Viking Scotland - Part Two: The King of the Isles It was the summer of 1158, and two rival navies faced each other across the Sea of the Hebrides; one led by Godred, King of Man, the other by his brother-in-law the upstart Somerled, Lord of Argyll. It was yet another clash between warlords in this most contentious of arenas where Gaelic Scotland met Viking empire; but the outcome of this battle would alter the balance irrevocably. For nearly 400 years Norwegian Vikings had first raided and then settled the Irish Sea, Hebrides and the Northern Isles, establishing a substantial territorial … [Read more...] about Viking Scotland – The Hebrides
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Viking Scotland
Viking Scotland - Part One: The Rise of the Norse “In this year fierce, foreboding omens came over the land of Northumbria. There were excessive whirlwinds, lightening storms and fiery dragons were seen flying in the sky. These signs were followed by great famine, and on the 8th of June the ravaging of heathen men destroyed God’s church at Lindisfarne” Lindisfarne, the Holy Island The year was 793. The Holy Island of Lindisfarne lies of the northeast coast of modern England, but in the 8th century it was part of the Kingdom of Northumbria, a territory that stretched from Yorkshire to … [Read more...] about Viking Scotland
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