Editing Hebrides (section)

=== Norwegian control ===
[[File:Kingdom of Mann and the Isles-en.svg|thumb|right|The [[Kingdom of the Isles]] about the year 1100]]
{{main|Kingdom of the Isles}}
[[Viking]] raids began on Scottish shores towards the end of the 8th century, 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|Battle of {{lang|non|Hafrsfjord|nocat=y}}]] in 872.<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 74.</ref><ref>Rotary Club (1995) p. 12.</ref> In the Western Isles [[Ketill Flatnose]] may have been 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 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 island 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/>{{refn|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="auto">Thompson (1968) p. 39.</ref>|group=Note}}

The Hebrides were now part of the [[Kingdom of the Isles]], whose rulers were themselves vassals of the Kings of Norway. 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-Gael]] 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"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121217163834/https://thevikingworld.pbworks.com/The-Kingdom-of-Mann-and-the-Isles |date=17 December 2012 }} The Viking World. Retrieved 6 July 2010.</ref>

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