Editing Hebrides (section)

=== Scottish control ===
[[File:Kisimul Castle.jpg|thumb|[[Kisimul Castle]], the ancient seat of [[Clan MacNeil]], [[Castlebay]], [[Barra]]]]
As the Norse era drew to a close, the Norse-speaking princes were gradually replaced by Gaelic-speaking [[Scottish clan|clan]] chiefs including the [[Clan MacLeod|MacLeods]] of Lewis and Harris, [[Clan Donald]] and [[Clan MacNeil|MacNeil of Barra]].<ref name="auto"/><ref>Rotary Club (1995) pp. 27, 30.</ref>{{refn|The transitional relationships between Norse and Gaelic-speaking rulers are complex. The ''{{lang|gd|Gall-Ghàidhels}}'' who dominated much of the Irish Sea region and western Scotland at this time were of joint Gaelic and Scandinavian origin. When Somerled wrested the southern Inner Hebrides from [[Godred II Olafsson|Godred the Black]] in 1156, this was the beginnings of a break with nominal Norse rule in the Hebrides. Godred remained the ruler of Mann and the Outer Hebrides, but two years later Somerled's invasion of the former caused him to flee to Norway. Norse control was further weakened in the ensuring century, but the Hebrides were not formally ceded by Norway until 1266.<ref>Gregory (1881) pp. 13–15, 20–21.</ref><ref>Downham (2007) pp. 174–75.</ref> The transitions from one language to another are also complex. For example, many Scandinavian sources from this period of time typically refer to individuals as having a Scandinavian first name and a Gaelic by-name.<ref>Gammeltoft, Peder "Scandinavian Naming-Systems in the Hebrides: A Way of Understanding how the Scandinavians were in Contact with Gaels and Picts?" in Ballin Smith ''et al'' (2007) p. 480.</ref>|group=Note}} This transition did little to relieve the islands of internecine strife although by the early 14th century the MacDonald [[Lord of the Isles|Lords of the Isles]], based on Islay, were in theory these chiefs' feudal superiors and managed to exert some control.<ref>Hunter (2000) pp. 127, 166.</ref>

The Lords of the Isles ruled the Inner Hebrides as well as part of the Western Highlands as subjects of the King of Scots until [[John of Islay, Earl of Ross|John MacDonald]], fourth Lord of the Isles, squandered the family's powerful position. A rebellion by his nephew, [[Alexander of Lochalsh]] provoked an exasperated [[James IV of Scotland|James IV]] to forfeit the family's lands in 1493.<ref>Oram, Richard "The Lordship of the Isles: 1336–1545" in Omand (2006) pp. 135–38.</ref>

In 1598, King [[James VI and I|James VI]] authorised some [[Fife Adventurers|"Gentleman Adventurers" from Fife]] to civilise the "most barbarous Isle of Lewis".<ref name=RC12>Rotary Club (1995) pp. 12–13.</ref> Initially successful, the colonists were driven out by local forces commanded by Murdoch and Neil MacLeod, who based their forces on {{lang|gd|[[Bearasaigh]]}} in {{lang|gd|[[Loch Ròg]]}}. The colonists tried again in 1605 with the same result, but a third attempt in 1607 was more successful and in due course [[Stornoway]] became a [[Burgh of barony|Burgh of Barony]].<ref name=RC12/><ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) p. 312.</ref> By this time, Lewis was held by the Mackenzies of [[Kintail]] (later the [[Earl of Seaforth|Earls of Seaforth]]), who pursued a more enlightened approach, investing in [[fishing]] in particular. The Seaforths' royalist inclinations led to Lewis becoming garrisoned during the [[Wars of the Three Kingdoms]] by [[Oliver Cromwell|Cromwell]]'s troops, who destroyed the old castle in Stornoway.<ref name=R42>Thompson (1968) pp. 41–42.</ref>