We missed this a few days ago; and I found this over at Britannia-The Monarchy. An interesting piece of Scottish/Scandinavian history: THE BATTLE OF LARGS, 2nd October 1263 A.D (SCOTLAND) Extract from INTO THE LIONS DEN The Norman infiltration of Scotland Instead of digging up the old issue of the Northern counties with Norman England, Alexander turned his attention towards regaining the Western Isles which had been lost to the Vikings during the previous centuries. Alexander’s father had extended Royal power and authority into the Highlands, Galloway and Argyll. By 1262 A.D Alexander was ready to finish his fathers work. On hearing reports of Scottish attacks and attempts to conquer the Western Isles, the Norwegian King Hakon Hakonarsen decided to launch a pre-emptive strike against Scotland and put Alexander III firmly back in his place. King Hakon called upon the resources of his vast Scandinavian Empire which included Norway, Iceland, and Greenland, the Northern Isles of Shetland, Orkney and Faeroe. In 1263 A.D he embarked from Norway with a fleet of over 200 ships and 20,000 men. After securing the Western Isles Hakon’s fleet sailed into the Firth of Clyde. The Norwegian King sent sixty ships under the command of Dugal (the Viking ruler of the Isle of Man) into Loch Lomond to raid and pillage the region. The Icelandic chronicles records that; “The Norwegians burned all the buildings and wasted the land around the Lake” (Loch Lomond) Faced with a mighty Viking army on his doorstep, Alexander opened negotiations hoping to buy time and raise his own army. Scotland’s unpredictable weather played a part when on the 30th of September Atlantic storms battered the Viking fleet. Some of the Norse long ships ran aground and were beached at Larg’s on the north Ayrshire coast. The Scots attacked the stranded Norwegian crews and King Hakon was forced into sending reinforcements to stabilise the situation. The local Scottish militia pillaged some of the supplies and retreated under the cover of darkness. The next morning King Hakon arrived on the beach to supervise the salvage operation. In the meantime the Scottish had mustered a considerable force of 500 mounted knights and a substantial body of archers and infantry foot soldiers under the command of the Stewart of Scotland. They immediately advanced towards the Norwegian position on the high ground above the beach. The Norse commander on the mound Ogmund Krokidans made a tactical decision to abandon the hill and join the main Norwegian force on the beach rather than risk being cut off and surrounded by the larger Scottish force. The Norwegian ordered withdrawal from the mound turned into a rout as the Scottish vanguard attacked the retreating soldiers. King Hakon, who was with the main force on the beach, was advised to return to the safety of his ship. Before long the Norwegians were in full retreat, fleeing towards their ships. The Norse commanders managed to rally them on the edge on the beach against the incoming waves before all was lost. Re-galvanised, they defended the beachhead, fighting around the makeshift barricades of the beached dragon headships. One Scottish knight called Ferashled, led a reckless charge straight into the ranks of the Norse army. He was killed by a huge Viking battleaxe in his thigh, which cut deep through his armour, leg and into his saddle. The Norwegians stripped him of his Gold painted helmet, gem studded armour and belt. It was a small victory but did nothing to change the outcome of the battle. By nightfall both armies broke off the engagement. On the morning of the 3rd of October the Norse landed in force at Largs to collect their dead. Although neither side had won or lost the battle, it was too late in the season for King Hakon to continue the campaign. After sending raiding parties to pillage Lenox, he returned to the Western Isles and then onto Orkney to prepare for his next campaign against the Scots. It was not to be and during the cold winter of 1263 A.D King Hakon died from illness. By 1266 A.D hostilities ended when King Magnus VI of Norway and King Alexander III signed the Treaty of Perth. Magnus sold the Western Isles and the Isle of Man to Alexander for 4000 marks and a payment of 100 marks a year. In return Alexander acknowledged Norse sovereignty over the Northern Isles of Shetland and Orkney. The treaty was concreted when Alexander’s daughter Margaret married Prince Eric (Magnusson). amazon.co.uk/Into-Lions-Den-inflitration-Scotland/dp/0957092377/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412236317&sr=8-1&keywords=into+the+lions+den+the+norman
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 17:57:40 +0000
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