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The Vikings in The Isle of Man

The Isle of Man was, from the first, seen by Norwegian Vikings as an attractive, strategic location from which they could dominate the Irish Sea. Consequently, there was heavy Scandinavian settlement of the island. At one point it was part of a Manx-Hebridean realm.

Though in theory the rulers of Man owed allegiance to the kings in Norway, this was more often than not a very 'loose' arrangement and, to all intents and purposes, Man was an independent kingdom. Though its independence was somewhat restricted by, first, the English in the late 12th century, then the Scots in the early 13th century, it did not come under English Crown control until 1290.