Somerled
Twelfth-century King of the Isles, Lord of Argyll, and religious patron · Lived 1100 to 1164 · aged 64
Somerled is read about 117 times a day, in 11 languages.
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Something wrong?Somerled, known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði, was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the Kingdom of Argyll and the Isles.
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Photos 12
Sumerledus with scribal abbreviations (Cambridge Corpus Christi College 139, folio ar)
Mid-12th-century depiction of David I, and his grandson, Malcolm IV. Earlier that century, Somerled's family appears to have bound itself in marriage to an opposing branch of the Scottish royal house.![Lewis chess piece depicting the armament of a Norse warrior roughly contemporaneous to Somerled.[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 197–198. They were likely crafted in Norway in the 12th and 13th centuries,[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 165, 197–198. and were found in the early 19th century in a [[hoard]] on [[Isle of Lewis|Lewis]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], p. 155. Although the hoard appears to have been deposited in the early 13th century, some of the pieces may have arrived in the Isles as a result of Godred's journey to Norway in 1152, possibly as a gift between kings, or from the [[Archbishop of Nidaros]] to the [[Bishop of the Isles]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], p. 178. The pictured piece, likely a [[Rook (chess)|warder]], is armed with sword, helmet, and [[kite shield]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 161 fig. g, 194 tab 7, 195–196."},"2":{"wt":"group=note"}},"i":0}}]}">[note 7]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Warrior%2C_Lewis_chessmen%2C_British_Museum_crop.jpg/500px-Warrior%2C_Lewis_chessmen%2C_British_Museum_crop.jpg)
Lewis chess piece depicting the armament of a Norse warrior roughly contemporaneous to Somerled.[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 197–198. They were likely crafted in Norway in the 12th and 13th centuries,[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 165, 197–198. and were found in the early 19th century in a [[hoard]] on [[Isle of Lewis|Lewis]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], p. 155. Although the hoard appears to have been deposited in the early 13th century, some of the pieces may have arrived in the Isles as a result of Godred's journey to Norway in 1152, possibly as a gift between kings, or from the [[Archbishop of Nidaros]] to the [[Bishop of the Isles]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], p. 178. The pictured piece, likely a [[Rook (chess)|warder]], is armed with sword, helmet, and [[kite shield]].[[#C2|Caldwell, Hall & Wilkinson 2009]], pp. 161 fig. g, 194 tab 7, 195–196."},"2":{"wt":"group=note"}},"i":0}}]}">[note 7]![The Latin title "regulo Herergaidel" ("Lord of Argyll") accorded to Somerled in the Chronicle of Mann, in an entry concerning his marriage to Ragnhild.[1][[#M3|McDonald 2000]], p. 177; [[#S3|Sellar 2000]], p. 189; [[#A1|Anderson, AO 1922b]], pp. 254–255; [[#S8|Stevenson 1853]], p. 130; [[#S6|Stevenson 1835]], p. 79. The Latin ''regulus'' is also a title accorded to Fergus, and appears to betray a biased outlook from contemporary Scottish sources. The authors of these sources may well have wished to downplay the regal status of these peripheral rulers.[[#M3|McDonald 2000]], p. 178–179; [[#M2|McDonald 1997]], pp. 58–60."},"2":{"wt":"group=note"}},"i":0}}]}">[note 12]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/45/Somerled%2C_Lord_of_Argyll_02.png/500px-Somerled%2C_Lord_of_Argyll_02.png)
The Latin title "regulo Herergaidel" ("Lord of Argyll") accorded to Somerled in the Chronicle of Mann, in an entry concerning his marriage to Ragnhild.[1][[#M3|McDonald 2000]], p. 177; [[#S3|Sellar 2000]], p. 189; [[#A1|Anderson, AO 1922b]], pp. 254–255; [[#S8|Stevenson 1853]], p. 130; [[#S6|Stevenson 1835]], p. 79. The Latin ''regulus'' is also a title accorded to Fergus, and appears to betray a biased outlook from contemporary Scottish sources. The authors of these sources may well have wished to downplay the regal status of these peripheral rulers.[[#M3|McDonald 2000]], p. 178–179; [[#M2|McDonald 1997]], pp. 58–60."},"2":{"wt":"group=note"}},"i":0}}]}">[note 12]
St Oran's Chapel, the oldest intact building on Iona, may have been built by Somerled, Ranald, or members of the Crovan dynasty.About this person
Somerled, known in Middle Irish as Somairle, Somhairle, and Somhairlidh, and in Old Norse as Sumarliði, was a mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord who, through marital alliance and military conquest, rose in prominence to create the Kingdom of Argyll and the Isles. Little is certain of Somerled's origins, although he may have been born in the north of Ireland and appears to have belonged to a Norse-Gaelic family of some prominence. His father, GilleBride, of royal Irish ancestry, appears to have conducted a marriage alliance with Máel Coluim mac Alaxandair, son of Alexander I of Scotland, and claimant to the Scottish throne. During a period of alliance with David I of Scotland, Somerled married Ragnhild, daughter of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of Man and the Isles in 1140. In 1153, Olaf of Man died and was succeeded by his son, Godred. But Godred Olafsson was a very unpopular ruler. Somerled was asked by Thorfinn Ottarson, a Manx chief, to allow Somerled's son, Dugall, to be appointed king of Man and the Isles. Somerled agreed and with 80 ships confronted Godred off the coast of Islay on January 5-6, 1156. After the sea battle, Somerled and Godred divided the Kingdom of Man and the Isles between them but Godred did not accept Dugall as King of Man. Accordingly, two years later, Somerled defeated and drove Godred from power. Dugall continued as King of Man and Somerled thus ruled the entire kingdom of Argyll, Man and the Isles until his death.
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