Magnus III of the Isle of Man

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Magnus III was the last recognized King of Man.

Married Mary of Argyll, daughter of the Lord of the Isles.

Brother of Harald I and ascended the throne after interruption by more distant relatives, rivals.

With his death in 1265 the Norse Manx Dynasty ended and Scottish rule began.

His son Godred VI later attempted restoration but failed.

Rex Manniae et Insularum

King of Man and the Isles

After 1217, Norwegian suzerainty became a reality and Norway consequently came into collision with the growing power of Scotland.

Finally, in 1261, Alexander III of Scotland sent envoys to Norway to negotiate for the cession of the isles, but their efforts led to no result. He therefore initiated hostilities which terminated in tactical victory for the Norwegians, but significant strategic victory for the Scots, at the often overstated scirmish of the Battle of Largs in 1263. The failure of the Norwegians to achieve a major and decisive victory at Largs ended their campaign for that year, and the subsequent death of Haakon IV in the Orkneys led to the ascension to the throne of his son Magnus VI and the signing of the 1266 Treaty of Perth. The Treaty of Perth ceded the islands, including Man, to Scotland in consideration of the sum of 4000 marks (known as "merks" in Scotland) and an annuity of 100 marks.

However, Scotland's rule over Man did not become firmly established till 1275, when the Manx under Godred VI suffered defeat in the decisive Battle of Ronaldsway, near Castletown.