Lord of Galloway

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Lordship of Galloway
Coat of arms of Galloway (Ancient)

The lords of Galloway consisted of a dynasty of heirs who were lords (or kings) and ladies who ruled over

Gaelic
). The lords of Galloway would have either paid tribute to the Scottish monarch, or at other times ignored him. The Lords of Galloway are fairly well recorded in the 12th and 13th centuries, but the records are incomplete or conflicting at other times. Later on, the kings were known as "lords" at the Scottish court, and "kings" at home, finally becoming "lords" in both arenas.

The boundaries of the Kingdom of Galloway were ill-defined, and varied over time. During many periods Galloway was much larger than it is today, and took in parts of southern Ayrshire, such as Carrick, Upper Douglasdale and Nithsdale. The area appears to have been the main bastion of Scottish Gaelic culture south of the Highlands in the Middle Ages.

Kingdom of Galloway

Suibne mac Cináeda (d.1034) is the first recorded king of the Gall-ghàidhil, the people of Galloway, although it is not until about 1138 that the succession is properly recorded. The Dynasty of Fergus appears to have continued until 1234 and the Laws of Galloway remained in force until 1426. It is thought that these laws originally derived their authority from the kings of Galloway.

Contrary to some popular conceptions, there is no evidence that Galloway was ever part of the

King of the Rhinns
") attributed to him on his death in 1065. The western sections of Galloway had been firmly aligned with the Isle of Man, and Norse and Gaelic-Norse settlement names from the 10th and 11th centuries are spread all along the coastal lands of south-western "Scotland" and north-western "England".

Magnus III

In the late 11th century, the Norwegian King

Etgair mac Maíl Coluim
.

On his second campaign, Magnus went to Man, and with a huge fleet attacked Dublin and attempted to force the submission of

Ailech, bringing stability to the Irish Sea world, and security to Magnus' new Irish Sea "Empire." However, it all went wrong when Magnus was killed on his way back to Norway on a minor raid in Ulster
. Much of Magnus' work lay in ruins.

Fergusan Dynasty

Diocese of Glasgow
, and appears to have been only incorporated into the lordship during the tenure of Fergus' sons.

Lochlann (Roland) would take possession of the southern part of Galloway. Gilla Brigte's surviving son Donnchad (Duncan) was given the northern part, being made 1st Earl/Mormaer of Carrick
.

Lochlann married Helen, the daughter of

). Galloway's period as an independent political entity eventually came to an end with John de Balliol delegated as Lord.

Douglas Lords

In 1369,

Archibald the Grim had been appointed Lord of Galloway by David II of Scotland, "becaus he tuke git trawell to purge the cuntrey of Englis blude". Later he would construct his mighty fortress of Thrieve, near present-day Castle Douglas
.

List of Lords of Galloway

Rulers French name Reigns
?Suibne --- d. 1034
- --- -
?Echmarcach --- d. 1065
- --- -
Fergus --- d. 1161
Uchtred
--- 1161–1174
Gille Brigte
Gilbert 1174–1185
Lochlann
Roland 1185–1200
Alan
--- 1200–1234

Notes

References

  1. ^ Scott, JG (1997) pp. 13a fig. 1, 23 fig. 5; Oram, RD (1991) p. 118 fig. 8.1; Barrow (1980) p. 51.
  • The Arms of the Realm and Ancient Local Principalities of Scotland, Bartholomew 1983.