Rögnvaldr Óláfsson

Rögnvaldr Óláfsson
King of Mann and the Isles
Reign	1249
Old Norse	Rögnvaldr Óláfsson; Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson
Mediaeval Gaelic	Ragnall mac Amlaíb; Raghnall mac Amhlaibh
Died	1249
Place of death	near Rushen
Buried	Church of St Mary, Rushen
Predecessor	Haraldr Óláfsson
Successor	Haraldr Guðrøðarson
Royal House	Crovan dynasty
Father	Óláfr Guðrøðarson
Mother	Christina

Rögnvaldr Óláfsson (IPA: ['haraldr 'oːlaːvsson])^{[note 1]} was a mid 13th century King of Mann and the Isles. After the death of his brother, Haraldr Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles, in 1248, Rögnvaldr succeeded to the kingship in 1249. His reign was a short one; only weeks after his succession, Rögnvaldr was assassinated in near Rushen, on the Isle of Man. Rögnvaldr was succeeded by his cousin, Haraldr Guðrøðarson (fl. 1250), who may have had a part to play in his assassination. Haraldr was later deprived of the kingship by the Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway (d. 1263).

1 Dynastic relations and rivals
2 Background
3 Ascension and assassination
4 Ancestry
5 Notes
6 References

Dynastic relations and rivals

The following pedigree illustrates the male patrilineal descendants of Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles, King of Dublin (d. 1187). The ancestry of Rögnvaldr Óláfsson (shown in boldface) is shown in relation to his successor, Haraldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles (fl. 1249).

Guðrøðr (d. 1187)
King of the Isles, King of Dublin

Rögnvaldr (d. 1229)
King of the Isles

Ívarr

Óláfr (d. 1237)
King of the Isles

Guðrøðr (d. 1231)
King of the Isles

Haraldr (d. 1248)
King of Mann and the Isles

Rögnvaldr (d. 1249)
King of Mann and the Isles

Magnús (d. 1265)
King of Mann and the Isles

Haraldr (fl. 1249)
King of the Isles

Guðrøðr (fl. 1275)

Background

Rögnvaldr was a son of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of Mann and the Isles (d. 1237). Rögnvaldr and his father were members of the Crovan dynasty of sea-kings that ruled the Isle of Man (Mann) and parts of the Hebrides from the late 11th century to the mid 13th century. Although the identity of the mother of Óláfr's sons is uncertain, she is generally considered to have been his second wife, Christina, daughter of Ferchar, Earl of Ross (d. circa 1251).

Ascension and assassination

Óláfr died and in 1237, and was succeeded by his son, Haraldr, who ruled the island-kingdom for 12 years. In about 1248, Haraldr travelled to Norway and married Cecilia, daughter of Hákon Hákonarson, King of Norway. On the couple's return voyage, their ship floundered off Shetland and all aboard were lost. According to the Chronicle of Mann, Rögnvaldr succeeded to the kingship on 6 May 1249.^[1]^{[note 2]} His reign was however an extremely short one. The chronicle records that on 30 May 1249, Rögnvaldr was slain in a meadow near the church of the Holy Trinity at Rushen, and buried at the Church of St Mary at Rushen. The chronicle names Rögnvaldr's killers as a certain Ívarr, who is described as a knight, and several followers of Ívarr.^{[note 3]} Following Rögnvaldr's death, the kingship was then taken by Haraldr Guðrøðarson, son of Guðrøðar Rögnvaldsson, King of the Isles (d. 1231), son of Rögnvaldr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles (d. 1229).^[1]

The chronology of events surrounding Rögnvaldr Óláfsson's death suggests that Haraldr Guðrøðarson and Ívarr were allies. Moreover, a letter of Henry III, King of England, dated April 1256, commands his men not to receive the Haraldr and Ívarr who "wickedly slew" Rögnvaldr.^[3] The identity of Ívarr is uncertain.^[4] It has been suggested that he might have a member of the Crovan dynasty.^[5] A man of the name was one of the sons of (Óláfr's father) Guðrøðr Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles (d. 1187), although nothing more is known of him, and it is unlikely that man born before 1187 would have been active in 1249.^[3] The unknown Ívarr's designation as a knight (Yuaro milite) may indicate that he was an élite of some sort.^[4] The chronicle makes no mention of his ancestry, and this may be evidence that he was not related to the Crovan dynasty in any meaningful way. It is likely that he is the domino Yuor' de Mann ("Lord Ívarr of Mann") who is recorded in one of Haraldr Óláfsson's charters of 1246.^[3]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Rögnvaldr Óláfsson

16. Guðrøðr "Crovan" (d. 1095)^[7]^{[note 4]}
King of Mann and the Isles, King of Dublin

8. Óláfr Guðrøðarson (d. 1153)^[7]
King of Mann and the Isles

4. Guðrøðr Óláfsson (d. 1187)^[7]
King of Mann and the Isles

18. Fergus (d. 1161)^[12]^{[note 6]}
Lord of Galloway

9. Affraic^[10]^{[note 5]}

19. [unnamed]^[12]^{[note 7]}

2. Óláfr Guðrøðarson (d. 1237)^[6]
King of Mann and the Isles

20. Muirchertach Mac Lochlainn (d. 1166)^[17]^{[note 8]}
High King of Ireland, King of Cenél nEógain

10. Niall Mac Lochlainn (d. 1176)^[16]
King of Cenél nEógain

5. Finnguala^[6]

1. Rögnvaldr Óláfsson (d. 1249)
King of Mann and the Isles

6. Ferchar (d. circa 1251)^[20]^[19]
Earl of Ross

3. Christina^[19]

Notes

^ The patronym Rögnvaldr Óláfsson (or Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson) is Old Norse. In Mediaeval Gaelic, the name is rendered: Ragnall mac Amlaíb or Raghnall mac Amhlaibh. The form Ragnvald Olafsson is an Anglicised form of the Old Norse name.
^ The Chronicle of Lanercost states that Rögnvaldr began his reign the day before 6 May 1249.^[2]
^ The Chronicle of Lanercost states that Rögnvaldr reigned for 27 days, and was slain on 1 July 1249—although this date should probably be read as 1 June. The same chronicle names Rögnvaldr's killers as the followers of Ívarr the knight.^[2]
^ Guðrøðr's ancestry is uncertain,^[7] although he may have been an Uí Ímair dynast. The epithet "crovan" is likely a Latinised form of a Gaelic or Norse epithet. One possibility is that it is derived from the Old Norse krippin, meaning "cripple"; another possibility is from the Gaelic crúbach, "claw". Both may refer to a deformity of the hands.^[8] Within a Gaelic praise poem to Guðrøðr's great-grandson Rögnvaldr Guðrøðarson (d. 1229), Guðrøðr is given the epithet méranach, which is derived from mear, meaning "a finger". Other possible origins of "crovan" are from the Gaelic cró-bán, meaning "very pale";^[9] or from a Gaelic epithet meaning "white-handed".^[7]
^ Óláfr Guðrøðarson (d. 1153) is known to have had at least two wives: Ingibjörg (daughter of Hákon Pálsson, Earl of Orkney), and Affraic (daughter of Fergus, Lord of Galloway). It is most probable that Guðrøðr was the son of Affraic.^[7] Ingibjörg was likely Óláfr's first wife.^[11]
^ Fergus' ancestry is uncertain.^[12]
^ Affraic's mother was an unnamed illegitimate daughter of Henry I, King of England, Duke of Normandy (d. 1135).^[12]^[13] Henry was the son of William I, King of England, Duke of Normandy (d. 1087),^[14] and his wife Matilda (d. 1083), daughter of Baldwin V, Count of Flanders.^[15]
^ Muirchertach was the son of Niall Mac Lochlainn, who was the son of Domnall MacLochlainn.^[18]

References

Footnotes

^ ^a ^b Anderson 1922: pp. 553–554.
^ ^a ^b Anderson 1922: p. 554 fn 1.
^ ^a ^b ^c McDonald 2007: p. 88.
^ ^a ^b McDonald 2007: pp. 88, 216–217.
^ McDonald 2007: p. 88. See also: Munch; Goss 1874: p. 203 fn 45.
^ ^a ^b McNamee 2004.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Duffy 2004a.
^ McDonald 2007: p. 64.
^ McDonald 2007: p. 64 fn 34.
^ Oram 2004. See also: Duffy 2004a.
^ Anderson 1922: p. 136 fn 2.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Oram 2004.
^ Hollister 2004.
^ Bates 2004.
^ van Houts 2004.
^ McDonald 2007: pp. 70–77.
^ McNamee 2004. See also: Duffy 2004b.
^ Duffy 2004b.
^ ^a ^b McDonald 2007: p. 79 fn 48.
^ Munro; Munro 2008.

Bibliography

Anderson, Alan Orr, ed. (1922), Early sources of Scottish history: A.D. 500 to 1286, 2, Oliver and Boyd, http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924077097958 .
Bates, David (2004), "William I [known as William the Conqueror] (1027/8–1087), king of England and duke of Normandy" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/29448, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/29/101029448/, retrieved 20 April 2011 .
Duffy, Seán (2004a), "Godred Crovan [Guðrøðr, Gofraid Méránach] (d. 1095), king of Man and the Isles" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/50613, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/101050613/, retrieved 20 July 2010 .
Duffy, Seán (2004b), "Mac Lochlainn [Ua Lochlainn], Muirchertach (d. 1166), high-king of Ireland" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20745, http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/20745, retrieved 2 April 2011 .
Hollister, C. Warren (2004), "Henry I (1068/9–1135), king of England and lord of Normandy" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/12948, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/12/101012948/, retrieved 17 May 2011 .
McDonald, R. Andrew (2007), Manx kingship in its Irish sea setting, 1187–1229: king Rǫgnvaldr and the Crovan dynasty, Four Courts Press, ISBN 978-1-84682-047-2 .
McNamee, Colm (2004), "Olaf [Olaf the Black, Olaf Godredsson] (1173/4–1237), king of Man and the Isles" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/20672, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/20/101020672/, retrieved 20 July 2010 .
Munch, Peter Andreas; Goss, Alexander, eds. (1874), Chronica regvm Manniæ et Insvlarvm: the chronicle of Man and the Sudreys; from the manuscript codex in the British Museum; with historical notes, 1, printed for the Manx Society, http://www.archive.org/details/chronicaregvmma00gossgoog .
Munro, R. W.; Munro, Jean (2008) [2004], "Ross family (per. c.1215-c.1415)" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/75447, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/75/101075447/, retrieved 12 June 2011 .
Oram, Richard D. (2004), "Fergus, lord of Galloway (d. 1161), prince" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/49360, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/49/101049360/, retrieved 17 May 2011 .
van Houts, Elisabeth (2004), "Matilda [Matilda of Flanders] (d. 1083), queen of England, consort of William I" (Subscription or UK public library membership required), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/18335, http://www.oxforddnb.com/index/18/101018335/, retrieved 20 April 2011 .

Regnal titles
Preceded by Haraldr Óláfsson (brother)	King of Mann and the Isles 1248	Succeeded by Haraldr Guðrøðarson (first cousin once removed)

Persondata
Name	Ragnall 05 Olafsson
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death	1248
Place of death	near Rushen