aimed the
Scottish Crown itself, as the third son of William FitzDuncan only
son of Duncan II, who was himself the eldest son of Malcolm Canmore by
Malcolm's first marriage, so productive of civil war in Scotland, with
Ingibjorg, widow of Earl Thorfinn. Civil war ensued, and lasted for
six or seven years, when, by good luck, Roland of Galloway fell in
with a force of the rebels at an unknown spot called Mamgarvie near
Inverness, and routed them, killing Donald Ban MacWilliam there on the
31st July 1187.[36]

In 1196, Harold Maddadson, who through the ambition of Gormflaith
had, as we have seen, designs on Ross and Moray, sent an expedition
southwards to occupy those districts, of which probably Gormflaith's
father, Malcolm MacHeth, had been Earl at his death after 1160. But
William collected an army,[37] and, after defeating Harold's son
Thorfinn near Inverness, crossed the Oykel, entered Sutherland,
subdued it and Caithness, and pursued Harold up to his castle at
Thurso, and destroyed it in his sight. Harold then submitted, and
promised to surrender his son and heir, Thorfinn, as a hostage, with
others of his friends to be delivered to the king at Nairn. Harold
left all his hostages close by at Lochloy, and went alone to the king
at Nairn, and endeavoured to excuse himself by offering two grandsons
to the king and stating that Thorfinn was his heir[38] and could not
therefore be given up; but was taken prisoner himself and lodged in
Edinburgh Castle, till his son Thorfinn came to take his place. On
this occasion Harold Maddadson was deprived of Sudrland or Sutherland,
which had been given to Hugo Freskyn; and in the next year, or soon
after, half of the earldom of Caithness, which the _Flatey Book_
states Jarl Ragnvald had held,[39] was conferred by King William the
Lion on Harald Ungi or The Young, as grandson of Jarl Ragnvald, and
son of Eric, who, however, had to make good the grant by conquest.
Harald Ungi had, as stated above, already obtained a grant from King
Sverri of half Orkney by a visit to the Norwegian Court.

In order to enforce his rights under both these grants, Harald
Ungi collected a force, and, together with Sigurd Murt, and Lifolf
Baldpate, the first husband of his youngest sister Ragnhild, invaded
Orkney, while Harold the Old fled to the Isle of Man; but, on his
namesake following him thither, he doubled back to Orkney, and,
after killing all the adherents of his enemies there, crossed over to
C