Matheson Collection > Clan Donald > Volume 1

78 THE CLAN DOXALD.
preserved a judicious neutrality, continued to enjoy
liis ancestral possessions, while Angus Mor of Isla
remained mnnolested in' bis extensive territories.
It is not easy to define with clearness the exact
relation of the House of Somerled to Norway and
Scotland before and after the years 12G3-66,
The Southern Isles having been handed down by
Somerled as an inde])endent possession, were similarly
held by his sons and grandsons. There are certain
passages in the Saga on Haco's expedition, which
convey the impression that these Southern Isles were
re-conveyed to Norway. It is stated that Angus
Mor was willing to surrender his lands to Haco, who
afterwards, we are told, "bestowed Ila, taken by his
troops, on the valiant Angus, the generous distributor
of the beauteous ornaments of the hands. "^ It can-
not be true that the territories of Angus Mor were
both willingly surrendered by him, and at the same
time taken from him by force. The series of events
leading to the battle of Largs ; the mission of
Roderick to Norway as the ambassador of the Island
chiefs ; Haco's response to their representations in
the equipment of his great armament, all this forbids
the supposition of any hostile movement against the
Island Lords. If Haco desired their loyal co-opera-
tion, it would have been bad policy to begin with
a forcible annexation of their possessions. The
association of Haco with the princes of the House
of Somerled was neither more nor less than the
formation of a league, offensive and defensive, to
re])el the aggressiveness of the Scottish realm.
H* Norway ceded the Southern Isles to Scotland
in 12GG, she gave over what she never possessed
since these Isles were wrested from Godred of
1 The Rcavcu's Ode, p. [>7.