| Battle of Epiphany | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Forces ofSomerled | Forces of Godred Olafsson | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 80 Galleys | Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||
TheBattle of Epiphany was anaval battle fought on 5–6 January or 12 January 1156, between theNorseGodred Olafsson (Godred the Black),King of the Isles and theNorse-GaelicSomhairle MacGillebride (Somerled), King ofCinn Tìre (Kintyre),Argyll andLorne, off the coast ofIslay,Scotland.[1][2][3]
Olafr Godredsson, King of the Isles, was murdered on 29 June 1153 by his nephews and his son Godred became king in his place.[2] After ascending to the throne, Godred ruled with a heavy hand, which upset some of his chiefs.[1]Somerled who had marriedRaghnailt, the daughter of Olafr, was approached by a number of men headed by Thornfinn Ottarsson. Somerled agreed to their plan to overthrow Godred and replace him with Somerled's sonDubgall mac Somairle.[1][2] He began preparations and began construction of 80 ships modelled on theNorse longship, known asbirlinns and nyvaigs (the latter being the first ship to have a stern rudder directly in the rear of the vessel). Somerled having recognised the importance of dominating the sea, with which the Norse had successfully conquered the Isles.[4]
Thornfinn and Dubgall were sailing around the Isles seeking fealty for the latter as the next king. Godred became aware of their treachery and he sailed his fleet to attack.[5]
The fleets of Godred and Somerled met off Islay, to the north at Rubh' a' Mhaoil, on the night of theEpiphany on 5–6 January or 12 January 1156, and a fierce battle continued through into the next day. A stalemate occurred between the two fleets and Godred and Somerled initiated talks.[4] The contemporary evidence for the location of the battle is slight[6] and some authors have suggested the battle took place to the west of Islay, although Marsden (2008) favours the narrowSound of Islay.[7]
After discussions and agreement, Godred ceded the isles to the south ofArdnamurchan (Mull,Jura and Islay) to Somerled, while keeping theOuter Hebrides,Skye and theIsle of Man.[4]The Chronicle of Mann and the Sudreys lamented that "thus was the Kingdom of the Isles ruined".[3]
