The Kingdom of the Isles comprised the Hebrides, the islands of the Firth of Clyde and the Isle of Man 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 Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. The historical record is incomplete and the kingdom was probably not a continuous entity throughout the entire period. The islands concerned are sometimes referred to as the "Kingdom of Mann and the Isles", although only some of the later rulers claimed that title. At times the rulers were independent of external control, although for much of the period they had overlords in Norway, Ireland, England, Scotland or Orkney. At times there also appear to have been competing claims for all or parts of the territory. The islands involved have a total land area of over and extend for more than from north to south.
Viking influence in the area commenced in the late 8th century, and whilst there is no doubt that the Uí Ímair dynasty played a prominent role in this early period, the records for the dates and details of the rulers are speculative until the mid-10th century. Hostility between the Kings of the Isles and the rulers of Ireland, and intervention by the crown of Norway (either directly or through their vassals the Earls of Orkney) were recurring themes.
Invasion by Magnus Barelegs in the late 11th century resulted in a brief period of direct Norwegian rule over the kingdom, but soon the descendants of Godred Crovan re-asserted a further period of largely independent overlordship. This came to an end with the emergence of Somerled, on whose death in 1164 the kingdom was split in two. Just over a century later the islands became part of the Kingdom of Scotland, following the 1266 Treaty of Perth.
The orthography of the rulers' names is complicated as Old Norse and Gaelic were both spoken throughout the region for much of period under consideration. Thus a single individual might be referred to as Rognvaldr in Icelandic sources, Rag(h)nall in Gaelic, Reginaldus in Latin and perhaps "Rognvald" or "Reginald" in English language sources.McDonald (2007) "Note on orthography of personal names" p. 13
9th and early 10th centuries During this period the historical record is particularly sparse and these early entries must be considered as somewhat speculative.
Ruler of the HebridesDatesTitleNotesUnknown father of ThórirÓ Corráin (1998) p. 24848King of Viking ScotlandAccording to the Orkneyinga saga Rognvald Eysteinsson had a number of sons including Ivar and Thorir the Silent, Ivar being killed in battle during Harald Fairhair's expedition to the west.Orkneyinga Saga: Chapter 4. According to Irish sources Thorir was the heir of a king of "Viking Scotland" who took an army to Ireland in 848.Gofraid mac Fergusad. 853Lord of the HebridesThe Annals of the Four Masters calls him toisech Innsi Gall.Downham (2007) p. 254GofraidhÓ Corráin (1998) p. 34pre 872–873Ó Corráin (1998) pp. 36–37King of LochlannFather of Amlaíb Conung and ÍmarÍmar873King of the Norwegian Vikings of the whole of Ireland and BritainMay have succeeded his father brieflyAmlaíb Conung873King of the Northmen/King of the Western SeaÍmar's brotherÁsbjǫrn skerjablesi874Ketill Flatnosec 890–900"The Laxdale Saga". Icelandic Saga Database. Retrieved 2 January 2011.King of the IslesThe earliest certain written references to Ketill are from the sagas written 200 years or more after his death. Unlikely to have been ruler of Mann and may have ruled in the mid, rather than late ninth century.UnknownGregory (1881) pp. 4–6c 900–941Possibly ruled by Uí Ímair dynasts Ragnall ua Ímair (d. 920/1) who ruled Mann,Woolf (2007) p. 148 Sitric Cáech (d. 927), Gofraid ua Ímair (d. 934) and Amlaíb mac Gofraid (d. 941) as Kings of Dublin.
It is also possible that Eiríkr, King of York from 947–948 and 952–5, was a ruler in the islands at some stage in the mid-10th century.Downham (2007) p. 155 Eiríkr is believed by some authorities to be synonymous with the saga character Eric Bloodaxe, although the connection is questioned by Downham (2007), who argues that the former was an Uí Ímair dynast rather than a son of Harald Fairhair.Downham (2007) pp. 107, 115-20 A raid on Northumbria in 949, the purpose of which may have been either to support or oppose the kingship of Amlaíb Cuarán is described as predam albidosorum idem nannindisi in the Chronicle of the Kings of Alba. Alfred P. Smyth translated this as "the raid of the men from beyond the spine of Britain, that is, of the islands."Downham (2007) p. 154
Late 10th and 11th centuries
Ruler of the Hebrides and MannGregory (1881) pp. 4–6 and/or as otherwise indicated. An asterisk (*) indicates the individual is not considered by Gregory.Period of ruleTitleNotesAmlaíb Cuaránc. 941?–980King of the Isles (and possibly King of Mann)Woolf (2007) p. 181Amlaíb was later King of Dublin and succeeded Amlaíb mac Gofraid as King of Northumbria in 941Woolf (2007) p. 174 and died on Iona in 981Ó Corráin (1998) p. 11Maccus mac Arailt980–?King of the IslesDownham (2007) p. 253Said to have been "brought under subjection" by Edgar the Peaceful, King of England who died in 975Gregory (1881) p. 5Gofraid mac ArailtDownham (2007) p. 185?–989King of the IslesBrother of Maccus mac ArailtGilli990–?JarlOperated under Sigurd the Stout, Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of Caithness. Married to Sigurd's sister. Sigurd himself was a vassal of the King of Norway.Ragnall mac Gofraid?–1005Downham (2007) p. 197King of the IslesDownham (2007) p. 267Etchingham (2001) p. 180Son of Gofraid mac ArailtSigurd the Stout1005–1014Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of CaithnessVassal of the King of NorwayEinar Sigurdsson*?1014–1016?Joint Earl of OrkneyThomson (2008) suggests Einar rangmunnr may have inherited his father's territories in the Hebrides.Thompson (2008) p. 73Håkon Eiriksson*1016–1030Woolf (2007) p. 246Ruler of the SuðreyarPossibly as a vassal of Cnut the GreatOlaf Sigtryggsson*1030?–1034King of Mann and many of the other islands of DenmarkEtchingham (2001) pp. 157–58Son of Sitric Silkbeard and grandson of Amlaíb CuaránThorfinn the Mightyc 1035–c 1058Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of CaithnessVassal of the King of NorwayÍmar mac Arailt*c 1045?Duffy (2006) pp. 53, 55Ruler of Dublin and possibly Mann. In 1045 Ímar crushed the Ulaid in a raid on Rathlin which may be evidence that he also controlled Mann at this point.Echmarcach mac Ragnaill*1052–1061Woolf (2007) p. 245Duffy (1992) p. 100King of MannProbably ruler of both Dublin and Mann prior to 1052, when he was expelled from the former by Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó. Possibly son of Ragnal mac Gofraid and thus possibly a King of Innse Gall as well.Downham (2007) p. 187Murchad mac Diarmata*1061–1070King of Dublin and Mann?Duffy (1992) pp. 100–01Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó1070–1072King of Dublin and the IslesDuffy (1992) p. 108Father of Murchad, but who ruled after him over Dublin "and, one assumes, Man"Godred Sitricson?–1074King of ManThe Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys (1874) p. 51Fingal Godredson1074–?King of ManSon of Godred SitricsonGodred Crovan1079–1094King of Dublin and the IslesSon of "Harald the Black of Ysland"Possibly Lagmann Godredsson1095–1098Eldest son of Godred Crovan. Whether Lagmann began his reign before or after Magnus Barelegs's arrival is not known for certain.
Early rulers of Mann Various rulers have been identified as ruling Man, but not the Isles as a whole. The Isle of Man may have fallen under Norse rule in the 870s, and paradoxically they may have brought the Gaelic language with them. The island has produced a more densely distributed Viking Age archaeology than anywhere else in the British Isles, but the written records for this time period are poor.Woolf (2007) pp. 293–94Downham (2007) p. 178 Rulers of MannPeriod of reignTitlesNotesOtir912?–914?Jarl and "Master of the Isle of Man"Possibly as a vassal of Ragnall ua ÍmairHoworth (1911) p. 8Ragnall ua Ímair914Woolf (2007) pp. 140–41 to 921?Howorth (1911) p. 12?Defeated Bárid son of Otir in a naval battle off Man in 914Downham (2007) p. 30Gothfrith ua Ímairpre 927 to?Father of AmlaíbWoolf (2007) p. 168Amlaíb mac Gofraidpre 935 to 941King of Northumbria and possibly King of the IslesAfter the death of Athelstan in 939, Edmund ceded Northumbria to Amlaíb. Married a daughter of Constantine II.
There then follows a period when it is likely that the Western Isles and Mann were jointly held by rulers of the House of Ímar (see above). Downham (2007) suggests Lagmann Godredson may have "wielded power in Man" and possibly even have been king but was expelled sometime after 1005,Downham (2007) pp. 189, 197, 244 perhaps by Brian Bóruma.Woolf (2007) p. 197 This may indicate that the Earls of Orkney did not control Man itself in the early 11th century. Echmarcach mac Ragnaill and his successors certainly did control Mann, but the extent of their rule over the islands of the Clyde and the Hebrides is not clear. Óláfr mac Lagmann (or Lagmainn) is recorded as having been killed at Clontarf in 1014, fighting with "warriors from the Hebrides".Downham (2007) pp. 132–33
Rulers of MannPeriod of ruleTitleNotesLagmann mac Gofraid?–1005"King of the Swedes"Possibly a son of Gofraid mac ArailtOttard. 1098JarlEarl of "one half of Man"Duffy (1992) pp. 121–22 The period 1095–1098 seems to have been politically unsettled, culminating in a Manx civil war between the north and south of the island. A battle at Santwat between the northerners under Jarl Óttar and the southerners under Macmaras (or MacManus) in 1098 resulted in the deaths of both leaders.The Chronicle of Man and the Sudreys (1874) p. 57
Early rulers of the Hebrides In Irish mythology the Outer Hebrides were the home of the Fomorians, described as "huge and ugly" and "ship men of the sea". They were pirates, extracting tribute from the coasts of Ireland and one of their kings was Indech mac Dé Domnand (i.e. Indech, son of the goddess Domnu, who ruled over the deep seas).Watson (1926) pp. 41-42 quoting Lebor na hUidre and the Book of Leinster. Indech is also mentioned in the Cath Maige Tuired along with Balor grandson of Nét, his rival who is described as righ na n-Innsi ('king of the Isles'), which may have meant the king of the Inner Hebrides. Together they "gathered all the forces from Lochlainn westwards into Ireland to impose their tribute and their rule over them."Ó Corráin (1998) p. 17
Various later rulers such as Gebeachan are also mentioned in early sources as having a role of some kind over unspecified areas of the northern part of the Kingdom of the Isles. Rulers of the HebridesDateTitleNotesIndech mac Dé Domnandpre 9th century?King of the FomoireBalor, grandson of Neitpre 9th century?King of the HebridesGebeachan937King of the IslandsDied whilst fighting with Amlaíb mac Gofraid at BrunanburhEtchingham (2001) p. 167Conmael mac Gilla Airi980Tributary King of the GallFought with Amlaíb Cuarán at TaraWoolf (2006) p. 99
12th and 13th centuries Kings of Mann and the Isles