Ragnvald Godredsson

Ragnvald Godredsson

Rögnvaldr Guðrøðarson (died 14 February 1229) ruled as King of the Isles from 1187 to 1226. He was the eldest son of Guðrøðr Óláfsson. Before his death in 1187, Guðrøðr intended that his younger son, Óláfr, would succeed to the kingship. The Manx people instead chose Rögnvaldr, who was likely Óláfr's half-brother. Rögnvaldr went on to rule the vast Kingdom of the Isles for almost forty years.

Described in one mediaeval saga as "the greatest warrior in the western lands", Rögnvaldr lent military aid to William I, King of Scots against Haraldr Maddaðarson, Earl of Caithness, Earl of Orkney, and occupied Caithness for a short period of time at about the turn of the 13th century. Like his predecessors, Rögnvaldr was closely associated with the rulers of northern Wales. An unnamed daughter of his was betrothed to Rhodri ab Owain, a dynast of the ruling family of Gwynedd. In 1193, Rögnvaldr lent military aid to Rhodri, who regained Anglesey from his rivals. Rögnvaldr was also involved in Irish affairs, as he was the brother-in-law of John de Courcy, one of the most powerful of the incoming Anglo-Normans. With de Courcy's fall from power in the first decade of the 13th century, Rögnvaldr aided the Englishman with one hundred ships, in an unsuccessful attack on Dundrum Castle, then under the control of de Courcy's rivals, the de Lacys.

On numerous occasions from 1205 to 1219, Rögnvaldr bound himself to the rulers of England by rendering homage to John, King of England and his successor, Henry III, King of England. In return for his vassalage, these English rulers promised to assist Rögnvaldr against any threats to his realm; likewise, Rögnvaldr was tasked to protect English interests in the Irish Sea zone. With the strengthening of Norwegian kingship in the first half of the 13th century, the rulers of Norway began to look towards the Isles, and in 1210 the Isles fell prey to a destructive military expedition. In consequence, Rögnvaldr was forced to travel to Norway and render homage to Ingi Bárðarson, King of Norway. The now very-real Norwegian threat may well have been the reason why, in 1223, Rögnvaldr submitted to Pope Honorius III and promised to pay a perpetual tribute for his realm.

Óláfr's allotment in Rögnvaldr's island-kingdom appears to have been Lewis and Harris. When confronted by Óláfr for more lands, in about 1208, Rögnvaldr had him seized and imprisoned by William I, King of Scots, until the latter's death in 1214. On Óláfr's release. Rögnvaldr arranged for him to marry the sister of his own wife. Óláfr was able to have this marriage annulled, sometime after 1217, whereupon he married the daughter of a powerful Scots magnate closely aligned with the reigning King of Scots. Hostilities soon broke out, when Óláfr defeated Rögnvaldr's son, Guðrøðr, in 1223. Óláfr's gains at Rögnvaldr's expense forced the latter to turn to Alan, Lord of Galloway, one of the most powerful magnates of the Irish Sea zone. In 1225, the two undertook unsuccessful military operations in the Hebrides against Óláfr's forces. Shortly afterwards, an unnamed daughter of Rögnvaldr was married to Alan's illegitimate son, Thomas. The marriage further bound Alan to Rögnvaldr's cause, but also gave Alan a stake in the kingship. The prospect of a Gallovidian king prompted the Manx to depose Rögnvaldr in favour of Óláfr, and in 1226, the latter ruled the entire island-kingdom. Two years later, Rögnvaldr, Alan, and Alan's brother Thomas, invaded Mann and ransacked the island before Óláfr was able to regain control.

At the beginning of 1229, Rögnvaldr launched yet another invasion of Mann, and successfully established himself on the southern half of the island. For about a month and a half the island was divided between the half-brothers, until the two led their forces to Tynwald. On 14 February 1229, the opposing forces clashed and Óláfr's troops prevailed. Near contemporary records state that Rögnvaldr fell treacherously, "a victim to the arms of the wicked". His body was conveyed to St Mary's Abbey, Furness and buried.