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Vikings v Picts, Scots, Irish and Anglo-Saxons
In the year 839 the Annals of Ulster tell us about an important battle in which the Vikings defeated the Picts: “Bellum re genntib for firu Fortrenn in quo ceciderunt Euganan m. Oengusa ⁊ Bran m. Oengussa ⁊ Ęd m. Boanta ⁊ alii pene innumerabiles ceciderunt.”[1] (The heathens won a battle against the men of Continue reading
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Onuist II and the Flag of Scotland
While this blog tries as best as it can, using historical references and other evidence to make sense of what was happening in the period that it covers, from time to time we will come across stories that are more legend or myth than fact. This post will be one of those as it relates Continue reading
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The Roaring ’20s (the 820s)
This post will look at the 3rd decade of the 9th century – the 820s – and will attempt to summarise what was happening in Northern Britain, Ireland and Scandinavia during those years while introducing some of the characters who will play a leading role in events to come. In my post Constantin, son of Continue reading
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The Islands of Sheep: Settlement of The Faroes
This blog now takes another short detour away from the British Isles to travel a little further north. However as is always the case – and as indeed per the underlying theme of this Northern Tapestry – we will continue to see the links between the various lands and peoples. The Faroe Islands lie in Continue reading
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Iona and the Vikings
The island of Iona lies on the edge of Scotland. Its eastern side is less than a mile from the south-western tip of the isle of Mull, and if you were to sail due west from the other side, the next piece of land would not be encountered for some 2,000 miles (one of the Continue reading
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Constantin, son of Uurguist/son of Fergus
My recent article, Kings in the North, noted that at the time of the first “Viking” onslaught (see also Arrival of the Northmen), Constantin son of Uurguist was the king of Picts while there was less certainty around what was happening in Dal Riada. A little further south in Northumbria, Aethelred, son of Aethelwald Moll, Continue reading
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Arrival of the Northmen
The portentous weather and astronomical events we looked at in Bad Weather, Bad Omens continued into the last decade of the 8th century with what is perhaps the most infamous of all happening in the year 793. Recounted in a number of sources[1] the gist is that there were flashes of fire in the skies Continue reading
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Kings in the North
The Northern Monarchies in the late 8th Century. In the last article I looked at some of the descriptions of bad weather and bad omens from the second half of the 8th century in northern Britain. This post will look at the political landscape during that time, not an easy task with the Irish Annals Continue reading
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Bad Weather, Bad Omens
In the years following the death of Onuist, King of Picts, in 761, the sources contain much less about Pictish affairs than we saw in the first half of the century. However any gaps seem to be filled with descriptions of the weather – and particularly bad weather – along with astrological and natural or Continue reading
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A Very Short Interlude Across the North Sea
In the early 8th century the kingdoms of Norway, Denmark and Sweden did not exist as they do now. The area we refer to as Scandinavia consisted of various groups of people, with perhaps the bulk of then falling into a category which has been labelled as Norse and Danish. The languages they spoke would Continue reading
The Northern Tapestry
Exploring the sagas and stories that link medieval Iceland, Scandinavia and the northern British Isles
Ortelius Map reproduced with permission from Vintage Maps
The Northern Tapestry 