Scandinavian-Britain

236 SCANDINAVIAN BRITAINthat the Islands had been wrested from the Scottishkingdom by Magnus Barefoot, but the Norwegiancrown maintained a claim which had held good forsome four centuries. At last, however, it was not somuch a question of ancient rights as of practical politics.The kingdom of Scotland, once a small realm on theeast coast (p. 131), had grown into a great power,which could hardly tolerate uponits border an alienstate, turbulent and dangerous in the semi-independenceof petty rulers. Consequently Alexander III ,on coming of age (1262), prepared to carry out histhe Islands. Hakon offather's policy of annexingNorway next year bought a great fleet to resist thethreatened encroachment. He was joined by Magnus,king of Man, the last son of Olaf the Black, andDugall, lord of the Isles. After their triumphantprogress to the Clyde, Alexander was ready to maketerms, claiming only Arran, Bute and the Cumbraes.A storm wrecked the Norse fleet, and an accidentalencounter brought on the battle of Largs. Both sidesclaimed the victory, but the effect of the battle was tosend Hakon north to Orkney, where he died soonafterwards, and Magnus of Man did homage totheScottish Crown. In 1266 a treaty between Norwayand Scotland ceded Man and the Hebrides to Alexander;the ecclesiastical rights of the archbishop ofTrondhjem being retained. King Eirik of Norwaymarried the Princess Margaret of Scotland, and it wasonly by the death of their daughter Margaret inOrkney (1290) that the last link was broken.But still the Islands kept many of their Norse