Somerled: And the Emergence of Gaelic Scotland

Depicting a man who was both denounced as an intractable rebel against his rightful king and esteemed as the honored ancestor of the Lord of the Isles, this investigation recounts the life and times of Somerled. Illustrating how he can now be recognized as a complex figure of major prominence in 12th-century Scotland, this overview charts his emergence in the forefront of the Gaelic-Norse aristocracy. All major events are recounted, from his war on the Manx King of the Isles to his extraordinary invasion of the Clyde—cut short by his violent death at Renfrew in 1164. From Scottish chroniclers and Irish annalists to Gaelic tradition bearers, this recollection brilliantly assembles, evaluates, and interprets the full spectrum of historical evidence. Through exhaustive research and painstaking detail, this in-depth study brings Somerled to life as the complex and incredibly influential figure that he was.