful wedlock".McDonald (2019) pp. 24, 66, 77; Beuermann (2014) p. 87; Oram (2011) pp. 156, 169; Flanagan (2010) p. 195 n. 123; McDonald (2007b) pp. 70–71, 94, 170; Duffy (2004); Broderick (2003); Oram (2000) p. 105; Anderson (1922) pp. 313–314; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 78–79. Whether this is an accurate record of events is uncertain,Oram (2013) ch. 4; Oram (2011) p. 156; McDonald (2007b) p. 94. as the Islesmen are stated to have chosen Rǫgnvaldr to rule instead, because unlike Óláfr, who was only a child at the time, Rǫgnvaldr was a hardy young man fully capable to reign as king.McDonald (2019) pp. 24, 46, 48, 66, 77; Oram (2011) pp. 156, 169; Flanagan (2010) p. 195 n. 123; McDonald (2007b) pp. 70–71; Duffy (2004); Oram (2000) pp. 105, 124; McDonald (1997) p. 85; Williams (1997) p. 260; Anderson (1922) pp. 313–314; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 78–79. The fact that Rǫgnvaldr and Óláfr had different mothers may well explain the intense conflict between the two men in the years that followed.McDonald (2007b) p. 73. This continuing kin-strife is one of the main themes of Rǫgnvaldr's long reign.McDonald (2012) p. 167.

At some point after assuming control of the kingdom, the chronicle reports that Rǫgnvaldr gave Óláfr possession of a certain island called "".McDonald (2012) pp. 154, 167; McDonald (2007b) pp. 44, 77; Barrow (2006) p. 145; Oram (2000) p. 125; McDonald (1997) pp. 85, 151; Anderson (1922) p. 456; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 82–83. Whilst the name of this island appears to refer to Lewis—the northerly half of the Outer Hebridean island of Lewis and Harris—the chronicle's text seems to instead refer to Harris—the southerly half.McDonald (2007b) p. 44 n. 8; McDonald (1997) p. 151 n. 86. In any case, the chronicle further relates that Óláfr later confronted Rǫgnvaldr for a larger share of the realm, after which Rǫgnvaldr had him seized and sent to William I, King of Scotland, who kept him imprisoned for almost seven years until about the time of the latter's death in 1214.McDonald (2019) p. 66; Cochran-Yu (2015) p. 36; Oram (2013) ch. 4; McDonald (2012) pp. 154–155, 167; Oram (2011) p. 169; McDonald (2008) p. 145, 145 n. 74; McDonald (2007b) pp. 78, 152; Woolf (2007) pp. 80–81; Barrow (2006) p. 145; Pollock (2005) p. 18 n. 76; Oram (2000) p. 125; McDonald (1997) p. 85; Duffy (1993) p. 64; Anderson (1922) p. 457; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 82–85. Since William died in December 1214, Óláfr's incarceration appears to have spanned between about 1207/1208 and 1214/1215.McDonald (2019) p. 66; McDonald (2012) p. 176 n. 73; McDonald (2008) p. 145, 145 n. 74; McDonald (2007b) pp. 78, 152; Woolf (2007) p. 80; Oram (2000) p. 125; Stringer, KJ (1998) p. 95. Upon Óláfr's release, the chronicle reveals that the half-brothers met on Mann, after which Óláfr set off on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.McDonald (2007b) pp. 78, 152; Woolf (2007) pp. 80–81; Oram (2000) p. 125; McDonald (1997) p. 85; Anderson (1922) p. 457; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 84–85.

Scandinavian sojourn

In 1210, Rǫgnvaldr appears to have found himself the target of renewed Norwegian hegemony in the Isles.Beuermann (2011) p. 125; McDonald (2008) pp. 142–144; McDonald (2007b) pp. 133–137; Johnsen (1969) p. 33. Specifically, the Icelandic annals reveal that a military expedition from Norway to the Isles was in preparation in 1209. The following year, the same source makes note of "warfare" in the Isles, and specifies that the holy island of Iona was pillaged.McDonald (2012) p. 163; McDonald (2007b) p. 133; Power (2005) p. 38; Oram (2000) p. 115; Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments (1982) p. 143 § 4; Storm (1977) p. 123 § iv; Anderson (1922) pp. 378, 381–382; Vigfusson (1878) pp. 366–367; Flateyjarbok (1868) p. 523. These reports are corroborated by Bǫglunga sǫgur, a thirteenth-century saga-collection that survives in two versions. Both versions reveal that a fleet of Norwegians plundered in the Isles, and the shorter version notes how men of the Birkibeinar and the Baglar—two competing sides of the Norwegian civil war—decided to recoup their financial losses with a twelve-ship raiding expedition into the Isles.Michaelsson (2015) p. 30 ch. 17; Oram (2013) ch. 4; Beuermann (2012) p. 1; McDonald (2012) p. 163; McDonald (2008) pp. 142–143; McDonald (2007b) p. 133; Oram (2005) p. 8; Power (2005) p. 38; Beuermann (2002) p. 420 n. 6; Oram (2000) p. 115; Argyll: An Inventory of the Monuments (1982) p. 143 § 4; Anderson (1922) pp. 378–381, 379 n. 2; Jónsson (1916) p. 468 ch. 18; Fornmanna Sögur (1835) pp. 192–195. The longer version states that "" (styled "") and "" (styled "") had not paid their taxes due to the Norwegian kings. In consequence, the source records that the Isles were ravaged until the two travelled to Norway and reconciled themselves with Ingi Bárðarson, King of Norway, whereupon the two took their lands from Ingi as a (fief).Crawford (2014) pp. 72–73; McDonald (2012) p. 163; Oram (2011) p. 169; Beuermann (2011) p. 125; Beuermann (2010) pp. 106–107, 106 n. 19; McDonald (2008) pp. 142–143; McDonald (2007b) p. 134; Brown, M (2004) p. 74; Beuermann (2002) p. 420 n. 6; Oram (2000) p. 115; Williams (1997) pp. 114–115; Johnsen (1969) p. 23, 23 n. 3; Anderson (1922) p. 381, 381 nn. 1–2; Fornmanna Sögur (1835) pp. 194–195.