n. In the ninth century, it was removed to Forteviot, near
the east end of Strathearn, in Perthshire. Shortly afterwards, the
Western Isles and coasts, which had then become more exposed to the
hostile incursions of the Scandinavian Vikingr, were completely
reduced under the sway of Harold Harfager, of Denmark. Harold
established a viceroy in the Isle of Man. In the beginning of the
twelfth century, Somerled, a powerful chieftain of Cantyre, married
Effrica, a daughter of Olaus or Olave, the swarthy viceroy or king of
Man, a descendant of Harold Harfager, and assumed the independent
sovereignty of Cantyre; to which he added, by conquest, Argyle and
Lorn, with several islands contiguous thereto and to Cantyre. Somerled
was slain in 1164, in an engagement with Malcolm IV. in Renfrewshire.
His possessions on the mainland, excepting Cantyre, were bestowed on
his younger son Dugal, from whom sprung the Macdougals of Lorn, who
are to this day lineally represented by the family of Dunolly; while
the islands and Cantyre descended to Reginald, his elder son. For more
than three centuries, Somerled's descendants held these possessions,
at times as independent princes, and at others as tributaries of
Norway, Scotland, and even of England. In the sixteenth century they
continued still troublesome, but not so formidable to the royal
authority. After the battle of the Largs in 1263, in which Haco of
Norway was defeated, the pretensions of that kingdom were resigned to
the Scottish monarchs, for payment of a subsidy of 100 merks. Angus
Og, fifth in descent from Somerled, entertained Robert Bruce in his
flight to Ireland in his castle of Dunaverty, near the Mull of
Cantyre, and afterwards at Dunnavinhaig, in Isla, and fought under his
banner at Bannockburn. Bruce conferred on the Macdonalds the
distinction of holding the post of honour on the right in battle--the
withholding of which at Culloden occasioned a degree of disaffection
on their part, in that dying struggle of the Stuart dynasty. This
Angus's son, John, called by the Dean of the Isles "the good John of
Isla," had by Amy, great-granddaughter of Roderick, son of Reginald,
king of Man, three sons--John, Ronald, and Godfrey; and by subsequent
marriage with Margaret, daughter of Robert Stuart, afterwards Robert
II. of Scotland, other three sons--Donald of the Isles, John Mor the
Tainnister, and Alexander Carrach. It is subject of dispute whether
the first family were lawful issue