Individual Details
King Godred "Guðrøðr" Olafsson
(Abt 1135 - Nov 1187)
[[Category: Kingdom of the Isles]]
}
==Biography==Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests that he is the son of '''[[Godredsson-7|Olafr Godredsson]]''' and [[Galloway-13|Affrica]], daughter of Fergus of Galloway (Affraic ingen Fergusa). He was a member of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crovan_dynasty Crovan dynasty].[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godred_Olafsson Guðrøðr Óláfsson] on wikipedia. See also [http://db.poms.ac.uk/record/person/331/# Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187)] on People of Medieval Scotland database.
His father was placed on the throne of the Isles, with support from Henry I of England in 1112, Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he had one wife and several "concubines" of which Guðrøðr Óláfsson is stated as son to his wife Affrica.[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] None of the "concubines" are named in this source. We can assume this to mean he had one wife in the eyes of the church on the Isle of Man.
It might be assumed that this marriage occurred shortly after his assumption to the throne of the Isles in 1112 although noting that the relevant entry[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] uses future tense and modern historians regard this assertion as unlikely. It is worth noting that the People of Medieval Scotland entry for Godred[http://db.poms.ac.uk/record/person/331/# Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187) suggests that Affrica might have been the second wife of Olafr although doesn't mention his first. Although the union, between Olafr and Affrica, is not dated in contemporary sources, modern historians suggest it likely to have been arranged c. late 1130's, likely based on Fergus not being Lord of Galloway until 1136.Oram, RD (1993). "A Family Business? Colonisation and Settlement in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-century Galloway" page 116Anderson, AO, ed. (1922). Early Sources of Scottish History, A.D. 500 to 1286. Vol. 2. London: Oliver and Boyd. Accessed via [https://archive.org/details/earlysourcesofsc01ande Internet Archive]. In this they are likely late and supports the "coming of age" of Guðrøðr. If this event, of 1152, is assumed to be at age 20 then the marriage likely occurred 1131 and she young, placing her birth a c. 1115.
Olafr was also responsible for many of the "modern" reforms on Man and through the Isles; one of these was church reform and introduction of church orders subordinated to the Papal See. These reforms commenced c. 1124 although the Cistercian Order appears to have arrived c. 1130/35. This might be seen as when his marriage to Affrica, and the consequent alienation of previous relationships occurred. Given that it was the Cistercian Order that wrote Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum this would suggest the rationale behind the position of legitimacy to Guðrøðr Óláfsson.
===Murder of his father and ascent to the throne===
In late 1152 Olafr sent Guðrøðr (Godred) his son to Norway to give homage to Inge Haraldsson, the King of Norway. The rationale, for this action, is not clear; it may be that Guðrøðr had come of age and was being sent to Norway as his heir. Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he was "well received and there some time".
It appears that, while he was away, Olafr was confronted by three Dublin-based nephews of his—the Haraldssonar—the sons of his exiled brother, Haraldr. They were supported by "a large body of men, and among them all the refugees from the dominions". It seems likely, from the consequent retributions, that this body included followers of his son-in-law [[Macgillebride-1|Somerled]]. [[Macgillebride-1|Somerled]] himself, following the death of David, rose in revolt against the recently inaugurated, fifteen year old, Malcolm IV, King of Scotland.
David I (of Scotland) died in May 1153. Fergus, of Galloway, was also having difficulties of his own. It seems likely that the nephews forced the hand of Olafr as a result. The group met at Ramsay on the Isle of Man, on 29 June 1153, likely as it had the largest natural harbour. Olafr was murdered by the second brother, Reginald (Ragnall/Ragnald depending on source).[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1142]
It seems that the force then invaded Galloway, against Fergus - the father of the Queen, but were repelled and then they slaughtered or evicted all the Gallovidians on the Isle of Mann before fleeing back to their lands, presumably before Guðrøðr returned and inflicted retribution, which he did. It is not clear what happened to the Queen, Affraic ingen Fergusa (Affrica, daughter of Fergus of Galloway), but it can be presumed, from the action, that she was still alive prior to the coup. It is notable that the Chronicle makes no mention of his half brothers and sisters in this coup. They appear, at least at this point, to have accepted the decision, of Olafr, to pass the title to Guðrøðr.
The retribution was fierce Guðrøðr returned that autumn, supported by a significant Norwegian force, provided by the King of Norway. According to the chronicle, he journeyed from Norway to Orkney, and was unanimously acclaimed as king by the leading Islesmen. He is then stated to have continued on to Mann where he overcame his three kin-slaying cousins, putting one to death whilst blinding the other two,
As pointed out on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olafr_Godredsson wikipedia] it is significant to note that he used Norwegian support rather than that from Galloway, the conclusions, on wikipedia, likely correct but also suggesting his mother was dead. What was also obvious, from the fact that he was after hated in the lands of Somerled, is that Somerled was part of the coup.
===Footnotes===
==Sources==
* The major source work for this dynasty, the Crovan Dynasty, is the Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, a Latin document, written at the Rushen Abbey, an Abbey built by the Monks of the Sauvignac Order in 1134 under grant by King Óláfr, this person. The Chronicle was compiled around 1257/1262 at the abbey which was then held by the Cistercian Order. An English transcript is available, with Historical Notes by Professor Munch, at the [http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/index.htm Isle of Mann website]. The Notes are an interpretation and should be treated as such. The original manuscript can be treated as a Secondary Source although noting that there is some variance with the now accepted historical record, particularly regarding event dates. It serves as a strong reference for the genealogical record of this dynasty.
* There is a discussion regarding tracing lineage from the Norwegian/Danish dynasties [http://www.rogalandslag.org/Files/Kings&Queens910227.pdf on this page], although it really refers to the main line of the Norwegian Kingdom and is of a later date.
}
==Biography==Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests that he is the son of '''[[Godredsson-7|Olafr Godredsson]]''' and [[Galloway-13|Affrica]], daughter of Fergus of Galloway (Affraic ingen Fergusa). He was a member of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crovan_dynasty Crovan dynasty].[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] See [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godred_Olafsson Guðrøðr Óláfsson] on wikipedia. See also [http://db.poms.ac.uk/record/person/331/# Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187)] on People of Medieval Scotland database.
His father was placed on the throne of the Isles, with support from Henry I of England in 1112, Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he had one wife and several "concubines" of which Guðrøðr Óláfsson is stated as son to his wife Affrica.[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] None of the "concubines" are named in this source. We can assume this to mean he had one wife in the eyes of the church on the Isle of Man.
It might be assumed that this marriage occurred shortly after his assumption to the throne of the Isles in 1112 although noting that the relevant entry[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102] uses future tense and modern historians regard this assertion as unlikely. It is worth noting that the People of Medieval Scotland entry for Godred[http://db.poms.ac.uk/record/person/331/# Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187) suggests that Affrica might have been the second wife of Olafr although doesn't mention his first. Although the union, between Olafr and Affrica, is not dated in contemporary sources, modern historians suggest it likely to have been arranged c. late 1130's, likely based on Fergus not being Lord of Galloway until 1136.Oram, RD (1993). "A Family Business? Colonisation and Settlement in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-century Galloway" page 116Anderson, AO, ed. (1922). Early Sources of Scottish History, A.D. 500 to 1286. Vol. 2. London: Oliver and Boyd. Accessed via [https://archive.org/details/earlysourcesofsc01ande Internet Archive]. In this they are likely late and supports the "coming of age" of Guðrøðr. If this event, of 1152, is assumed to be at age 20 then the marriage likely occurred 1131 and she young, placing her birth a c. 1115.
Olafr was also responsible for many of the "modern" reforms on Man and through the Isles; one of these was church reform and introduction of church orders subordinated to the Papal See. These reforms commenced c. 1124 although the Cistercian Order appears to have arrived c. 1130/35. This might be seen as when his marriage to Affrica, and the consequent alienation of previous relationships occurred. Given that it was the Cistercian Order that wrote Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum this would suggest the rationale behind the position of legitimacy to Guðrøðr Óláfsson.
===Murder of his father and ascent to the throne===
In late 1152 Olafr sent Guðrøðr (Godred) his son to Norway to give homage to Inge Haraldsson, the King of Norway. The rationale, for this action, is not clear; it may be that Guðrøðr had come of age and was being sent to Norway as his heir. Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he was "well received and there some time".
It appears that, while he was away, Olafr was confronted by three Dublin-based nephews of his—the Haraldssonar—the sons of his exiled brother, Haraldr. They were supported by "a large body of men, and among them all the refugees from the dominions". It seems likely, from the consequent retributions, that this body included followers of his son-in-law [[Macgillebride-1|Somerled]]. [[Macgillebride-1|Somerled]] himself, following the death of David, rose in revolt against the recently inaugurated, fifteen year old, Malcolm IV, King of Scotland.
David I (of Scotland) died in May 1153. Fergus, of Galloway, was also having difficulties of his own. It seems likely that the nephews forced the hand of Olafr as a result. The group met at Ramsay on the Isle of Man, on 29 June 1153, likely as it had the largest natural harbour. Olafr was murdered by the second brother, Reginald (Ragnall/Ragnald depending on source).[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/p044.htm Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1142]
It seems that the force then invaded Galloway, against Fergus - the father of the Queen, but were repelled and then they slaughtered or evicted all the Gallovidians on the Isle of Mann before fleeing back to their lands, presumably before Guðrøðr returned and inflicted retribution, which he did. It is not clear what happened to the Queen, Affraic ingen Fergusa (Affrica, daughter of Fergus of Galloway), but it can be presumed, from the action, that she was still alive prior to the coup. It is notable that the Chronicle makes no mention of his half brothers and sisters in this coup. They appear, at least at this point, to have accepted the decision, of Olafr, to pass the title to Guðrøðr.
The retribution was fierce Guðrøðr returned that autumn, supported by a significant Norwegian force, provided by the King of Norway. According to the chronicle, he journeyed from Norway to Orkney, and was unanimously acclaimed as king by the leading Islesmen. He is then stated to have continued on to Mann where he overcame his three kin-slaying cousins, putting one to death whilst blinding the other two,
As pointed out on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olafr_Godredsson wikipedia] it is significant to note that he used Norwegian support rather than that from Galloway, the conclusions, on wikipedia, likely correct but also suggesting his mother was dead. What was also obvious, from the fact that he was after hated in the lands of Somerled, is that Somerled was part of the coup.
===Footnotes===
==Sources==
* The major source work for this dynasty, the Crovan Dynasty, is the Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, a Latin document, written at the Rushen Abbey, an Abbey built by the Monks of the Sauvignac Order in 1134 under grant by King Óláfr, this person. The Chronicle was compiled around 1257/1262 at the abbey which was then held by the Cistercian Order. An English transcript is available, with Historical Notes by Professor Munch, at the [http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol22/index.htm Isle of Mann website]. The Notes are an interpretation and should be treated as such. The original manuscript can be treated as a Secondary Source although noting that there is some variance with the now accepted historical record, particularly regarding event dates. It serves as a strong reference for the genealogical record of this dynasty.
* There is a discussion regarding tracing lineage from the Norwegian/Danish dynasties [http://www.rogalandslag.org/Files/Kings&Queens910227.pdf on this page], although it really refers to the main line of the Norwegian Kingdom and is of a later date.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1135 | Isle of Man | |||
| Death | Nov 1187 | Isle of Man | |||
| Alt name | King of the Isles King of Dublin, | ||||
| Reference No | 788453 | ||||
| Reference No | 808094 | ||||
| Reference No | 60 |
Families
| Father | Óláfr "King of Man and the Isles, the Dwarf Bitling, the Red" Guðrøðarson (1090 - 1153) |
| Mother | Queen Affrica Galloway (1115 - 1166) |