Editing Outer Hebrides (section)

=== Norse control ===
[[File:Kingdom of Mann and the Isles-en.svg|thumb|Location of the [[Kingdom of the Isles]] at the end of the eleventh century]]

[[Viking]] raids began on Scottish shores towards the end of the 8th century AD and the Hebrides came under Norse control and settlement during the ensuing decades, especially following the success of [[Harald I of Norway|Harald Fairhair]] at the [[Battle of Hafrsfjord]] in 872.<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 74</ref><ref>Rotary Club (1995) p. 12</ref> In the Western Isles [[Ketill Flatnose]] was the dominant figure of the mid 9th century, by which time he had amassed a substantial island realm and made a variety of alliances with other [[Norsemen|Norse]] leaders. These princelings nominally owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown, although in practice the latter's control was fairly limited.<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 78</ref> Norse control of the Hebrides was formalised in 1098 when [[Edgar, King of Scotland]] formally signed the islands over to [[Magnus III of Norway]].<ref name=H102>Hunter (2000) p. 102</ref> The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered [[Orkney]], the Hebrides and the [[Isle of Man]] in a swift campaign earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of the various islands‘ petty kingdoms. By capturing the islands Magnus imposed a more direct royal control, although at a price. His [[skald]] Bjorn Cripplehand recorded that in Lewis "fire played high in the heaven" as "flame spouted from the houses" and that in the Uists "the king dyed his sword red in blood".<ref name=H102/> Thompson (1968) provides a more literal translation: "Fire played in the fig-trees of Liodhus; it mounted up to heaven. Far and wide the people were driven to flight. The fire gushed out of the houses".<ref name="Thompson 1968 39">Thompson (1968) p 39</ref>

The Hebrides were now part of Kingdom of the Isles, whose rulers were themselves vassals of the Kings of Norway. The Kingdom had two parts: the ''{{lang|non|Suðr-eyjar}}'' or South Isles encompassing the [[Hebrides]] and the [[Isle of Man]]; and the ''{{lang|non|Norðr-eyjar}}'' or North Isles of Orkney and [[Shetland]]. This situation lasted until the partitioning of the Western Isles in 1156, at which time the Outer Hebrides remained under Norwegian control while the Inner Hebrides broke out under [[Somerled]], the Norse-Celtic kinsman of the Manx royal house.<ref>[https://thevikingworld.pbworks.com/The-Kingdom-of-Mann-and-the-Isles "The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles"] thevikingworld.com Retrieved 6 July 2010.</ref>

Following the ill-fated 1263 expedition of [[Haakon IV of Norway]], the Outer Hebrides along with the Isle of Man, were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland a result of the 1266 [[Treaty of Perth]].<ref>Hunter (2000) pp.&nbsp;109–111</ref> Although their contribution to the islands can still be found in personal and placenames, the archaeological record of the Norse period is very limited. The best known find from this time is the [[Lewis chessmen]], which date from the mid 12th century.<ref>Thompson (1968) p. 37</ref>