Battle of Anglesey Sound facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Anglesey Sound |
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| Part of the Norman invasion of Wales and Magnus Barefoot's First Irish Sea campaign | |||||||||
 Map of Anglesey |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Kingdom of England | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
| Hugh of Montgomery † Hugh d'Avranches |
Magnus Barefoot | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| unknown | six ships (Orderic Vitalis) | ||||||||
The Battle of Anglesey Sound was a fight that happened in June or July 1098. It took place on the Menai Strait, which is a narrow body of water separating the island of Anglesey from mainland Wales. This battle was between Magnus Barefoot, who was the King of Norway, and two powerful Anglo-Norman earls: Hugh of Montgomery and Hugh d'Avranches.
The battle was part of Magnus Barefoot's journey into the Irish Sea. He wanted to show that Norway was in charge of the Kingdom of the Isles, a group of islands between Great Britain and Ireland. Just a few days after the Normans had taken Anglesey from the Welsh, Magnus Barefoot's Viking fleet arrived.
Fighting quickly started. Arrows flew between the Viking longships and the Norman soldiers on the shore. The Norman leader, Hugh of Montgomery, was hit by an arrow and died. This caused the Normans to leave Anglesey and go back to England. The Norman defeat allowed the Welsh King Gruffudd ap Cynan to return from exile and get his lands back.
Why the Battle Happened
After they took over England in 1066, the Normans also started to conquer parts of Wales. By the late 11th century, they were moving towards North Wales. Even though the Normans faced some problems in 1094, the earls Hugh of Montgomery and Hugh d'Avranches finally managed to conquer North Wales and Anglesey in 1098. This forced Gruffudd ap Cynan, the King of Gwynedd (a Welsh kingdom), to escape to Ireland.
At the start of 1098, the Norwegian king Magnus Barefoot set out on a trip with many ships into the Irish Sea. He wanted to show that Norway was in charge of the Kingdom of the Isles. After he took control of most of these islands and set up his main base on the Isle of Man, he traveled further south. He arrived near Anglesey with six ships, according to a writer from England named Orderic Vitalis. This was only a few days after the Normans had captured the island.
The Battle Itself
According to Orderic Vitalis, Magnus sailed into the Menai Strait with a red shield on his ship's mast. This was usually a sign that they wanted peace or to trade. Magnus might have been looking for trade, or perhaps just supplies for his ships. He might also have wanted to take over the island to use it as a base for future trips.
When Magnus got close to Anglesey in June or July, the Normans would not let him land. The fighting began with both sides shooting arrows at each other. The Norwegians shot from their ships, while the Normans stood on the shore. As the Normans got ready to attack the Norwegians, Hugh of Montgomery was hit. He was wearing full armor, except for a small opening for his eyes. An arrow went right through one of his eyes, and he died instantly.
Writers from that time, who were not Norse, all agree that Magnus Barefoot himself fired the arrow that killed Hugh. However, the old Norse stories (called sagas) are not as sure that Magnus alone made the shot. They say his arrow hit Hugh almost at the same time as another man's arrow. Some sources suggest that Magnus felt bad when he found out who he had killed. This might mean Magnus was originally interested in making friends with the Normans. After Hugh's death, the Normans left Anglesey and went back to England.
What Happened Next
The Welsh people saw the Norwegians as their helpers because they had won against the Normans. However, Magnus thought of Anglesey as part of the Kingdom of the Isles and claimed the island for Norway. Since the Norwegians never actually settled on the island, Anglesey went back to Welsh control. This happened when Gruffudd ap Cynan returned from Ireland in 1099.
After this, Norway's control over Anglesey was mostly just in name. But Gruffudd gave Magnus many gifts and showed him great respect. Later, during Magnus' second trip in 1102, Gruffudd even let him cut as much timber as he wanted. This might mean that Magnus showed he was still the boss over Gruffudd, just like Godred Crovan had been before. It also suggests that Gwynedd agreed to Magnus's rule.
See also
