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This map is of the Western Isles of Scotland, when the Viking raids began in the late 8th century. Iona alone was attacked three times between 795ad and 806ad. These Norsemen were brutal, merciless killers, whose sole aim seemed to be to plunder and murder. As the years went by, however, the Norse began to settle the Western Isles, which was geographically similar to their homeland. Out of these circumstances was born the Kingdom of the Isles, or, as it it was also known, the Kingdom of the Hebrides.

Various Norse warlords claimed to be King of the Isles, or Hebrides, over the centuries. It has even been suggested that King Kenneth mac Alpin, who united the Dalriadic and Pictish Kingdoms to form the single Kingdom of Scotland in the mid 9th century, gained the throne of Dalriada with the assistance of Gothfrith, a Norse King of the Isles. The Kingdom of the Isles was finally overcome, not by a Scottish King, but by another Norseman, the fearsome Sigurd the Stout, Earl of Orkney. He eventually controlled not only the Orkneys and Western Isles, but also a huge chunk of Northern Scotland. The Isles were eventually won back by one of Scotland's greatest heroes, Somerled 'Norse slayer', progenitor of Clan Donald. But that is another story...

Size of map 420mm x 594mm