Editing Inner Hebrides (section)

==History==

===Dál Riata===
{{main| Dál Riata}}
Although Ptolemy's map identifies various tribes such as the ''[[Creones]]'' that might conceivably have lived in the Inner Hebrides in the Roman era,<ref name=Breeze/>
the first written records of life begin in the 6th century CE when the founding of the kingdom of [[Dál Riata]] is recorded.<ref>Nieke, Margaret R. "Secular Society from the Iron Age to Dál Riata and the Kingdom of Scots" in Omand (2006) p. 60</ref> This encompassed roughly what is now [[Argyll and Bute]] and [[Lochaber]] in Scotland and [[County Antrim]] in Ireland.<ref name="OxfordCompanion1">Lynch (2007) pp. 161 162.</ref>
[[File:St Martins Cross on Iona.jpg|thumb|The eighth century St Martin's Cross on [[Iona]]]]
In [[Argyll]] it consisted initially of three main [[clan|kindreds]]: [[Loarn mac Eirc|Cenél Loairn]] in north and mid-Argyll, [[Cenél nÓengusa]] based on Islay and [[Cenél nGabráin]] based in [[Kintyre]]. By the end of the 7th century a fourth kindred, [[Cenél Comgaill]] had emerged, based in eastern Argyll.<ref name="OxfordCompanion1"/>

The figure of [[Columba]] looms large in any history of Dál Riata and his founding of a monastery on [[Iona]] ensured that Dál Riata would be of great importance in the spread of Christianity in northern Britain. However, Iona was far from unique. [[Lismore, Scotland|Lismore]] in the territory of the Cenél Loairn, was sufficiently important for the death of its abbots to be recorded with some frequency and many smaller sites, such as on Eigg, [[Hinba]] and Tiree, are known from the annals.<ref>Clancy, Thomas Owen "Church institutions: early medieval" in Lynch (2001).</ref> The kingdom's independent existence ended in the [[Viking Age]], and it eventually merged with the lands of the [[Picts]] to form the [[Kingdom of Alba]].

North of Dál Riata the Inner Hebrides were nominally under Pictish control although the historical record is sparse.{{refn|Hunter (2000) states that in relation to King [[Bridei I of the Picts]] in the sixth century: "As for Shetland, Orkney, Skye and the Western Isles, their inhabitants, most of whom appear to have been Pictish in culture and speech at this time, are likely to have regarded Bridei as a fairly distant presence."<ref>Hunter (2000) pp. 44, 49</ref>|group=Note}}

===Norse rule===
{{main|Kingdom of Mann and the Isles}}
[[File:KellsFol032vChristEnthroned.jpg|thumb|Folio 32v of the ''[[Book of Kells]]'' which may have been produced by the monks of [[Iona]] and taken to Ireland for safekeeping after repeated Viking raids of the [[Hebrides]].]]
According to Ó Corráin (1998) "when and how the Vikings conquered and occupied the Isles is unknown, perhaps unknowable"<ref>Ó Corráin (1998) p. 25</ref> although from 793 onwards repeated raids by Vikings on the British Isles are recorded. "All the islands of Britain" were devastated in 794<ref>Thomson (2008) p. 24-27</ref> with Iona being sacked in 802 and 806.<ref>Woolf (2007) p. 57</ref> In 870 [[Dumbarton Castle|Dumbarton]] was besieged by [[Amlaíb Conung]] and Ímar, "the two kings of the Northmen".<ref>Woolf (2007) p. 109</ref> It is therefore likely that Scandinavian hegemony was already significant on the western coasts of Scotland by then.<ref>Woolf (2007) p. 115</ref> In the 9th century the first references to the ''[[Norse-Gaels|Gallgáedil]]'' (i.e. "foreign Gaels") appear. This term was variously used in succeeding centuries to refer to individuals of mixed Scandinavian-Celtic descent and/or culture who became dominant in south-west Scotland, parts of [[Northern England]] and the isles.<ref>Woolf (2007) pp. 253, 296-97</ref>

The early 10th century are an obscure period so far as the Hebrides are concerned<ref name=G4-6/> but [[Amlaíb Cuarán|Aulaf mac Sitric]], who fought at the [[Battle of Brunanburh]] in 937 is recorded as a King of the Isles from c. 941 to 980.<ref name=G4-6>Gregory (1881) pp. 4-6</ref>

It is difficult to reconcile the records of the Irish annals with Norse sources such as the ''[[Orkneyinga Saga]]'' but it is likely that Norwegian and ''Gallgáedil'' [[Uí Ímair]] warlords fought for control for much of period from the 9th to the 12th centuries. In 990 [[Sigurd the Stout]], Earl of Orkney took command of the Hebrides,<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 84</ref> a position he retained for most of the period until he was killed at the [[Battle of Clontarf]] in 1014.<ref name=G4-6/><ref>Woolf (2007) p. 213</ref> There is then a period of uncertainty but it is possible that Sigurd's son [[Thorfinn the Mighty]] became ruler circa 1035 until his own death some two decades later.<ref name=G5>Gregory (1881) p. 5</ref>

By the late 12th century Irish influence became a significant feature of island life and [[Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó]], the [[High King of Ireland]] took possession of Mann and the Isles until 1072.<ref name=G5/><ref name=D101>Duffy (1992) pp. 100-01</ref> The records for the rulers of the Hebrides are obscured again until the arrival of [[Godred Crovan]] as King of Dublin and the Isles.<ref name=D108/> The ancestor of many of the succeeding rulers of Mann and the Isles, he was eventually ousted by [[Muirchertach Ua Briain]] and fled to Islay, where he died in the plague of 1095.<ref name=D108>Duffy (1992) p. 108</ref><ref name=D106>Duffy (1992) p. 106</ref><ref name=W2p212>Woolf (2005) p. 212</ref> It is not clear the extent to which [[O'Brien dynasty|Ui Briain]] dominance was now asserted in the islands north of Man, but growing Irish influence in these seas brought a rapid and decisive response from Norway.
[[File:Kong-magnus-berrfott-menn.jpg|left|thumb|19th-century depiction of Magnus Barelegs's forces in Ireland, before his death in 1103.]]
[[Magnus III of Norway|Magnus Barelegs]] had re-established direct Norwegian overlordship by 1098.<ref name=D106/><ref>Ó Corráin (1998) p. 23</ref>
A second expedition in 1102 saw incursions into Ireland but in August 1103 he was killed fighting in Ulster.<ref name=D110>Duffy (1992) pp. 110-13</ref> The next king of the isles was [[Lagmann Godredsson]] and there followed a succession of Godred Crovan's descendants who, (as vassals of the kings of Norway) ruled the Hebrides north of [[Ardnamurchan]] for the next 160 years. However, their control of the southern Inner Hebrides was lost with the emergence of [[Somerled]], the self-styled Lord of Argyle.<ref name=G917>Gregory (1881) pp. 9-17</ref><ref name=H104>Hunter (2000) pp. 104</ref>{{refn|Hunter (2004) states that the claims of Somerled's descent from [[Gofraid mac Fergusa]] are "preserved in Gaelic tradition and accepted as broadly authentic by modern scholars".<ref name=H104/> However, Woolf (2005) asserts that "contrary to the image, projected by recent clan-historians, of [[Clann Somhairle]] as Gaelic nationalists liberating the Isles from Scandinavians, it is quite explicit in our two extended narrative accounts from the thirteenth century, ''Orkneyinga saga'' and ''The Chronicle of the Kings of Man and the Isles'', that the early leaders of Clann Somhairle saw themselves as competitors for the kingship of the Isles on the basis of their descent through their mother Ragnhilt" and that their claim "to royal status was based on its position as a segment of Uí Ímair."<ref name=W2p212/>|group=Note}}

For a while Somerled took control of Mann and the Hebrides ''in toto'', but he met his death in 1164 during an invasion of the Scottish mainland.<ref>Gregory (1881) pp. 15-16</ref> At this point [[Godred V of the Isle of Man|Godred the Black]], grandson of Godred Crovan re-took possession of the northern Hebrides and the southern isles were distributed amongst Somerled's sons, his descendants eventually becoming known as the [[Lord of the Isles|Lords of the Isles]], and giving rise to [[Clan MacDougall]], [[Clan Donald]] and [[Clan Macruari]].<ref>Gregory (1881) pp. 17-19</ref> However, both during and after Somerled's life the Scottish monarchs sought to take a control of the islands he and his descendants held. This strategy eventually led to an invasion by [[Haakon IV of Norway|Haakon Haakonarson]], King of Norway. After the stalemate of the [[Battle of Largs]], Haakon retreated to Orkney, where he died in 1263. Following this expedition, the Hebrides and Mann and all rights that the Norwegian crown "had of old therein" were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland as a result of the 1266 [[Treaty of Perth]].<ref>Hunter (2000) pp. 106-111</ref><ref>Barrett (2008) p. 411</ref><ref>[http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/manxsoc/msvol04/v3p210.htm "Agreement between Magnus IV and Alexander III, 1266"] isleofman.com. Manx Society vols IV, VII & IX. Retrieved 11 January 2011.</ref>

===Clans and Scottish rule===
The Lords of the Isles, a phrase first recorded in 1336,<ref>Oram, Richard "The Lordship of the Isles: 1336–1545" in Omand (2006) p. 123</ref> but which title may have been used earlier, would continue to rule 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. Through a secret treaty with [[Edward IV of England]], negotiated at [[Ardtornish Castle]] and signed in 1462, he made himself a servant of the English crown. When [[James III of Scotland]] found out about the treaty in 1476, he issued a sentence of forfeiture for MacDonald's lands. Some were restored for a promise of good behaviour, but MacDonald was unable to control his son [[Aonghas Óg]], who defeated him at the [[Battle of Bloody Bay]], fought off the coast of Mull near [[Tobermory, Mull|Tobermory]] in 1481. A further rebellion by his nephew, [[Alexander of Lochalsh]], provoked an exasperated James IV to forfeit the lands for the last time in 1493.<ref>Oram, Richard "The Lordship of the Isles: 1336–1545" in Omand (2006) pp. 135–38</ref>
[[File:Floramacdonald2.jpg|thumb |left|Portrait of [[Flora MacDonald (Scottish Jacobite)|Flora MacDonald]] by [[Allan Ramsay (artist)|Alan Ramsay]]]]
The most powerful clans on Skye in the post-Norse period were [[Clan MacLeod]], originally based in [[Trotternish]], and Clan MacDonald of [[Sleat]]. Following the disintegration of the Lordship of the Isles, the Mackinnons also emerged as an independent clan, whose substantial landholdings in Skye were centred on [[Strathaird]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mackinnon.org/mackinnon-short-history.html#Beginnings |title=The Clan Mackinnon: a short history |last=Mackinnon |first=C. R. |year=1958 |access-date=30 April 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527071109/http://www.mackinnon.org/mackinnon-short-history.html |archive-date=27 May 2010 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> The MacDonalds of [[South Uist]] were bitter rivals of the MacLeods, and an attempt by the former to murder church-goers at [[Trumpan Church|Trumpan]] in retaliation for a previous massacre on Eigg, resulted in the [[Battle of the Spoiling Dyke]] of 1578.<ref>[[#Mur66|Murray (1966)]] p. 156.</ref><ref>[http://www.thehendrys.freeserve.co.uk/eigg/eigg.htm "The Massacre at Trumpan Church and the subsequent Battle of the Spoiled Dyke"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006170343/http://www.thehendrys.freeserve.co.uk/eigg/eigg.htm |date=6 October 2008}}. The Hendry Family. Retrieved 25 May 2008.</ref>

After the failure of the [[Jacobitism|Jacobite]] rebellion of 1745, [[Flora MacDonald (Scottish Jacobite)|Flora MacDonald]] became famous for rescuing Prince [[Charles Edward Stuart]] from the [[House of Hanover|Hanoverian]] troops. Her story is strongly associated with their escape via Skye and she is buried at [[Kilmuir, Skye|Kilmuir]].<ref>[http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/item_photograph.jsp?item_id=12379 "Flora Macdonald's Grave, Kilmuir"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119050419/http://www.ambaile.org.uk/en/item/item_photograph.jsp?item_id=12379 |date=19 January 2012 }} Am Baile. Retrieved 24 October 2009.</ref> She was visited by [[Samuel Johnson]] and [[James Boswell]] during their 1773 [[A Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland|''Journey to the Western Islands of Scotland'']] and written on her gravestone are Johnson's words that hers was "A name that will be mentioned in history, and if courage and fidelity be virtues, mentioned with honour".<ref>[[#Mur66|Murray (1966)]] pp. 152-4.</ref> In the wake of the rebellion the clan system was broken up and islands of the Hebrides became a series of landed estates.

===British era===
[[File:Clachan Bridge.jpg|thumb|[[Thomas Telford|Telford's]] [[Clachan Bridge]] between the mainland and [[Seil]], also known as the "Bridge across the Atlantic", was built in 1792.<ref>Murray (1977) p. 121</ref>]]
With the implementation of the [[Treaty of Union]] in 1707 the Hebrides became part of the new [[Kingdom of Great Britain]], but the clans' loyalties to a distant monarch were not strong. A considerable number of islesmen "came out" in support of the Jacobite [[Earl of Mar]] in the [[Jacobite rising of 1715|"15"]] and again in the [[Jacobite rising of 1745|1745 rising]] including Macleod of [[Dunvegan]] and [[Clan MacLea|MacLea]] of Lismore.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723035627/http://www.castlescotland.net/the-castles/d/dunvegan.html "Dunvegan"] castlescotland.net Retrieved 17 January 2011.</ref><ref>[http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/Donald_Livingstone.htm "Incidents of the Jacobite Risings - Donald Livingstone"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716140636/http://www.clanmclea.co.uk/Donald_Livingstone.htm |date=16 July 2011 }} clanmclea.co.uk. Retrieved 17 January 2011.</ref> The aftermath of the decisive [[Battle of Culloden]], which effectively ended Jacobite hopes of a Stuart restoration, was widely felt.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/scottishhistory/union/trails_union_culloden.shtml "The Battle of Culloden"] BBC. Retrieved 16 January 2011.</ref> The British government's strategy was to estrange the clan chiefs from their kinsmen and turn their descendants into English-speaking landlords whose main concern was the revenues their estates brought rather than the welfare of those who lived on them. This may have brought peace to the islands, but in the following century it came at a terrible price.<ref>[http://www.highlandclearances.info/clearances/preclearances_cullodenaftermath.htm "Culloden Aftermath"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002142226/http://www.highlandclearances.info/clearances/preclearances_cullodenaftermath.htm |date=2 October 2011 }} http://www.highlandclearances.info {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180809010711/http://highlandclearances.info/ |date=9 August 2018 }}. Retrieved 16 January 2011.</ref>

The early 19th century was a time of improvement and population growth. Roads and quays were built, the [[slate]] industry became a significant employer on Easdale and surrounding islands, and the construction of the [[Crinan Canal|Crinan]] and [[Caledonian Canal|Caledonian]] canals and other engineering works such as [[Thomas Telford|Telford's]] "[[Clachan Bridge|Bridge across the Atlantic]]" improved transport and access.<ref>Duncan, P. J. "The Industries of Argyll: Tradition and Improvement" in Omand (2006) pp. 152-53</ref> However, in the mid-19th century, the inhabitants of many parts of the Hebrides were devastated by the [[Highland Clearances|clearances]], which destroyed communities throughout the [[Highlands and Islands]] as the human populations were evicted and replaced with sheep farms.<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 212</ref> The position was exacerbated by the failure of the islands' [[kelp]] industry that thrived from the 18th century until the end of the [[Napoleonic Wars]] in 1815<ref>Hunter (2000) pp. 247, 262</ref><ref>Duncan, P. J. "The Industries of Argyll: Tradition and Improvement" in Omand (2006) pp. 157-58</ref> and large scale emigration became endemic. The "[[Camastianavaig|Battle of the Braes]]" involved a demonstration against lack of access to land and the serving of eviction notices. This event was instrumental in the creation of the [[Napier Commission]], which reported in 1884 on the situation in the Highlands. Disturbances continued until the passing of the 1886 [[Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886|Crofters' Act]] and on one occasion 400 [[Marine (military)|marines]] were deployed on Skye to maintain order.<ref>[http://www.highlandclearances.info/clearances/clearances_battleofthebrae.htm "Battle of the Braes"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515073942/http://www.highlandclearances.info/clearances/clearances_battleofthebrae.htm |date=15 May 2008 }} highlandclearances.info. Retrieved 29 March 2008.</ref>
[[File:Ellenabeich - geograph.org.uk - 95384.jpg|thumb|left|Sea filled [[slate]] quarries on [[Seil]] (foreground) and [[Easdale]] in the [[Slate Islands, Scotland|Slate Islands]]]]
For those who remained new economic opportunities emerged through the export of cattle, commercial fishing and tourism.<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 292</ref> Nonetheless emigration and military service became the choice of many<ref>Hunter (2000) p. 343</ref> and the archipelago's populations continued to dwindle throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. Jura's population fell from 1300 in 1831 to less than 250 by 1961 and Mull's from 10,600 in 1821 to less than 3,000 in 1931.<ref>Duncan, P. J. "The Industries of Argyll: Tradition and Improvement" in Omand (2006) p. 169</ref><ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 47, 87</ref> Lengthy periods of continuous occupation notwithstanding, some of the smaller islands were abandoned – the Treshnish Isles in 1934, [[Handa, Scotland|Handa]] in 1948, and [[Island Macaskin|Eilean Macaskin]] in the 1880s among them.<ref>Haswell-Smith (2004) pp. 57, 99</ref>

Nonetheless, there were continuing gradual economic improvements, among the most visible of which was the replacement of the traditional thatched [[blackhouse]] with accommodation of a more modern design<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060429142820/http://www.isle-of-lewis.com/history/blackhouses.htm "Blackhouses"]. isle-of-lewis.com Retrieved 17 January 2011.</ref> and in recent years, with the assistance of [[Highlands and Islands Enterprise]] many of the island's populations have begun to increase after decades of decline.<ref name=GRO/>