Olaf The Black - Rise of Óláfr, and Fall of Rögnvaldr

Rise of Óláfr, and Fall of Rögnvaldr

Óláfr's marriage to the daughter of one of Alexander the King of Scots' most trusted northern lords, and the lord's assistance rendered to Óláfr and Páll, may suggest that Óláfr had gained Alexander's approval against Rögnvaldr. In the summer following the defeat of Guðrøðr on Skye, the chronicle states that Óláfr took hostages from the Hebridean portion of the kingdom and, with a fleet of 32 ships, landed on Mann and confronted Rögnvaldr directly. It was then agreed that the kingdom would be split between the two—with Rögnvaldr keeping Mann itself along with the title of king, and Óláfr retaining the Hebridean portions. In the 1220s Alexander began to extend Scottish royal authority into what is today the western coast Scotland, making several expeditions into Argyll. A this time Ruaidrí may have been forced from his lands in Kintyre and replaced by Alexander, installing Domnall mac Ragnaill, a more palatable member of Clann Somairle, in his place. Óláfr's control of Lewis and Skye, bordering the domains of Clann Somairle, may have made him appear as a potentially valuable ally to Alexander's eyes, who wished to rein in the more dangerous members of Clann Somairle.

Alexander played both sides in the struggle between Óláfr and Rögnvaldr however, and encouraged one of his most powerful lords Alan, Lord of Galloway (d. 1234), to enter into the fray as an ally of Rögnvaldr. In 1225, according to the chronicle, Rögnvaldr and Alan attempted to take possession of Óláfr's Hebridean portion of the kingdom; however, the Manxmen were unwilling to wholeheartedly aid the cause and nothing came of the expedition. A short time later the chronicle records that Rögnvaldr's daughter was married to Alan's son. Such a marriage, between Rögnvaldr's daughter and Alan's illegitimate son Thomas, gave Alan a stake in the kingship since Thomas was likely to succeed. The possibility of control over a future ruler on Mann led Alexander to lend his consent to the union. The marriage was beneficial to Rögnvaldr as well, since he could rely on Alan's military might to fend off his troublesome half-brother. Unfortunately for Rögnvaldr, the chronicle records that the Manxmen were angered by the marriage and they consequently appointed Óláfr as their king. At this point Rögnvaldr seems to have gone into exile in Galloway, at the court of his ally, Alan. The chronicle dates Óláfr's kingship to have begun in 1226, and that he ruled the kingdom peacefully for the next two years.

The chronicle records that in 1228, while Óláfr and his chiefs were away from Mann, the island was attacked and devastated by Alan, his brother Thomas, Earl of Atholl (d. 1231), and Rögnvaldr. It was only when Alan left with most of his force that Óláfr was able to regain control of the island. Rögnvaldr sailed from Galloway in the winter of the same year, landed on Mann, and burnt all the ships of Óláfr and his chiefs. The chronicle states that Rögnvaldr stayed at Ronaldsway for forty days; and that he won over the hearts of the southern inhabitants of the island. Óláfr and his forces arrived at Tynwald on 14 February 1229, where they attacked Rögnvaldr and his men. The chronicle claims that Rögnvaldr was treacherously killed by his own men, without the prior knowledge of Óláfr, and also notes that Óláfr never avenged his half-brother's death.