Somerled: Hammer of the Norse
Kathleen MacPhee provides an in-depth historical insight into the 12th century King of Argyll who laid the ground for the expulsion of the Norse from Scotland's west coast and Hebrides.
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In 1140 he married the daughter of King Olaf the Red of Man who was later murdered by his nephews. This brought Somerled into eventual conflict with Olaf's tyrannical son, Godred the Black, culminating in Somerled's victory after the ferocious sea battles of 1156 and 1158. By 1160 Somerled controlled the entire kingdom of Argyll and the Isles. In Somerled, Hammer of the Norse Kathleen MacPhee presents an in-depth portrait of Somerled and his rise to pre-eminence told alongside rare archive illustrations, photographs, historical maps and an analysis of the Norse longship and its design. In this fascinating story you will follow Somerled's rise from obscurity to fame as the man who laid the groundwork for the rout of the Vikings from Scotland's west coast. His death in battle in 1164 left us with the remarkable legacy of the later great Clan Donald, the priceless heritage of Gaelic language and culture and the renowned Lordship of the Isles which so often challenged the authority of the Scottish Crown until 1493.
AcknowledgmentsIXList of MapsXIPart 1The Years Before SomerledChapter 1Scotland, 1100 AD3Chapter 2Kings of Scotland8Chapter 3The Norse Kingdom of Man and the Isles15Chapter 4No Threat From England - Yet!20Chapter 5Viking Terrorists22Chapter 6Celtic Ri32Chapter 7Affairs in Ireland36Chapter 8Lords of Galloway41Chapter 9Dublin Norse43Chapter 10Earls of Orkney46Part 2The Kingdom of Argyll and the IslesChapter 11Somerled's Ancestry and Claim to Argyll53Chapter 12Rise of Somerled61Chapter 13Building the Kingdom65Chapter 14King of Argyll and Lord of the Isles73Chapter 15Final Campaign84Part 3The ShipsGlossary of Nautical Terms92Chapter 16Evolution of the Viking Longship93Chapter 17The Gokstad Ship100Chapter 18Viking Ships and their Descendants109Part 4The Legacies of SomerledChapter 19Argyll and the Hebrides119Chapter 20Language and Culture129Chapter 21The Rise of the Great Clans142Chapter 22Lords of the Isles152Chapter 23Somhairle's Men163Bibliography167Pronunciation Guide171Index172
