!BIOGRAPHY: Sir Robert Douglas of Glenbervie, Baronet, THE BARONAGE
OF SCOTLAND, Edinburgh, 1798, p. 374.
"It is universally acknowledged, that the Macleods of Scotland are
descended of the Norvegian kings of Man, of whom we shall here give a
brief account, as recorded in the chronicle of that island, published with
Cambden''s Britannia, anno 1586.
"I. GODFRED, sirnamed [sic] Crovan, son of Harold the Black, of the royal
family of Norway, being appointed sovereign of Man and the western
isles, by king Harold the Imperious, came with a fleet and army, and took
possession of his kingdom, anno 1066; but the superiority still remained
with the kings of Norway.
"Godfred left three sons.
1. Lagman.
2. Harold.
3. Olave or Olaus, a child at his father''s death.
"Godfred reigned sixteen years, died in the Island of Islay, and was
succeeded by his eldest son."
!REIGN: Reigned 1066-1082.
!BIOGRAPHY: John Burke, Esq., A GENEALOGICAL AND HERALDIC HISTORY
OF THE COMMONERS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND, Vol. II, Baltimore,
Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1977, pp. 175-178.
It is acknowledged universally that the Macleods of Scotland, sprang
from the Norwegian Kings of Man, of which monarchs the following is a
brief narrative, as recorded in the Chronicle of the Island, published
with Cambden''s Britannia, anno 1586.
I. Godred, surnamed Crowan, son of Harold, the Black, being appointed
sovereign of Man, and the Western Isles, by Harold, the Imperious, came
with a fleet, and army, and took possession of his kingdom, anno 1066,
but the superiority still remained with the kings. He left at his decease
three sons,
1. Lagman
2. Harold
3. Olaus, or Olave, a child at his father''s death.
!BIOGRAPHY: Rev. Dr. Donald MacKinnon, MACLEOD CHIEFS OF HARRIS AND
DUNVEGAN, Edinburgh, The Clan MacLeod Society, 1969, pp. 1-2.
!BIOGRAPHY: Alick Morrison, THE CHIEFS OF CLAN MACLEOD, East
Kilbride, Scotland, Associate Clan MacLeod Societies,1986, pp. 14-15.
"The founder of the last dynasty to rule Man and the Isles was Godred
Crovan, a son of Harold the Black of ''Ysland'' (i.e. Iceland). His origin is
obscure, although various conjectures have been made to trace his
genealogy. It is, however, certain that he was not a mere adventurer.
He derived a considerable amount of support from the Hebrides and he
was successful in establishing a dynasty that lasted for two centuries
and was never seriously challenged. These circumstances argue that he
was in some way related to some of the previous Kings of the Isles.
"He first came to notice in 1066, when we find him in conjunction with
Godred, son of Sigtrygg, king of man and the Isles at the time, assisting
King Harold Hardrada of Norway and Tostig Godwinson, in their invasion
of England. The invaders were routed by Harold Godwinson, King of
England and a brother of Tostig at the Battle of Stamford Bridge. King
Harold of Norway and Tostig were slain. The two Godreds managed to
escape to the Isle of Man. King Godred Sigtryggson of Man and the Isles
died shortly afterwards and was succeeded by his son Fingal. Godred
Crovan seems to to have returned to Iceland, but in 1071 he is in Norway,
busily collecting an army to invade the Isle of Man. He received strong
naval support from the Hebrides, but for some reason, he met with
stubborn opposition in Man. Despite two setbacks, he finally triumphed
in battle at Scaefell. So grateful was he to his Hebridean supporters
that he gave them a choice of taking possession of the island or
plundering it. Eventually the Hebrideans received the South part of the
island in close proximity to his own residence; the people of Man were
driven into the Northern portion. All accounts agree that Godred Crovan
was a powerful ruler: he conquered Dublin and a large part of Leinster:
he forbade the Scots on the western seaboard of Scotland to build any
vessel requiring more than three bolts in its construction. He was
married and left issue, three sons, Lagman, Harold and Olaf. He died of
pestilence in Islay in 1087."