Godred Crovan HAROLDSON (King of Man)

• BIRTH: BEF 1066
• DEATH: 1087, Islay

• REFERENCE: 262144

1. Lagman GODREDSON
2. Harold GODREDSON
3. Olaf_I The_Red GODREDSON

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 _Harold The_Black _|
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|--Godred Crovan HAROLDSON 
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Notes

!REIGN: Reigned 1066-1082.

!BIOGRAPHY: John Burke, Esq., A GENEALOGICAL AND HERALDIC HISTORY OF THE COMMONERS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Vol. II, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1977, pp. 175-178. It is acknowledged universally that the Macleods of Scotland, sprang from the Norwegian Kings of Man, of which monarchs the following is a brief narrative, as recorded in the Chronicle of the Island, published with Cambden's Britannia, anno 1586. I. Godred, surnamed Crowan, son of Harold, the Black, being appointed sovereign of Man, and the Western Isles, by Harold, the Imperious, came with a fleet, and army, and took possession of his kingdom, anno 1066, but the superiority still remained with the kings. He left at his decease three sons, 1. Lagman 2. Harold 3. Olaus, or Olave, a child at his father's death.

!BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon, MACLEOD CHIEFS OF HARRIS AND DUNVEGAN, Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society, 1969, pp. 1-2.

!BIOGRAPHY: Alick Morrison, THE CHIEFS OF CLAN MACLEOD, East Kilbride, Scotland, Associate Clan MacLeod Societies,1986, pp. 14-15. "The founder of the last dynasty to rule Man and the Isles was Godred Crovan, a son of Harold the Black of 'Ysland' (i.e. Iceland). His origin is obscure, although various conjectures have been made to trace his genealogy. It is, however, certain that he was not a mere adventurer. He derived a considerable amount of support from the Hebrides and he was successful in establishing a dynasty that lasted for two centuries and was never seriously challenged. These circumstances argue that he was in some way related to some of the previous Kings of the Isles. "He first came to notice in 1066, when we find him in conjunction with Godred, son of Sigtrygg, king of man and the Isles at the time, assisting King Harold Hardrada of Norway and Tostig Godwinson, in their invasion of England. The invaders were routed by Harold Godwinson, King of England and a brother of Tostig at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. King Harold of Norway and Tostig were slain. The two Godreds managed to escape to the Isle of Man. King Godred Sigtryggson of Man and the Isles died shortly afterwards and was succeeded by his son Fingal. Godred Crovan seems to to have returned to Iceland, but in 1071 he is in Norway, busily collecting an army to invade the Isle of Man. He received strong naval support from the Hebrides, but for some reason, he met with stubborn opposition in Man. Despite two setbacks, he finally triumphed in battle at Scaefell. So grateful was he to his Hebridean supporters that he gave them a choice of taking possession of the island or plundering it. Eventually the Hebrideans received the South part of the island in close proximity to his own residence; the people of Man were driven into the Northern portion. All accounts agree that Godred Crovan was a powerful ruler: he conquered Dublin and a large part of Leinster: he forbade the Scots on the western seaboard of Scotland to build any vessel requiring more than three bolts in its construction. He was married and left issue, three sons, Lagman, Harold and Olaf. He died of pestilence in Islay in 1087."