Editing Orkney (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Orkney}}

===Prehistory===
{{Main|Prehistoric Orkney}}

[[File:RingofBrodgarJM.jpg|thumb|upright|alt=Four large standing stones sit in a field of grass and heather. They are illuminated by reddish sunlight and they cast long shadows to the left. A lake and low hills lie beyond.|[[Ring of Brodgar]], on the island of [[Mainland, Orkney]]]]

A charred [[hazelnut]] shell, recovered in 2007 during excavations in [[Tankerness]] on the Mainland, has been dated to 6820–6660 BC, indicating the presence of Mesolithic nomadic tribes.<ref>[http://www.stonepages.com/news/archives/002600.html "Hazelnut shell pushes back date of Orcadian site"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080316143444/http://www.stonepages.com/news/archives/002600.html |date=16 March 2008 }} (3 November 2007) Stone Pages Archaeo News. Retrieved 6 September 2009.</ref> The earliest known permanent settlement is at [[Knap of Howar]], a Neolithic farmstead on the island of [[Papa Westray]], which dates from 3500 BC. The village of [[Skara Brae]], Europe's best-preserved Neolithic settlement, is believed to have been inhabited from around 3100 BC.<ref>[http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/propertyresults/propertyabout.htm?PropID=PL_244&PropName=Skara%20Brae%20Prehistoric%20Village "Skara Brae Prehistoric Village" ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160505130755/http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/places/propertyresults/propertyabout.htm?PropID=PL_244&PropName=Skara%20Brae%20Prehistoric%20Village |date=5 May 2016 }} Historic Scotland. Retrieved 3 February 2010.</ref> Other remains from that era include the [[Standing Stones of Stenness]], the [[Maeshowe]] [[passage grave]], the [[Ring of Brodgar]] and other standing stones. Many of the Neolithic settlements were abandoned around 2500 BC, possibly due to changes in the climate.<ref>Moffat (2005) p. 154.</ref><ref>[http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/scotland/2200-800BC "Scotland: 2200–800 BC Bronze Age"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203063651/http://worldtimelines.org.uk/world/british_isles/scotland/2200-800BC |date=3 December 2010 }} worldtimelines.org.uk Retrieved 23 August 2008.</ref><ref>Ritchie, Graham "The Early Peoples" in Omand (2003) pp. 32, 34.</ref>

In September 2021, archaeologists announced the discovery of two polished stone balls in a 5500-year-old Neolithic burial tomb in [[Sanday, Orkney|Sanday]]. According to Dr Hugo Anderson, the second object was as the "size of a cricket ball, perfectly spherical and beautifully finished".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gershon|first=Livia|title=Polished, 5,500-Year-Old Stone Balls Found in Neolithic Scottish Tomb|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polished-stone-balls-found-5500-year-old-scottish-tomb-180978615/|access-date=2021-09-12|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en|archive-date=12 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912122233/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/polished-stone-balls-found-5500-year-old-scottish-tomb-180978615/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Two mysterious stone balls found buried in 5,500-year-old 'disappearing' tomb in Orkney|url=https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/two-mysterious-stone-balls-found-buried-in-5500-year-old-disappearing-tomb-in-orkney-3368676|access-date=2021-09-12|website=www.scotsman.com|date=2 September 2021 |language=en|archive-date=12 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912122234/https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/two-mysterious-stone-balls-found-buried-in-5500-year-old-disappearing-tomb-in-orkney-3368676|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Archaeologists discover rare stones in a 'disappearing' tomb in Scotland|url=https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeologists-discover-rare-stones-in-a-disappearing-tomb-in-scotland-678989|access-date=2021-09-12|newspaper=The Jerusalem Post &#124; Jpost.com|language=en-US|archive-date=12 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210912122234/https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeologists-discover-rare-stones-in-a-disappearing-tomb-in-scotland-678989|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[Bronze Age]], fewer large stone structures were built (although the great ceremonial circles continued in use<ref>Wickham-Jones (2007) p. 73.</ref>) as metalworking was slowly introduced to Britain from Europe over a lengthy period.<ref>Moffat (2005) pp. 154, 158, 161.</ref><ref>Whittington, Graeme and Edwards, Kevin J. (1994) [http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/volumes.cfm "Palynology as a predictive tool in archaeology"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522025643/http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/volumes.cfm |date=22 May 2013 }} (pdf) ''Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland''. '''124''' pp. 55–65.</ref> There are relatively few Orcadian sites dating from this era although there is the impressive Plumcake Mound near the Ring of Brodgar,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/plumcakemound.htm|title=The Ring o' Brodgar – Plumcake Mound|website=www.orkneyjar.com|access-date=28 May 2019|archive-date=27 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190427200517/http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/brodgar/plumcakemound.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and various island sites such as Tofts Ness on [[Sanday, Orkney|Sanday]] and the remains of two houses on [[Holm of Faray]].<ref>Wickham-Jones (2007) pp. 74–76.</ref><ref>Ritchie, Graham "The Early Peoples" in Omand (2003) p. 33.</ref>

===Iron Age===
[[File:Midhowe Broch.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A semi-circular stone wall at left hints at the existence of a large and ancient building and to the right are the ruins of various other stone structures. In the background a low cliff divides a body of water from grassy fields.|[[Midhowe Broch]] on the west coast of [[Rousay]]]]

Excavations at [[Quanterness chambered cairn|Quanterness]] on the Mainland have revealed an [[Atlantic roundhouse]] built about 700 BC and similar finds have been made at Bu on the Mainland and Pierowall Quarry on Westray.<ref>Wickham-Jones (2007) pp. 81–84.</ref> The most impressive [[Iron Age]] structures of Orkney are the ruins of later round towers called "[[broch]]s" and their associated settlements such as the [[Broch of Burroughston]]<ref>Hogan, C. Michael (2007) [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7891 ''Burroughston Broch''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110610071233/http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=7891 |date=10 June 2011 }}. The Megalithic Portal. Retrieved 4 October 2009.</ref> and [[Broch of Gurness]]. The nature and origin of these buildings is a subject of debate. Other structures from this period include [[Souterrain|underground storehouses]] and [[Wheelhouse (archaeology)|aisled roundhouses]], the latter usually in association with earlier broch sites.<ref>Ritchie, Graham "The Early Peoples" in Omand (2003) pp. 35–37.</ref><ref>Crawford, Iain "The wheelhouse" in Smith and Banks (2002) pp. 118–22.</ref>

During the [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] invasion of Britain the "King of Orkney" was one of 11 British leaders who is said to have submitted to the Emperor [[Claudius]] in AD 43 at [[Camulodunum]] (modern Colchester).<ref>Moffat (2005) pp. 173–75.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Thompson (2008) suggests that there was an element of Roman "boasting" involved, given that it was known to them that the ''Orcades'' lay at the northern extremity of the British Isles.<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 4–5</ref> Similarly, Ritchie describes Tacitus' claims that Rome "conquered" Orkney as "a political puff, for there is no evidence of Roman military presence".<ref>Ritchie, Graham "The Early Peoples" in Omand (2003) p. 36</ref>|group="Notes"}} After the Agricolan fleet had come and gone, possibly anchoring at [[Shapinsay]], direct Roman influence seems to have been limited to trade rather than conquest.<ref name=Thomson4>Thomson (2005) pp. 4–6.</ref>
[[Polemius Silvius]] wrote a list of Late Roman provinces, which [[Seeck]] appended to his edition of the [[Notitia Dignitatum]].<ref>{{cite web| url = https://archive.org/details/CalendarOfPhilocalusAndPolemiusSilviusFromIla| title = ''Laterculus Polemii Silvii''}}</ref> The list names six provinces in Roman Britannia: the sixth is the dubious "Orcades provincia", the possible existence of which recent researches re-evaluate.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.academia.edu/33336307 |title=Orcades/Orkney: the 6th roman province in Britannia |access-date=18 November 2019 |archive-date=21 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021232408/https://www.academia.edu/33336307/Orkney_the_6th_province_of_Britannia_New_evidences_from_Mine_Howe |url-status=live |last1=Montesanti |first1=Antonio }}</ref>

By the late Iron Age, Orkney was part of the [[Picts|Pictish]] kingdom, and although the [[archaeological]] remains from this period are less impressive, the fertile soils and rich seas of Orkney probably provided the Picts with a comfortable living.<ref name=Thomson4/>{{#tag:ref|They were certainly politically organised. Ritchie notes the presence of an Orcadian ruler at the court of a Pictish high king at [[Inverness]] in 565 AD.<ref>Ritchie, Anna "The Picts" in Omand (2003) p. 39</ref>|group="Notes"}} The [[Dál Riata|Dalriadic]] [[Gaels]] began to influence the islands towards the close of the Pictish era, perhaps principally through the role of [[Celtic Christianity|Celtic]] [[Missionary|missionaries]], as evidenced by several islands bearing the epithet "Papa" in commemoration of these preachers.<ref>Ritchie, Anna "The Picts" in Omand (2003) pp. 42–46.</ref> Before the Gaelic presence could establish itself the Picts were gradually dispossessed by the [[North Germanic peoples]] from the late 8th century onwards. The nature of this transition is controversial, and theories range from peaceful integration to [[enslavement]] and [[genocide]].<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 43–50.</ref> It has been suggested that an assault by forces from [[Fortriu]] in 681 in which Orkney was "annihilated" may have led to a weakening of the local power base and helped the Norse come to prominence.<ref>Fraser (2009) p. 345</ref>

===Norwegian rule===
{{Main|Earldom of Orkney}}
[[File:Flateyjarbok Haraldr Halfdan.jpg|thumb|alt=A page from an illuminated manuscript shows two male figures. On the left, a seated man wears a red crown and on the right, a standing man has long fair hair. Their right hands are clasped together.|According to the ''[[Orkneyinga saga|Orkneyinga Saga]]'', [[Harald I of Norway|Harald Fairhair]] (on the right, with fair hair) took control of Orkney in 875. He is shown here inheriting his kingdom from his father [[Halfdan the Black]], in an illustration from the ''[[Flateyjarbók]]''.]]
Both Orkney and [[Shetland]] saw a significant influx of Norwegian settlers during the late 8th and early 9th centuries. [[Viking]]s made the islands the headquarters of their [[pirate]] expeditions carried out against Norway and the coasts of mainland Scotland. In response, Norwegian king [[Harald I of Norway|Harald Fairhair]] (Harald Hårfagre) annexed the [[Northern Isles]], comprising Orkney and Shetland, in 875 (it is clear that this story, which appears in the ''[[Orkneyinga saga|Orkneyinga Saga]]'', is based on the later voyages of [[Magnus III of Norway|Magnus Barelegs]] and some scholars believe it to be [[apocryphal]]).<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 24–27.</ref> [[Rognvald Eysteinsson]] received Orkney and Shetland from Harald as an earldom as reparation for the death of his son in battle in Scotland, and then passed the earldom on to his brother [[Sigurd Eysteinsson|Sigurd the Mighty]].<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 24.</ref> Sigurd went on to conquer northern parts of mainland Britain in the late 9th century, including [[Caithness]] and [[Sutherland]].<ref name=Grant>{{cite book |last1=Grant |first1=Alexander |editor1-last=Cowan |editor1-first=Edward J. |editor2-last=McDonald |editor2-first=R. Andrew |title=Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages |date=2000 |publisher=Tuckwell Press |location=East Linton |isbn=1-86232-151-5 |pages=98–110 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/albacelticscotla0000unse/page/98/mode/2up |access-date=28 August 2024 |chapter=The Province of Ross and the Kingdom of Alba}}</ref>

However, Sigurd's line barely survived him and it was [[Torf-Einarr]], Rognvald's son by a slave, who founded a dynasty that controlled the islands for centuries after his death.<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 29.</ref>{{#tag:ref|Sigurd The Mighty's son Gurthorm ruled for a single winter after Sigurd's death and died childless. Rognvald's son Hallad inherited the title but, unable to constrain Danish raids in Orkney, he gave up the earldom and returned to Norway, which according to the ''[[Orkneyinga saga|Orkneyinga Saga]]'' "everyone thought was a huge joke."<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 30 quoting chapter 5.</ref>|group="Notes"}} He was succeeded by his son [[Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson, Earl of Orkney|Thorfinn Skull-splitter]] and during this time the deposed Norwegian King [[Eric Bloodaxe]] often used Orkney as a raiding base before being killed in 954. Thorfinn's death and presumed burial at the [[Hoxa, Orkney|broch of Hoxa]], on [[South Ronaldsay]], led to a long period of dynastic strife.<ref>Wenham, Sheena "The South Isles" in Omand (2003) p. 211.</ref><ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 56–58.</ref>
[[File:Peter nicolai arbo, olaf tryggvasson king.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A group of warriors in medieval garb surround two men whose postures suggest they are about to embrace. The man on the right is taller, has long fair hair and wears a bright red tunic. The man on the left his balding with short grey hair and a white beard. He wears a long brown cloak.| Artist's conception of [[Olaf I of Norway|King Olaf Tryggvason]] of Norway, who forcibly Christianised Orkney.<ref name=T69/> Painting by [[Peter Nicolai Arbo]].]]

Initially a pagan culture, detailed information about the turn to the Christian religion in the islands of Scotland during the Norse era is elusive.<ref>Abrams, Lesley "Conversion and the Church in the Hebrides in the Viking Age: "A Very Difficult Thing Indeed" in Ballin Smith ''et al'' (2007) pp. 169–89</ref> The  ''Orkneyinga Saga'' suggests the islands were Christianised by [[Olaf I of Norway|Olaf Tryggvasson]] in 995 when he stopped at [[South Walls]] on his way from Ireland to Norway. The King summoned the ''[[earl|jarl]]'' [[Sigurd the Stout]]{{#tag:ref|Sigurd the Stout was Thorfinn Skull-splitter's grandson.|group="Notes"}} and said, "I order you and all your subjects to be baptised. If you refuse, I'll have you killed on the spot and I swear I will ravage every island with fire and steel." Unsurprisingly, Sigurd agreed and the islands became Christian at a stroke,<ref name=T69>Thompson (2008) p. 69. quoting the ''[[Orkneyinga Saga]]'' chapter 12.</ref> receiving their own [[Bishop of Orkney|bishop]] in the early 11th century.{{#tag:ref|The first recorded bishop was [[Henry of Lund]] (also known as "the Fat") who was appointed sometime prior to 1035.<ref>[[D. E. R. Watt|Watt, D.E.R.]], (ed.) (1969) ''Fasti Ecclesia Scoticanae Medii Aevii ad annum 1638''. Scottish Records Society. p. 247.</ref> The bishopric appears to have been under the authority of the Archbishops of [[Archbishop of York|York]] and of [[Archbishopric of Bremen|Hamburg-Bremen]] at different times during the early period and from the mid-twelfth century to 1472 was subordinate to the [[Archdiocese of Nidaros|Archbishop of Nidaros]] (today's [[Trondheim]]).<ref>[http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/New%20Diocese/orkney/diocese_orkney.htm "The Diocese of Orkney"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907182006/http://www.cushnieent.force9.co.uk/New%20Diocese/orkney/diocese_orkney.htm |date=7 September 2008 }} Firth's Celtic Scotland. Retrieved 9 September 2009.</ref>|group="Notes"}}{{#tag:ref|When the sagas were written down Orkney had been Christian for 200 years or more<ref name=Thomson66>Thompson (2008) pp.&nbsp;66–67</ref> and this conversion tale has been described as "blatantly unhistorical".<ref name=Beuer143>Beuermann (2011) pp.&nbsp;143–44</ref>|group="Notes"}}

[[File:Kirkwall cathedral.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A large church made from red and yellow stone with a square tower and a spire on the tower.|[[St Magnus Cathedral]] in Kirkwall]]

[[Thorfinn Sigurdsson|Thorfinn the Mighty]] was a son of Sigurd and a grandson of [[Malcolm II of Scotland|King Malcolm II of Scotland]] (''Máel Coluim mac Cináeda''). Along with Sigurd's other sons he ruled Orkney during the first half of the 11th century and extended his authority over a small maritime empire stretching from [[Dublin]] to [[Shetland]]. Thorfinn died around 1065 and his sons [[Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson|Paul and Erlend]] succeeded him, fighting at the [[Battle of Stamford Bridge]] in 1066.<ref>Crawford, Barbara E. "Orkney in the Middle Ages" in Omand (2003) pp. 66–68.</ref> Paul and Erlend quarrelled as adults and this dispute carried on to the next generation. The [[martyr]]dom of [[Magnus Erlendsson, Earl of Orkney|Magnus Erlendsson]], who was killed in April 1116 by his cousin [[Haakon Paulsson]], resulted in the building of [[St Magnus Cathedral]], still today a dominating feature of Kirkwall.{{#tag:ref|The Scandinavian peoples, relatively recent converts to Christianity, tended to confer martyrdom and sainthood on leading figures of the day who met violent deaths. Magnus and Haakon Paulsson had been co-rulers of Orkney, and although he had a reputation for piety, there is no suggestion that Magnus died for his Christian faith.<ref>Crawford, Barbara E. "Orkney in the Middle Ages" in Omand (2003) p. 69.</ref>|group="Notes"}}{{#tag:ref|"St Magnus Cathedral still dominates the Kirkwall skyline – a familiar, and comforting sight, to Kirkwallians around the world."<ref>[http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/stmagnus/magcath.htm "St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210130123631/http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/stmagnus/magcath.htm |date=30 January 2021 }} Orkneyar. Retrieved 10 September 2009.</ref>|group="Notes"}}

The [[Kingdom of Scotland|Scottish crown]] claimed the overlordship of the Caithness and Sutherland area from Norway in 1098.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Crawford |first1=Barbara E. |editor1-last=Stringer |editor1-first=Keith J. |title=Essays on the Nobility of Medieval Scotland |date=2004 |publisher=John Donald |location=9781788853408 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y0tWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT48 |access-date=6 October 2024 |chapter=The Earldom of Caithness and the Kingdom of Scotland, 1150–1266|isbn=978-1-78885-340-8 }}</ref> The jarls thereafter owed allegiance to the Scottish crown for their territory on mainland Britain, which they held as the [[Mormaer of Caithness]], but owed allegiance to the Norwegian crown for Orkney and Shetland.<ref name=Grant/><ref>Crawford, Barbara E. "Orkney in the Middle Ages" in Omand (2003) p. 64.</ref> In 1195, the jarls lost control of Shetland when it became a separate lordship.<ref name=Crawford>{{cite journal |last1=Crawford |first1=Barbara E. |title=The Earldom of Orkney and Lordship of Shetland: A reinterpretation of their pledging to Scotland in 1468–70 |journal=Saga Book |date=1966 |volume=17 |page=157 |jstor=48613121 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/48613121 |access-date=8 October 2024}}</ref>

In 1231 the line of Norse earls, unbroken since Rognvald, ended with [[Jon Haraldsson]]'s murder in [[Thurso]].<ref>Crawford, Barbara E. "Orkney in the Middle Ages" in Omand (2003) pp. 72–73.</ref> The [[Earldom of Caithness]] was granted to [[Magnus II, Earl of Orkney|Magnus]], second son of the [[Earl of Angus]], whom [[Haakon IV of Norway]] confirmed as Earl of Orkney in 1236.<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 134–37.</ref> Around the same time, the earldom lost the southern part of its territory on mainland Britain when it was made the separate earldom of Sutherland.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fraser |first1=William |title=The Sutherland Book |date=1892 |location=Edinburgh |page=1 |url=https://archive.org/details/sutherlandbook01fras/page/102/mode/2up |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Margaret, Maid of Norway.jpg|thumb|right|alt=Margaret depicted in the [[Lerwick Town Hall]]|[[Lerwick Town Hall]] stained glass window depicting "Margaret, queen of Scotland and daughter of Norway"]]

In 1290, the death of the child princess [[Margaret, Maid of Norway]] in Orkney, en route to mainland Scotland, created a disputed succession that led to the [[Wars of Scottish Independence]].<ref name=T146>Thompson (2008) pp. 146–47.</ref>{{#tag:ref|It is often believed that the princess's death is associated with the village of [[St Margaret's Hope]] on South Ronaldsay but there is no evidence for this other than the coincidence of the name.<ref name=T146/>|group="Notes"}} In the 14th century the earls of Orkney also lost Caithness, after which the earldom just covered the islands of Orkney itself.<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Pulsiano |editor1-first=Phillip |title=Medieval Scandinavia: An Encyclopedia |date=1993 |publisher=Garland Publishing |location=New York and London |isbn=0824047877 |pages=63–65 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d-XiZO8V4qUC&pg=PA63 |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Paul |editor1-first=James Balfour |title=The Scots Peerage: Volume 2 |date=1905 |publisher=David Douglas |location=Edinburgh |page=321 |url=https://archive.org/details/scotspeeragefoun02paul/page/320/mode/2up |access-date=30 September 2024}}</ref> In 1379 the earldom passed to the [[Clan Sinclair|Sinclair]] family, who were also barons of [[Roslin Castle|Roslin]] near [[Edinburgh]].<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 160.</ref>{{#tag:ref|The notion that [[Henry I Sinclair, Earl of Orkney|Henry]] the first Sinclair Earl, voyaged to North America many years before [[Christopher Columbus]] has gained some currency of late.<ref name="Haswell-Smith 2004 p. 354"/> The idea is however dismissed out of hand by many scholars. For example, Thompson (2008) states "Henry's fictitious trip to America continues to receive a good deal of unfortunate publicity, but it belongs to fantasy rather than real history".<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 168–69.</ref><ref>[http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/historicalfigures/henrysinclair/princehenrytrip.htm "Earl Henry Sinclair: The Zeno Narrative"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925013609/http://www.orkneyjar.com/history/historicalfigures/henrysinclair/princehenrytrip.htm |date=25 September 2009 }} Orkneyjar. Retrieved 4 October 2009.</ref>|group="Notes"}}

Evidence of the Viking presence is widespread and includes the settlement at the [[Brough of Birsay]],<ref>Armit (2006) pp. 173–76.</ref> the vast majority of [[Toponymy|place names]],<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 40.</ref> and the [[Runic alphabet|runic]] inscriptions at Maeshowe.{{#tag:ref|The Maeshowe inscriptions date from the 12th century.<ref>Armit (2006) pp. 178–79.</ref>|group="Notes"}}

===Absorption by Scotland===
[[File:James III and Margaret of Denmark.jpg|thumb|upright=0.9|left|alt=A picture on a page in an old book. A man at left wears tights and a tunic with a lion rampant design and holds a sword and sceptre. A woman at right wears a dress with an heraldic design bordered with ermine and carries a thistle in one hand and a sceptre in the other. They stand on a green surface over a legend in Scots that begins "James the Thrid of Nobil Memorie..." (sic) and notes that he "marrit the King of Denmark's dochter."|[[James III of Scotland|James III]] and [[Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland|Margaret]], whose betrothal led to Orkney passing from Norway to Scotland.]]

In 1468 Orkney and [[Shetland]] was [[pledge (law)|pledged]] by [[Christian I of Denmark|Christian I]], in his capacity as King of Norway, as security against the payment of the [[dowry]] of his daughter [[Margaret of Denmark, Queen of Scotland|Margaret]], betrothed to [[James III of Scotland]]. However, the money was never paid, and Orkney was absorbed by the [[Kingdom of Scotland]] in 1472.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=281}}{{#tag:ref|Apparently without the knowledge of the Norwegian [[Rigsraadet]]{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} (Council of the Realm), Christian pawned Orkney for 50,000 Rhenish [[guilder]]s. On 28 May the next year he also pawned Shetland for 8,000 Rhenish guilders.<ref>[http://www.ub.uib.no/avdeling/spes/diplom/1509.htm "Diplom fra Shetland datert 24.november 1509"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110505033602/http://www.ub.uib.no/avdeling/spes/diplom/1509.htm |date=5 May 2011 }} University Library, University in Bergen. (Norwegian). Retrieved 13 September 2009.</ref> He secured a clause in the contract that gave future kings of Norway the right to redeem the islands for a fixed sum of 210&nbsp;kg of gold or 2,310&nbsp;kg of silver.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}} Several attempts were made during the 17th and 18th centuries to redeem the islands, without success.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}<ref>[http://universitas.uio.no/Arkiv/1996/16okt96/norsk.htm "Norsken som døde"] Universitas, Norsken som døde (Norwegian) Retrieved 13 September 2009. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724185409/http://universitas.uio.no/Arkiv/1996/16okt96/norsk.htm |date=24 July 2011 }}</ref>|group="Notes"}}

The history of Orkney prior to this time is largely the history of the ruling aristocracy. From then on ordinary people emerge with greater clarity. An influx of Scottish entrepreneurs helped to create a diverse and independent community that included farmers, fishermen and merchants that called themselves ''comunitas Orcadie'' and who proved themselves increasingly able to defend their rights against their feudal overlords.<ref>Thompson (2008) p. 183.</ref><ref>Crawford, Barbara E. "Orkney in the Middle Ages" in Omand (2003) pp. 78–79.</ref>

From at least the 16th century, boats from mainland Scotland and the Netherlands dominated the local [[herring]] fishery. There is little evidence of an Orcadian fleet until the 19th century, but it grew rapidly, and 700 boats were involved by the 1840s with Stronsay and later [[Stromness]] becoming leading centres of development. [[Whitefish (fisheries term)|White fish]] never became as dominant as in other Scottish ports.<ref name=Coull/>

[[File:Blaeu - Atlas of Scotland 1654 - ORCADVM ET SCHETLANDIÆ - Orkney and Shetland.jpg|thumb|right|alt=An old map of two island groups with the {{lang|la|Orcades}} at left and {{lang|la|Schetlandia}} at right. A coat of arms at top left shows a red lion rampant on a yellow shield flanked by two white unicorns. A second heraldic device is shown at the bottom right below the {{lang|la|Oceanus Germanicus}}. This has two [[mermaid]]s surrounding a tabula containing very small writing, topped by a yellow and blue shield.|[[Willem Blaeu|Blaeu's]] 1654 map of Orkney and Shetland. Mapmakers at this time continued to use the original Latin name {{lang|la|Orcades}}.]]

Agricultural improvements beginning in the 17th century resulted in the enclosure of the commons and ultimately in the Victorian era the emergence of large and well-managed farms using a five-shift rotation system and producing high-quality beef cattle.<ref>Thomson, William P.L. "Agricultural Improvement" in Omand (2003) pp. 93, 99.</ref>

In the 17th century, Orcadians formed the overwhelming majority of employees of the [[Hudson's Bay Company]] in Canada. The harsh winter weather of Orkney and the Orcadian reputation for sobriety and their boat handling skills made them ideal candidates for the rigours of the Canadian north.<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 371–72.</ref> During this period, burning [[kelp]] briefly became a mainstay of the islands' economy. For example, on Shapinsay over {{convert|3000|LT|tonnes|0|lk=on}} of burned seaweed were produced per annum to make [[soda ash]], bringing in £20,000 to the local economy.<ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 364–65.</ref> The industry collapsed suddenly in 1830 after the removal of tariffs on imported [[alkali]].<ref>Thomson, William P.L. "Agricultural Improvement" in Omand (2003) p. 98.</ref>

During the 18th century [[Jacobite risings]], Orkney was largely Jacobite in its sympathies. At the end of the 1715 rebellion, a large number of Jacobites who had fled north from mainland Scotland sought refuge in Orkney and were helped on to safety in Sweden.<ref>Baynes (1970) p. 182</ref> In 1745, the Jacobite lairds on the islands ensured that Orkney remained pro-Jacobite in outlook and was a safe place to land supplies from Spain to aid their cause. Orkney was the last place in the British Isles that held out for the Jacobites and was not retaken by the [[Broad Bottom Ministry|British Government]] until 24 May 1746, over a month after the defeat of the main Jacobite army at [[Battle of Culloden|Culloden]].<ref>Duffy (2003) pp. 464–465, 528, 533–534, 550</ref>

===20th century===
[[File:The King Pays 4-day Visit To the Home Fleet. 21 March 1943, Scapa Flow, Wearing the Uniform of An Admiral of the Fleet, the King Paid a 4-day Visit To the Home Fleet. A15259.jpg|thumb|King [[George VI]] visiting the [[Home Fleet]] based at Scapa Flow, March 1943]]
[[File:The altar art of the Italian chapel of Orkney - geograph.org.uk - 739607.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Italian Chapel]] on [[Lamb Holm]] was built and decorated by Italian prisoners of war working on the [[Churchill Barriers]].<ref name=Thom434/>]]

Orkney was the site of a [[Royal Navy]] base at [[Scapa Flow]], which played a major role in [[World War I]] and [[World War II]]. After the [[Armistice]] in 1918, the [[German High Seas Fleet]] was transferred in its entirety to Scapa Flow to await a decision on its future. [[Scuttling of the German fleet at Scapa Flow|The German sailors opened the seacocks and scuttled all the ships]]. Most ships were salvaged, but the remaining wrecks are now a favoured haunt of recreational divers. One month into World War II, a German [[U-boat]] sank the Royal Navy battleship {{HMS|Royal Oak|08|6}} in Scapa Flow. As a result, [[Churchill Barriers|barriers]] were built to close most of the access channels; these had the additional advantage of creating causeways enabling travellers to go from island to island by road instead of being obliged to rely on ferries. The causeways were constructed by Italian prisoners of war, who also constructed the ornate [[Italian Chapel]].<ref name=Thom434>Thompson (2008) pp. 434–36.</ref>

The navy base became run down after the war, eventually closing in 1957. The problem of a declining population was significant in the post-war years, though in the last decades of the 20th century, there was a recovery and life in Orkney focused on growing prosperity and the emergence of a relatively classless society.<ref>Thompson (2008) pp. 439–43.</ref> Orkney was rated as the best place to live in Scotland in both 2013 and 2014, and in 2019 the best place to live in the UK, according to the Halifax Quality of Life survey.<ref>{{cite web |last=Harrison |first=Jody |date=20 December 2014 |url=http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/orkney-best-for-quality-of-life.114929765 |title=Orkney best for quality of life |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211027204334/https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13194276.orkney-best-quality-life/ |archive-date=27 October 2021 |location=Glasgow |work=The Herald |access-date=20 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.sky.com/story/orkney-crowned-best-place-to-live-in-the-uk-in-halifax-quality-of-life-survey-11618040 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190528110803/https://news.sky.com/story/orkney-crowned-best-place-to-live-in-the-uk-in-halifax-quality-of-life-survey-11618040 |title=Orkney crowned best place to live in the UK in Halifax quality of life survey |archive-date=28 May 2019 |work=Sky News |access-date=28 May 2019}}</ref>

===Overview of population trends===
{{Historical populations
| percentages = pagr
| source=<ref name=vis/>
|type=Scotland
| 1801| 24,445
| 1811| 23,238
| 1821| 26,979
| 1831| 28,847
| 1841| 30,507
| 1851| 31,455
| 1861| 32,395
| 1881| 32,044
| 1911| 25,897
| 1921| 24,111
| 1931| 22,077
| 1951| 21,255
| 1961| 18,747
| 1971| 17,070
| 1981| 18,194
| 1991| 19,644
| 2001| 19,245
| 2011| 21,349
}}
In the modern era, the population peaked in the mid-19th century at just over 32,000 and declined for a century thereafter to a low of fewer than 18,000 in the 1970s. Declines were particularly significant in the outlying islands, some of which remain vulnerable to ongoing losses. Although Orkney is in many ways very distinct from the other islands and archipelagos of Scotland these trends are very similar to those experienced elsewhere.<ref>Wenham, Sheena "Modern Times" in Omand (2003) p. 110.</ref><ref name=vis>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10197247 "Orkney Islands"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104155824/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit_page.jsp?u_id=10197247 |date=4 November 2012 }} Vision of Britain. Retrieved 21 September 2009.</ref> The archipelago's population grew by 11% in the decade to 2011 as recorded by the [[United Kingdom Census 2011|census]].<ref name=NRS/><ref name=GRO>{{GRO10}}</ref> During the same period [[List of Scottish islands|Scottish island]] populations as a whole grew by 4% to 103,702.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23711202 "Scotland's 2011 census: Island living on the rise"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630183449/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23711202 |date=30 June 2016 }}. BBC News. Retrieved 18 August 2013.</ref>