Editing South Uist (section)

=== Kingdom of the Isles ===

In the 9th century, Vikings invaded South Uist, along with the rest of the Hebrides, and the [[Gaels|gaelic]] kingdom of [[Dál Riata]] to the south, and established the [[Kingdom of the Isles]] throughout these lands. A short [[Ogham]] inscription has been found in [[Bornish]], inscribed on a piece of animal bone, dating from this era;<ref name="OghamForsyth">''An Ogham-Inscribed Plaque from Bornais, South Uist'', [[Katherine Forsyth]] in ''West over Sea: Studies in Scandinavian Sea-Borne Expansion and Settlement Before 1300'', edited by Gareth Williams, 2007, Koninklijke Brill, p. 471-472</ref> it is thought that the Vikings used it as a [[gaming token]], or perhaps for [[Cleromancy|sortilege]].<ref name="OghamForsyth" />

Following [[Unification of Norway|Norwegian unification]] under King [[Harold Fairhair]], the Kingdom of the Isles was declared a crown dependency by the Norwegian king; to the Norwegians it was ''Suðreyjar'' (meaning ''southern isles''). [[Malcolm III of Scotland]] acknowledged in writing that Suðreyjar was under Norwegian control , and later[[Edgar of Scotland|King Edgar]] was forced to[[quitclaim]] in favour of the invaders. At Kilpheder, the roundhouses were abandoned in favour of [[longhouse#Europe|Norse longhouses]];{{refn|group="note"|the substantial remains of which were largely destroyed by a storm in the early 21st century}} at Bornish, a few miles to the north, a more substantial Norse settlement was built.{{refn|group="note"|containing at least 20 houses; the largest Norse settlement yet found in modern Scotland}} As indicated by archaeological finds, residents had access to a wide trading network, stretching throughout the Norwegian empire, as well as adjacent lands like Ireland.

[[File:Howmore 20090609 St Dermot's Chapel.jpg|thumb|The remains of the early 13th-century Howmore monastery]]
However, in the mid-12th century, [[Somerled]], a [[Norse-Gael]] of uncertain origin, launched a coup, which made Suðreyjar independent of Norwegian domination. Following his death, Norwegian authority was nominally restored, but in practice the kingdom was divided between Somerled's heirs ({{lang|gd|[[Clann Somhairle]]}}), and the dynasty that Somerled had deposed (the [[Crovan dynasty]]). The final return of Scotland's territory was to follow. The [[Clann Ruaidhrí|MacRory]], a branch of Somerled's heirs, ruled Uist, as well as [[Barra]], [[Eigg]], [[Rùm]], the [[Rough Bounds]], [[Isle of Bute|Bute]], [[Isle of Arran|Arran]] and northern [[Jura, Scotland|Jura]].<ref>''Kingship and Unity, Scotland 1000-1306'', G. W. S. Barrow, Edinburgh University Press, 1981</ref><ref>''Galloglas: Hebridean and West Highland Mercenary Warrior Kindreds in Medieval Ireland'', John Marsden, 2003</ref><ref>''Lismore: The Great Garden'', Robert Hay, 2009, Birlinn Ltd</ref><ref>''Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland'', 90 (1956-1957), A.A.M. Duncan, A.L Brown, pages 204-205</ref><ref>''The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland's Western Seaboard'', R. A. McDonald, 1997, Tuckwell Press</ref>{{refn|group="note"|[[Isle of Muck|Muck]] and [[Canna, Scotland|Canna]] were ruled by the [[Bishop of the Isles]] and [[Abbot of Iona]], respectively}} A small monastery was established at [[Howmore]].{{refn|group="note"|St. Dermot's Chapel and parts of the Clan Ranald chapel date from this period}}