Blair Collection > Critical dissertations on the origin, antiquities, language, government, manners, and religion, of the antient Caledonians, their posterity the Picts, and the British and Irish Scots

Principality of the IJles. 237
would draw from what has been faid on this fub-
jed, appears to me to be perfedly juft : that our
hillorians were ill informed with regard to the
manner how, and the time when the Weftern Ifles
fell under the dominion of Norway.
After Magnus the Barefooted had, through
his temerity, loft his life in Ireland, Olave, the
fon of Godred, recovered his paternal dominions,
and reigned over the iHes forty years. Olave was
a Prince of a peaceable difpofition, diftinguifhed
greatly by the religious virtues of the times, and
extremely liberal to ecclefiaftics. He v.as educated
in the court of Henry I. and was on good terms
with the monarchs of England throughout his life.
He lived in amity with Ireland; and it does not
appear that thofe Kings of Scotland, who were
his cotemporaries, difputed his title either to Man
or the Ifles.
Selden complained that OJaus and Aidave^
/Imlaff and Anlaphits, are names which breed
great confufion in the Eiiglifh hiftory ; but thefe
names feemingly di^erent appear to me to be the
fame. The fennachies of the ifles call the Olave,
of whom v/e are now fpeaking, Aula or Amhla^ in
Latin, Amiavus^ Anlaphus, or Olaus ; and they
diftinguifli him from odier Princes of the fame
name by the title c-f y^mbla Dearg mac Ri Lochliny
that is to fay, Red Olave, the King of Lochlin's
Son. Godred, the father of Olave, was from
Scandinavia which is called Lochlin by the inha-
bitants of the Highla' ds and Ifles.
It is the opinion of foms that Lochlin and Den-
mark are word?; of the fam^e import : but it appears
to me rather that Lochlin and Scandinavia are fy-
nonimous terms. Harold Harfager, ai:d Magnus,
th