The Highlanders of Scotland - Clan Strachan Society

AND NOTES] OFSCOTLAND 409
many documents, and all Irish history. See Picts and Scots Chronicles
passim.
Page 187, line 4 from end. The idea of " Highland chief" was first translated
by "capitanus"; it implies nothing as to descent.
Chapter II. The G.a.ll-G.\idheil. As already said, these were the
mixed Norse and Gaels dwelling in the Western Isles and along the west coast
from Galloway to Cape Wrath, afterwards reduced to the Kingdom of Man
and the Isles. The Gael portion seem to have turned heathen, thinking Thor
more powerful than Christ. The Hebrides were completely Norse. The term
Vikingr Skotar of course applies to the Gaels among these Gall-Gaidheil ;
but the Norse were by far the more numerous in the combined nationality, if
it may be so termed. The Gall-Gaidheil never held any part of Perthshire—
Dunkeld or any other place (p. 192).
Page 191. Battle of Brunanburgh. There were two Anlafs present.
Anlaf Cuaran, son of Sitric, son of Imar, claimant to Deira, and Anlaf, son of
Godfred, King of Dublin and Cumberland. The former was Norse paternally,
despite a Saga reference. See Skene himself on the point in Celtic Scotland,
'• 353-
Page 197. So.MERLED. He was "regulus of Argyll," which the Norse
called Dalir, and his family the Dalverja. This is simply the old name
Dalriada, which the Norse Sagas claim to ha\e been often conquered and
held by their Kings and Earls. Somerled's name is Norse— Sumarlidhi,
"summer-slider," that is, "mariner." He was son of Gille-brighde, son of
Gille-adamnan. These two names are thoroughly Gaelic. The genealogy
then gives "son of Solam (Solomund?) son of Imergi, son of Suibne, son of
Nialgusa." Imergi or ]\Iergad is conjectured to be the kinglet lehmarc who
submitted to Canute in 1031, Macbeth being the other. On the whole,
Somerled may be regarded as a Gael ruling independently over the mixed
Norse and Gael of Argyleshire, the Gael being there predominant in
numbers, though not in martial activity. In Somerled's is genealogy Suibne,
son of Nialgusa. Skene makes him Suibne, son of Kenneth (p. 198), to fit
his Suibne, son of Kenneth, King of the Gall-Gaidheil, who died in 1034.
He deliberately charges the genealogist with here tampering with the facts ;
but really why should the genealogist do so? He had gone back far
enough, in all conscience. This Kenneth is made King of Galloway in
Skene's " Picts and Scots " !
Page 199, line 25. The MS. here referred to is the Red Book of Clanranald
(Reliquice Cclticcc, vol. ii. p. 154).
Page 200, line 17. The date here should be 1135. David's conquest of
Man, Bute, and Arran is not mentioned in Celtic Scotland, and seems
mythical. David had some claim oxer Kintyre as monastic charters show
(Orig. Par. vol. ii. part i. p. i).
Page 200, line 7 from end. The sons of JNIalcolm Mac-Heth were
nephews of Somerled (nepotes then meant nephew). Malcolm himself was
brother to Angus of Moray, whose father Aed was husband of King Lulach's
daughter. Malcolm's history is mixed up with that of an impostor — Bishop
Wymund of Man—who asserted that he was Malcolm Mac-Heth. The
surname is now Mackay. See further note to p. 279.