Important Events in Hebridean History
Lordship of the Isles
Main Article
Keith Branigan
In 1266 suzerainty of the Hebrides and Man passed from the Norwegian to the Scottish crown, confirmed in the Treaty of Perth in 1266. But despite the fact that the Islands could now be considered Scottish rather than Norwegian, the mixed Norse-Gaelic character of its inhabitants and the independent behaviour of its clan cheiftains continued to determine the development of the area.
In the 14th century John Macdonald of Islay, a descendant of Somerled, the first 'King of the Isles' in the 12th century, acquired possession of all the islands of the Outer Hebrides and became 'Lord of the Isles'. Although this Lordship was nominally subject to the Scottish Crown, in effect it became a semi-autonomous entity. Justice was administered through the Council of the Isles, where meetings of the principal island chiefs with the lord were held at one or other of the strongholds.
Although warfare was a way of life, within the Lordship itself peace was generally maintained and the Islands experienced something of a flowering of medieval Gaelic society and culture.
This came to an end with the forfeiture of the Lordship of the Isles to the Scottish Crown in 1493, since when it has been held directly by the heir to the throne.
The visible archaeological monuments of this period are dominated by the remains of castles, fortifications and churches: the slighter remains of homes and settlements of the general population are occasionally encountered but are much more elusive.
Clan chiefs in the islands and their supporters built residences and strongholds that left the most visible remains. Islands duns such as Dun an Sticir continued to be occupied and developed. Some castles were built by the leading families: Stornoway castle was built on an islet in Stornoway harbour and was held by the Macleods of Lewis through much of the period, but was destroyed in the 17th century. Any remains lie concealed below one of the piers. A castle built at Borgh in Benbecula probably in the 14th century for the Clanranald family is now very ruinous. More splendid, however, is Casteal Chiosmuil in Castlebay in Barra, the seat of the Macneils of Barra. The castle was extensively renovated in the 1930s by Robert Lister Macneil and is now in the care of Historic Scotland.
