Lǫgmaðr Guðrøðarson (), also known as Lagmadr and Lagman of the Isle of Man, was a late eleventh-century King of the Isles, whose rise, reign, and fall from power are obscure. He was the eldest son of Guðrøðr Crovan, King of Dublin and the Isles, a Norse-Gaelic dynast who conquered and ruled the kingdoms of the Isles and Dublin, before dying in 1095. Three years after the latter's death, the Isles was conquered by Magnús Óláfsson, King of Norway, whose regime in the region lasted until his death in 1103. The chronology of Lǫgmaðr's reign is uncertain: he may have begun his reign either before Magnús' conquest, during his regime, or after his demise.

As King of the Isles, Lǫgmaðr faced significant opposition from factions supporting his younger brothers, Haraldr and Óláfr. At some point, the Islesmen are reported to have petitioned Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster to select a temporary ruler in the region. This act may have been initiated on behalf of a faction supporting Óláfr. Whatever the case, Ua Briain responded by placing an Uí Briain relative upon the throne. The Uí Briain interlopers, however, do not appear to have been well received; and were evidently ejected by the Islesmen, perhaps led by supporters of Lǫgmaðr himself.

The chronology and circumstances surrounding the conclusion of Lǫgmaðr's reign are uncertain. According to one source, he voluntarily resigned the kingship and journeyed to Jerusalem where he died. This account could be evidence that he died on crusade: one possibility is the First Crusade, perhaps in the entourage of Robert II, Duke of Normandy; another possibility is the so-called Norwegian Crusade, in the entourage of Sigurðr Magnússon, King of Norway. Although one source claims that Lǫgmaðr's trek to the Holy Land was undertaken in remorse for the cruelty he had inflicted upon Haraldr, another possibility is that he was forced into exile instead. Whatever the case, it is apparent that about a decade after Magnús' death, the Crovan dynasty was restored to the kingship in the person of Lǫgmaðr's youngest brother.

Antecedents, accession, and insurrection

Lǫgmaðr was one of three sons of Guðrøðr Crovan, King of Dublin and the Isles.Power (2005) p. 34; Duffy (2004). Guðrøðr first emerges into history in the mid eleventh century.Hudson (2005) pp. 170–171. Although his precise parentage is uncertain, he appears to have been a descendant of Óláfr kváran, King of Northumbria and Dublin.Oram (2011) p. 31; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 232; Hudson (2005) pp. 53–54, 83 fig. 3, 170–171; Duffy (2004). Guðrøðr's apparent Uí Ímair antecedents appear to have endowed him with ancestral claims to the Norse-Gaelic kingdoms to Dublin and the Isles.Woolf (2004) pp. 100–101. In the 1070s, he secured the kingship of the Isles through his conquest of Mann, and forcefully added Dublin to his realm in 1091. Guðrøðr's downfall came in 1094, when he was driven out of Ireland by the Uí Briain, and died the following year in the Hebrides.Duffy (2004); Woolf (2004) pp. 100–101; Oram (2000) pp. 19–20.

There is uncertainty concerning the political situation in the Isles in the last decade of the eleventh century.McDonald (2019) p. 23; Davey (2016); Power (1986) p. 115. What is known for sure is that, before the end of the century, Magnús Óláfsson, King of Norway led a marauding fleet from Scandinavia into the Isles, seized control of the kingdom, and held onto power in the Irish Sea region until his death in 1103.Duffy (2002) pp. 57–59; Power (1994) p. 216. According to the Chronicle of Mann, when Guðrøðr died in 1095, Lǫgmaðr succeeded him as his eldest son, and went on to reign for seven years.McDonald (2019) p. 23; Oram (2011) p. 48; Oram (2000) pp. 20–21, 58, 83 n. 34; Candon (1988) p. 404; Power (1986) p. 116; Anderson (1922) p. 98; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. The numerical calculations and chronology of this source are suspect,McDonald (2019) pp. 10–11; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Oram (2000) pp. 20–21. and it is uncertain if Lǫgmaðr's reign began before Magnús' arrival, during Magnús' overlordship, or even after Magnús' death.Parsons (2019) p. 277; Power (1986) p. 116. One possibility is that Lǫgmaðr commenced his reign in the Isles immediately after his father assumed the kingship of Dublin in 1091. If so, this transfer of power would seem to evidence the eminent status of Dublin's kinship amongst the Norse-Gaelic elite.Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Oram (2000) pp. 20–21, 58, 84 n. 34.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the inception of his reign, the chronicle reveals that Lǫgmaðr faced continued opposition from within his own family in the form of an ongoing rebellion by his brother, Haraldr. Lǫgmaðr eventually overcame Haraldr, however, and is stated to have had the latter blinded and emasculated.McDonald (2019) pp. 23, 64–65; Parsons (2019) p. 277; Oram (2011) pp. 48–49; McDonald (2007) pp. 84, 96; Duffy (2006) p. 63; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Hudson (2005) p. 198; Power (2005) p. 11; Beuermann (2002) pp. 421–423; Oram (2000) pp. 21, 58; Gade (1994) p. 199; Power (1986) p. 115; Macquarrie, AD (1982) p. 56; Anderson (1922) p. 98; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. Afterwards, if the chronicle is to be believed, Lǫgmaðr repented the cruelty that he had inflicted upon Haraldr, and remorsefully resigned his kingdom, before setting off to Jerusalem, where he died.McDonald (2019) p. 23; Parsons (2019) p. 277, 277 n. 26; McDonald (2016) p. 342; Beuermann (2014) p. 85; McDonald (2007) p. 84; Duffy (2006) p. 63; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Hudson (2005) p. 198; Oram (2000) pp. 21, 58; Candon (1988) p. 404; Power (1986) p. 115; Macquarrie, AD (1982) pp. 19, 56–57; McRoberts (1969) p. 85; Anderson (1922) p. 98; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55.

Irish intervention

Although the Chronicle of Man maintains that Lǫgmaðr voluntarily vacated his throne, there is reason to suspect that he was forced from power.Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Oram (2000) p. 21; Anderson (1922) p. 98; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. In about 1096, the chronicle claims that the leading Islesmen sought assistance of Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster, and petitioned him to provide a regent from his own kin to govern the kingdom until Lǫgmaðr's younger brother, Óláfr, was old enough to assume control.Ní Mhaonaigh (2018) p. 146, 146 n. 83; Oram (2011) p. 48; Duffy (2009) p. 296; Duffy (2006) pp. 63–64; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) pp. 235–236; Power (2005) pp. 11–12; Bracken (2004); Duffy (2002) p. 57; Oram (2000) p. 21; Ní Mhaonaigh (1995) p. 375; Ó Cuív (1994) p. 116; Duffy (1993) p. 36; Duffy (1992) pp. 108–110; Power (1986) p. 115; Anderson (1922) p. 100; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. The chronicle's account could be evidence that, by about 1096, Lǫgmaðr faced a faction formed around his younger brother; and that, when this faction was unable to topple Lǫgmaðr by itself, it approached Ua Briain for assistance in placing Óláfr upon the throne.Oram (2011) p. 48; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) pp. 235–236; Oram (2000) p. 21.

Ua Briain was certainly a formidable potential ally, having recently imposed his dominance over the kingdoms of Connacht, Leinster, Mide, and Dublin as well.Oram (2011) p. 48; Flanagan (2008) p. 909; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235; Bracken (2004). In fact, it was through his conquest of the latter that Ua Briain had banished Lǫgmaðr's father from Ireland once and for all, and thereby secured control of Dublin's awesome naval power.Oram (2011) p. 48; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 235. In consequence of this predominance, the clause as stated by the chronicle—that Ua Briain was to provide the Isles with a regent from his own kin—may well have been a condition on his intervention, rather than a request of the Islesmen themselves.Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) pp. 235–236; Oram (2000) p. 21; Anderson (1922) pp. 100–101; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. Whatever the case, the chronicle reveals that Ua Briain then installed Domnall mac Taidc upon the throne.Ní Mhaonaigh (2018) p. 146 n. 83; Oram (2011) p. 48; Duffy (2009) p. 296; Duffy (2006) pp. 63–64; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Power (2005) pp. 11–12; Bracken (2004); Duffy (2002) p. 57, 57 n. 11; Oram (2000) p. 21; Duffy (1993) p. 36, 36 n. 25; Duffy (1992) pp. 108–110; Anderson (1922) pp. 100–101; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55. Although Domnall had previously opposed Ua Briain over the kingship of Munster, he was the son of Ua Briain's brother, and further possessed strong familial connections with the Isles through his maternal descent from Echmarcach mac Ragnaill, King of Dublin and the Isles.Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Oram (2000) p. 21; Duffy (1992) p. 109. In fact, the Annals of Ulster appears to indicate that at least two apparent members of Echmarcach's family were killed less than a decade before in a repulsed invasion of Mann.The Annals of Ulster (2012) § 1087.7; Oram (2011) p. 32; The Annals of Ulster (2008) § 1087.7; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) pp. 233, 236; Duffy (2002) p. 55; Oram (2000) p. 20; Duffy (1993) p. 34; Duffy (1992) pp. 105, 109; Candon (1988) pp. 403–404. As a result, Domnall may have been the leading male representative of Echmarcach's family. The slaying of Domnall's brother, Amlaíb, as recorded by the Annals of the Four Masters in 1096,Annals of the Four Masters (2013a) § 1096.8; Annals of the Four Masters (2013b) § 1096.8; Ó Corráin (2010) p. 225; McDonald (2007) p. 65 n. 37; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Power (2005) pp. 11–12; Oram (2000) p. 21; Duffy (1993) pp. 34, 36; Duffy (1992) p. 109; Anderson (1922) p. 99. suggests that Domnall and the rest of the Meic Taidc faced significant opposition in the Isles,Candon (2006) p. 116; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Oram (2000) p. 21. possibly in the form of Lǫgmaðr's adherents.Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Oram (2000) p. 21. The chronicle credits Domnall with an oppressive three-year reign that ended when the leading Islesmen revolted against him, and drove him from the kingdom back to Ireland.Ní Mhaonaigh (2018) p. 146, 146 n. 84; Forte; Oram; Pedersen (2005) p. 236; Power (2005) pp. 11–12; Candon (2006) p. 116; Candon (1988) p. 404; Power (1986) p. 115; Anderson (1922) p. 101; Munch; Goss (1874) pp. 54–55.

Norwegian domination and diminishment