Olaf The Black - Legacy

Legacy

The Manx Sword of State, a ceremonial sword used at the annual Tynwald Day sittings at St John's, Isle of Man, and whenever the Tynwald sits at the Legislative Chambers in Douglas, Isle of Man, is popularly said to have belonged to Óláfr. The sword, which has a 29 in (74 cm) steel blade and 9 in (23 cm) inch hardwood hilt, is sometimes said to have been brought back from Spain when Óláfr returned from his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela; however, recent analysis of the sword has determined that it dates no earlier than the 15th century, and that the blade dates only to the 17th century. The current understanding is that the sword itself was made for the Tynwald meetings of 1417 or 1422.

Several Scottish clans that were historically seated on Lewis have traditionally been ascribed a descent from Óláfr. The MacLeods claim a descent from Leod (Old Norse Ljótr), who is popularly said to have been a son of Óláfr. Clan traditions dating to the late 18th century link Leod with Óláfr, and heraldic evidence dating to the late 17th century may be the earliest indication of such a claim; however, recent research into the MacLeods' traditional ancestry has determined such claims of descent from Óláfr are unsupportable. Other Lewis clans have been linked with Óláfr in various traditions, such as the Morrisons of Ness and their adversaries the Macaulays of Uig, although there is no supporting evidence that Óláfr left any descendants on the island.