Aonghus mac Somhairle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aonghus mac Somhairle
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Aonghus' name as it appears on folio 41r of British Library Cotton Julius A VII (the Chronicle of Mann): "Engus filius Sumerledi".
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| Died | 1210 Skye |
| Noble family | Clann Somhairle |
| Father | Somhairle mac Giolla Brighde |
| Mother | Ragnhildr Óláfsdóttir |
Aonghus mac Somhairle (died 1210) was an important leader from a powerful family called Clann Somhairle. He was the son of Somhairle mac Giolla Brighde, King of the Isles and Ragnhildr Óláfsdóttir. His brothers included Dubhghall and Raghnall.
Aonghus's family, Clann Somhairle, ruled a large area. This land stretched from Glenelg in the north to the Mull of Kintyre in the south. After his father's death, it seems Aonghus might have ruled the northern parts. His brother Dubhghall may have ruled Lorne, and Raghnall controlled Kintyre and the southern islands.
Aonghus and his brother Raghnall eventually fought each other. In 1192, Aonghus defeated Raghnall in a big battle. Raghnall is not mentioned in records after this, so he might have lost his power or even died. Years later, in 1209, Raghnall's sons attacked the people of Skye. The next year, Aonghus and his own sons were killed on the same island. It seems Raghnall's sons, Ruaidhrí and Domhnall, killed Aonghus to take control.
Contents
Who Was Aonghus mac Somhairle?
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Aonghus was a key figure in Clann Somhairle, a powerful family in the Kingdom of the Isles. His father, Somhairle, was the founder of this family. Aonghus's mother was Ragnhildr. She was the daughter of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, who was also a King of the Isles.
A medieval book called the Chronicle of Mann lists Aonghus and his brothers: Dubhghall, Raghnall, and Amhlaoíbh. Aonghus was likely younger than Raghnall. The Clann Somhairle family claimed the kingship of the Isles because of their mother, Ragnhildr. Her family, the Crovan dynasty, had ruled the Isles for a long time.
In the mid-1100s, Aonghus's father, Somhairle, fought Ragnhildr's brother, Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of the Isles. Somhairle took the kingship from him. This led to the Kingdom of the Isles being split between Somhairle's family and Guðrøðr's family.
Family Power and Territories
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After Somhairle died in 1164, it's not clear who became the main leader of Clann Somhairle. The Chronicle of Mann suggests Dubhghall was important in the 1150s. However, later records don't call him a king. It's possible that Raghnall took over from Dubhghall. Raghnall was called "king of the Isles, lord of Argyll and Kintyre." This title shows he claimed control over the Clann Somhairle lands.
Even though there's no direct proof, it's believed that Somhairle's lands were divided among his sons after his death. The Clann Somhairle territories likely stretched from Glenelg in the north to the Mull of Kintyre in the south. It's thought that Aonghus ruled the northern part. Dubhghall might have been in charge of Lorne. Raghnall probably controlled Kintyre and the southern islands.
Battles and Downfall
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The exact year and reasons for Raghnall's death are unknown. In 1192, the Chronicle of Mann states that Aonghus defeated Raghnall in a very bloody battle. The chronicle does not say where this battle happened or why they fought. It's possible the fight took place in the northern part of Clann Somhairle's lands, where Aonghus might have ruled. This battle could have been a result of Raghnall trying to gain more power. It might also have led to Raghnall's defeat and even his death.
The fighting within Clann Somhairle might have been used by another powerful family, that of Walter fitz Alan, Steward of Scotland. Raghnall gave land to a religious house called Paisley Priory. This priory was closely connected to Walter's family.
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Raghnall's gift to Paisley Priory happened after his battle with Aonghus. This could mean Raghnall, weakened by his defeat, tried to make an alliance with Walter's son, Alan fitz Walter, Steward of Scotland. Walter's family had already gained much land in Scotland. They then started to expand their influence into Cowal and the islands of the Firth of Clyde.
By about 1200, the Isle of Bute fell under the control of Alan's family. This might mean Alan took advantage of the family fights within Clann Somhairle to seize the island. Or, Raghnall might have given Alan the island as payment for military help against Aonghus. Aonghus seemed to be winning against Raghnall by 1192.
The Scottish king, William I, King of Scotland, was likely worried about Alan's expansion. These islands were outside his control and part of the Kingdom of the Isles. They were also technically under Norwegian rule. The alliance between Alan and Raghnall might have caused the king to build a royal castle and town at Ayr in 1197. This fortress helped Scotland control the Firth of Clyde area. It was meant to control both Scottish lords and independent rulers like Clann Somhairle. Alan's expansion westward stopped around 1200, possibly because the king was concerned.
In 1210, the chronicle says that Aonghus and his three sons were killed in battle on Skye. The year before, another record, the Annals of Ulster, reported that Raghnall's sons, Ruaidhrí and Domhnall, defeated the men of Skye with great loss of life.
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These two events, in 1209 and 1210, seem connected. They show that the family fights within Clann Somhairle caused more trouble in the Isles. It's likely that Raghnall's sons were trying to take control of Skye. Ruaidhrí and Domhnall probably killed Aonghus and his sons there. This battle on Skye suggests that Aonghus had become the main leader of Clann Somhairle after Raghnall. Raghnall's sons then removed Aonghus and his family line. If this is true, Ruaidhrí likely took over the leadership of Clann Somhairle after Aonghus's family was wiped out.
At the same time, a Norwegian fleet was attacking the Hebrides. It's possible that the civil war within Clann Somhairle was used by these Norwegian invaders. One of the Norwegian leaders, Óspakr suðreyski, might have even been a member of Clann Somhairle.
What Happened Next?
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In the early 1200s, the Chronicle of Mann tells us about marriages between the Crovan dynasty and Clann Somhairle. The wife of Rǫgnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles, was the sister of his rival half-brother's wife, Óláfr Guðrøðarson. Their shared father-in-law was a nobleman from Kintyre. This suggests he was from Clann Somhairle, possibly Raghnall, Ruaidhrí, or Domhnall.
This marriage alliance might have happened around 1200, before Aonghus's death in 1210. It was probably an effort to improve relations between the two powerful families. It's possible that Ruaidhrí, as the new main leader of Clann Somhairle, recognized Rǫgnvaldr as king. This could have made Ruaidhrí a powerful lord within a reunited Kingdom of the Isles. This might have happened around the time Aonghus was killed.
Ruaidhrí was the ancestor of a family branch called Clann Ruaidhrí. It's believed that Ruaidhrí controlled lands known as Garmoran and several islands in the Hebrides. However, it's not clear exactly when his family gained these territories. One idea is that Ruaidhrí got Garmoran after Aonghus's family line was destroyed.
See Also
- Clann Somhairle
- Kingdom of the Isles
- Raghnall mac Somhairle
- Ruaidhrí mac Raghnaill
- Domhnall mac Raghnaill
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