Kingdom of the Isles: Map & History
The Kingdom of the Isles was a Norse–Gaelic kingdom comprising the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries.
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The Kingdom of the Isles was a Norse–Gaelic kingdom comprising the Isle of Man, the Hebrides and the islands of the Clyde from the 9th to the 13th centuries. It is also called Sodor or the Sudreys, from its Old Norse name Suðreyjar, or "Southern Isles"; as distinct from the Norðreyjar or Northern Isles of Orkney and Shetland. Some of its later rulers were referred to as kings of Mann and the Isles. The historical record is incomplete, and the kingdom was not a continuous entity throughout the whole period. At times it was independent of outside control, although for much of the period the Isles were a Norwegian dependency and its rulers had overlords in Norway, Orkney, or Ireland. At times there also appear to have been competing claims for all or parts of the territory. The islands have a total land area of over 8,300 square kilometres (3,205 sq mi) and extend for more than 500 kilometres (310 mi) from north to south.
Modern Countries Once Part of Kingdom of the Isles
At its mapped extent, Kingdom of the Isles covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Kingdom of the Isles's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Kingdom of the Isles in Depth
Early history
The presence of the monastery on Iona led to this part of Scotland being relatively well documented from the mid-6th to the mid-9th centuries. However, from 849 on, when Columba's relics were removed in the face of Viking incursions, written evidence from local sources all but vanishes for three hundred years. The sources for information about the Hebrides and indeed much of northern Scotland from the 8th to the 11th century are thus almost exclusively Irish, English or Norse. The main Norse text is the Orkneyinga Saga, which should be treated with care as it was based on oral traditions and not written down by an Icelandic scribe until the early 13th century.
Later history
Perhaps as a result of general disorder in the islands, and to counter Irish influence there, Magnus Barefoot had re-established direct Norwegian overlordship by 1098. He first took Orkney, the northern Scottish mainland and the Hebrides, where he "dyed his sword red in blood" in the Uists. According to the Heimskringla, Magnus had his longship dragged across the isthmus north of Kintyre in 1093 as part of his campaign. By taking command of his ship's tiller and "sailing" across the isthmus he was able to claim the entire peninsula was an island, and it remained under Norwegian rule for more than a dozen years as a result.
In 1098, Edgar of Scotland signed a treaty with Magnus that settled much of the boundary between the Scots and Norwegian claims in the islands.
Geography
The Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea, equidistant from modern England, Ulster, Scotland and Wales.
The islands of the Firth of Clyde some 140 kilometres (87 mi) to the north, the largest of which are Bute and Arran.
The southern Inner Hebrides to the west and north of the Kintyre peninsula, including Islay, Jura, Mull and Iona.
The Inner Hebrides to the north of Ardnamurchan, made up of the Small Isles (including Eigg and Rùm), Skye, Raasay and their outliers.
The Outer Hebrides, aka the "Long Island" to the west, separated from the northern Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch.
the Outer Hebrides 3,070 square kilometres (1,185 sq mi), 36% of the total.
Anglesey in modern Wales may also have been part of the insular Viking world from an early stage.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Kingdom of the Isles (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Kingdom of the Isles: Key Facts
| Capitals | Castletown, Isle of Man |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Old Icelandic, Manx, Scottish Gaelic |
| Founded | 9th century |
| Dissolved | 1266 |
Facts from Wikidata Q459188 (CC0).
Kingdom of the Isles Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Kingdom of the Isles appears, with the other states of the time.
Kingdom of the Isles Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 14,607 km² in 1131 CE.
Kingdom of the Isles: Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Kingdom of the Isles exist?
The Kingdom of the Isles is dated to 1085 CE – 1176 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of the Kingdom of the Isles?
The capital of the Kingdom of the Isles was Castletown.
How large was the Kingdom of the Isles at its peak?
At its peak in 1131 AD the Kingdom of the Isles covered about 14,607 km².
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