Gudrød Olafsson

Born [date unknown] in Isle Of Man

Ancestors

Descendants

Died Nov 1187 in St Patrick's Isle, Man

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Biography

Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests that he is the son of Olafr Godredsson and Affrica, daughter of Fergus of Galloway (Affraic ingen Fergusa). He was a member of the Crovan dynasty.^[1] See Guðrøðr Óláfsson on wikipedia. See also Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187) on People of Medieval Scotland database.

His father was placed on the throne of the Isles, with support from Henry I of England in 1112, Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he had one wife and several "concubines" of which Guðrøðr Óláfsson is stated as son to his wife Affrica.^[2] None of the "concubines" are named in this source. We can assume this to mean he had one wife in the eyes of the church on the Isle of Man.

It might be assumed that this marriage occurred shortly after his assumption to the throne of the Isles in 1112 although noting that the relevant entry^[3] uses future tense and modern historians regard this assertion as unlikely. It is worth noting that the People of Medieval Scotland entry for Godred^[4] suggests that Affrica might have been the second wife of Olafr although doesn't mention his first. Although the union, between Olafr and Affrica, is not dated in contemporary sources, modern historians suggest it likely to have been arranged c. late 1130's, likely based on Fergus not being Lord of Galloway until 1136.^[5][6] In this they are likely late and supports the "coming of age" of Guðrøðr. If this event, of 1152, is assumed to be at age 20 then the marriage likely occurred 1131 and she young, placing her birth a c. 1115.

Olafr was also responsible for many of the "modern" reforms on Man and through the Isles; one of these was church reform and introduction of church orders subordinated to the Papal See. These reforms commenced c. 1124 although the Cistercian Order appears to have arrived c. 1130/35. This might be seen as when his marriage to Affrica, and the consequent alienation of previous relationships occurred. Given that it was the Cistercian Order that wrote Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum this would suggest the rationale behind the position of legitimacy to Guðrøðr Óláfsson.

Murder of his father and ascent to the throne

In late 1152 Olafr sent Guðrøðr (Godred) his son to Norway to give homage to Inge Haraldsson, the King of Norway. The rationale, for this action, is not clear; it may be that Guðrøðr had come of age and was being sent to Norway as his heir. Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum suggests he was "well received and there some time".

It appears that, while he was away, Olafr was confronted by three Dublin-based nephews of his—the Haraldssonar—the sons of his exiled brother, Haraldr. They were supported by "a large body of men, and among them all the refugees from the dominions". It seems likely, from the consequent retributions, that this body included followers of his son-in-law Somerled. Somerled himself, following the death of David, rose in revolt against the recently inaugurated, fifteen year old, Malcolm IV, King of Scotland.

David I (of Scotland) died in May 1153. Fergus, of Galloway, was also having difficulties of his own. It seems likely that the nephews forced the hand of Olafr as a result. The group met at Ramsay on the Isle of Man, on 29 June 1153, likely as it had the largest natural harbour. Olafr was murdered by the second brother, Reginald (Ragnall/Ragnald depending on source).^[7]

It seems that the force then invaded Galloway, against Fergus - the father of the Queen, but were repelled and then they slaughtered or evicted all the Gallovidians on the Isle of Mann before fleeing back to their lands, presumably before Guðrøðr returned and inflicted retribution, which he did. It is not clear what happened to the Queen, Affraic ingen Fergusa (Affrica, daughter of Fergus of Galloway), but it can be presumed, from the action, that she was still alive prior to the coup. It is notable that the Chronicle makes no mention of his half brothers and sisters in this coup. They appear, at least at this point, to have accepted the decision, of Olafr, to pass the title to Guðrøðr.

The retribution was fierce Guðrøðr returned that autumn, supported by a significant Norwegian force, provided by the King of Norway. According to the chronicle, he journeyed from Norway to Orkney, and was unanimously acclaimed as king by the leading Islesmen. He is then stated to have continued on to Mann where he overcame his three kin-slaying cousins, putting one to death whilst blinding the other two,

As pointed out on wikipedia it is significant to note that he used Norwegian support rather than that from Galloway, the conclusions, on wikipedia, likely correct but also suggesting his mother was dead. What was also obvious, from the fact that he was after hated in the lands of Somerled, is that Somerled was part of the coup.

The Chronicle of Man and the Isles records, that, 'in the year 1187, ..... on the 10th of November, Godred, King of the Isles, died in the Island of St. Patrick, in Man. In the beginning of the following summer his body was removed to the Island called lona. He left three sons, Reginald, Olave, and Ivan. Reginald, then a full grown young man, was absent in the Isles. Olave, yet a very young boy, resided in Man.' ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102
2. ↑ Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102
3. ↑ Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1102
4. ↑ [http://db.poms.ac.uk/record/person/331/# Godred, king of the Isles (d.1187)
5. ↑ Oram, RD (1993). "A Family Business? Colonisation and Settlement in Twelfth- and Thirteenth-century Galloway" page 116
6. ↑ Anderson, AO, ed. (1922). Early Sources of Scottish History, A.D. 500 to 1286. Vol. 2. London: Oliver and Boyd. Accessed via Internet Archive.
7. ↑ Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, entry for 1142
8. ↑ Chronicon Manniae et Insularum Anno MCLXXXVII. (1187)

• The major source work for this dynasty, the Crovan Dynasty, is the Chronica Regum Manniæ et Insularum, a Latin document, written at the Rushen Abbey, an Abbey built by the Monks of the Sauvignac Order in 1134 under grant by King Óláfr, this person. The Chronicle was compiled around 1257/1262 at the abbey which was then held by the Cistercian Order. An English transcript is available, with Historical Notes by Professor Munch, at the Isle of Mann website. The Notes are an interpretation and should be treated as such. The original manuscript can be treated as a Secondary Source although noting that there is some variance with the now accepted historical record, particularly regarding event dates. It serves as a strong reference for the genealogical record of this dynasty.

• There is a discussion regarding tracing lineage from the Norwegian/Danish dynasties on this page, although it really refers to the main line of the Norwegian Kingdom and is of a later date.

ID: I18688 Name: Gudrød II OLAFSEN King of Man Surname: Olafsen Given Name: Gudrød II Suffix: King of Man Sex: M Birth: ABT 1120 in Isle of Man, Norway Death: 1187 in Suderøyene Note: Gudrød II Olofsson, King of Man and the Isles was born 1127 in Isle of Man. He died 1187 in Sudeøyene.Son of Olaf I, after taking up the throne in Man, Godrødd dealt with his father's murderers and then set sail for Dublin. He had been offered the throne of the Scandanavian Kingdom there. He died in Man in 1187. His body was carried the next year to Iona. Father: Olaf I the Dwarf GUDRØDSEN King of Man b: ABT 1090 Mother: Datter of Jarlen GALLOVAY b: ABT 1090

Marriage 1 Finola MAC LOCHLAINN b: ABT 1180 in Ulster, Ireland

Children

Has Children Olaf the Black GUDRØDSEN b: ABT 1180

Notes

Namn Gudröd IV Olofsson Född ca 1127 Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats Kön Man Yrke Kung på Isle of Man, England 1153-1158 och 1164-1187 Död 10 Nov 1187 Noteringar

Gudröd II OLOFSSON Yrke: Kung på Isle of Man, England 1153-1158 och 1164-1187 Far: Olof I (Bitling) GUDRÖDSSON (1080 - 1153) Mor: Afreca av GALLOWAY (1099 - 1130) Född: omkring 1127 England, Isle of Man 1) Död: 1187-11-10 England, Isle of Man 2) Begravd: omkring 1187 Skottland, Hebriderna, Iona 3) Familj med: Okänd hustruBarn: Ragnvald GUDRÖDSSON (1165 - 1229) Familj med Finola Mac LOCHLAINN (1150 - 1180) Vigsel: omkring 1176 4) Barn: Olof II (the Black) GUDRÖDSSON (1173 - 1237) Noteringar Sonen Olav 'Svarte' bör vara född år 1173, eftersom föräldrarna gifter sig år 1176 och då sägs det uttryckligen att sonen Olav var 3 år gammal. (Källa: Chronicle of Man and the Isles)Begravd på ön Iona, som är en liten helig ö bland inre Hebriderna i västra Skottland. Munken Columba anlade ett kloster på ön 563, vilket raserades av vikingar år 806, men återuppbyggdes. (Källa: MayTeistevoll)This Godred of 1154 in Dublin was, it appears, the same Godred Olafsson (or Godfrey II, King of Man) who married Fionnuala Nic Lochlainn. This raises the very interesting possibility that Fionnualamarried Godred soon after the 1154 political collision in Dublin, and that she was (after all!) the daughter of High-King Muircheartach - and not the daughter of one of his sons who succeeded him asKing of Cinéal Eoghain. There is every reason to see Fionnuala's marriage as the final seal on an alliance between the Manx family and Clann Lochlainn: it remains for us to figure out when are wherethis accord was finalised. (Källa: P A MagLochlainn)In 1154, the Chronicles of Mann state that Godred, King of Mann, was asked by the people of Dublin to be their king. When Murtagh, King of Ireland, heard this, he assembled a host and marched onDublin with his twin brother, Osiblen. In the ensuing battle, Osiblen was slain. Another translation of this tract calls Osiblen his uterine brother and renders the name of the King of Ireland asMuirchertach. (Källa: P A MagLochlainn)Kung Isle of Man och Hebriderna 1103-1153 och 1164-1187. (Källa: Regentlängd för Isle of Man)Olaf was killed in 1154 at Ramsey. Now, Chronicle says that his son Godred had, just before that, gone to Norway to King Inge; made himself his man and, next autumn, on his return, put in at Orkney,'and all the chiefs of the Isles, hearing that he had come, were delighted'. He was in fact a connection. Godred from there came to Man, and turned out his cousins who had killed his father Olaf;blinded two of them, killed the third this maintaining a connection with Orkney at that date I think in harmony with my general view of Olafþs connection with the family of the Saint. (Källa: FrancesCoakley)Källor 1) Erling Dolenius, Frösön 2) Stewart Baldwin, England (webbplats) 3) Directory of Royal Genealogical Data, Hull, England 4) Chronicle of Man and the Isles (webbplats)

Person-ID 33124 Lindh Senast ändrad 13 Jan 2010

Far Olof I (Bitling) Gudrödsson, f. ca 1080, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. 29 Jun 1153 (Ålder ~ 73 år) Mor Afreca of Galloway, f. ca 1099, Galloway, Skottland Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. ca 1130, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 31 år) Gift ca 1127 Familjens ID 8691 Familjeöversikt

Familj Finola Mac Lochliann, f. 1150, Ulster, Irland Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. eft 1180, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder > 31 år) Gift ca 1176 Barn + 1. Ragnvald III Gudrödsson, f. ca 1165, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. 14 Feb 1229, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats (Ålder ~ 64 år) + 2. Olaf II "The Black" Gudrödsson, f. 1174, Isle of Man, England Hitta alla personer med händelser på denna plats, d. 21 Maj 1237 (Ålder 63 år) Senast ändrad 23 Okt 2006 Familjens ID 8690 Familjeöversikt