Ingemund
Encyclopedia
Ingemund was an 11th century Norse
lord who was sent by Magnus, King of Norway, to the Outer Hebrides
to take rule as his vassal
. According to the mediaeval Manx Chronicle, soon after his arrival in the Isles Ingemund enraged the local leaders and in consequence, both he and his followers were slain on Lewis
in 1097. It is unknown what family Ingemund belonged to.
In the second half of the 11th century, an independent Kingdom of Mann and the Isles was founded by Godred Crovan
, who centred his kingdom on the Isle of Mann. Prior to his taking power, the Isle of Mann and the Hebrides
had been ruled a different times by the Norse kings of Dublin
and Northumbria, and the Norse earls of Orkney. Godred Crovan died in 1095, and period of uncertainty followed in Mann and the Isles until the second decade of the 12th century. In 1093, Magnus became King of Norway and set his sight on attempting to bring Orkney, the Hebrides, and Mann, under the control of the Kingdom of Norway.
he sent messengers to the chiefs of the isles, summoning them to assemble on Lewis and declare him as king. He then waited for their arrival on the island. The chronicle states that while Ingemund waited to be confirmed as king, he and his followers plundered the island, raped girls and women, and "gave themselves up to every species of pleasure and sensual gratification". However, when the assembled chiefs caught wind of Ingemund's activities they became enraged and turned against him. They arrived on the scene under cover of darkness, set fire to the house in which he was staying, and killed Ingemund and his followers—both by fire and by sword.
, where he installed his son as ruler of the earldom of Orkney. From there the fleet sailed west; the Norse completely devastated Lewis and proceeded down through the Hebrides towards the Isle of Mann and Wales
. Bjorn Cripplehand, skald
to the king, wrote the following lines about their expedition through the Hebrides.
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
lord who was sent by Magnus, King of Norway, to the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
to take rule as his vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
. According to the mediaeval Manx Chronicle, soon after his arrival in the Isles Ingemund enraged the local leaders and in consequence, both he and his followers were slain on Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
in 1097. It is unknown what family Ingemund belonged to.
Background
Godred Crovan
Godred Crovan was a Norse-Gael ruler of Dublin, and King of Mann and the Isles in the second half of the 11th century. Godred's epithet Crovan may mean "white hand" . In Manx folklore he is known as King Orry.-Ancestry and early life:...
, who centred his kingdom on the Isle of Mann. Prior to his taking power, the Isle of Mann and the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
had been ruled a different times by the Norse kings of Dublin
Kings of Dublin
The Vikings invaded the territory around Dublin in the 9th century, establishing the Norse Kingdom of Dublin, the earliest and longest lasting Norse kingdom in all of Europe outside of Scandinavia, excepting the so-called Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. This corresponded to most of present-day...
and Northumbria, and the Norse earls of Orkney. Godred Crovan died in 1095, and period of uncertainty followed in Mann and the Isles until the second decade of the 12th century. In 1093, Magnus became King of Norway and set his sight on attempting to bring Orkney, the Hebrides, and Mann, under the control of the Kingdom of Norway.
Ingemund's arrival in the Hebrides
The mediaeval Manx Chronicle states that in the year 1097, Magnus sent Ingemund to take possession of the Kingdom of the Isles. It is unknown who Ingemund (Ingemundus in the chronicle) really was as he does not appear in the sagas, and it is impossible to know which family he was from. According to the chronicle, when Ingemund arrived on LewisLewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
he sent messengers to the chiefs of the isles, summoning them to assemble on Lewis and declare him as king. He then waited for their arrival on the island. The chronicle states that while Ingemund waited to be confirmed as king, he and his followers plundered the island, raped girls and women, and "gave themselves up to every species of pleasure and sensual gratification". However, when the assembled chiefs caught wind of Ingemund's activities they became enraged and turned against him. They arrived on the scene under cover of darkness, set fire to the house in which he was staying, and killed Ingemund and his followers—both by fire and by sword.
Aftermath
The killing of Ingemund may have encouraged Magnus to launch his expedition the following year, when he gathered a large fleet and sailed to the Northern IslesNorthern Isles
The Northern Isles is a chain of islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The climate is cool and temperate and much influenced by the surrounding seas. There are two main island groups: Shetland and Orkney...
, where he installed his son as ruler of the earldom of Orkney. From there the fleet sailed west; the Norse completely devastated Lewis and proceeded down through the Hebrides towards the Isle of Mann and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Bjorn Cripplehand, skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
to the king, wrote the following lines about their expedition through the Hebrides.