Lagman of the Isle of Man
Encyclopedia
Lagman Godredsson was a late 11th century ruler of the Isle of Man
and the Hebrides
(the Kingdom of Man and the Isles). Lagmann was the eldest son of Gofraid Crobán, a late 11th century ruler of Man, the Hebrides, and Dublin. There is uncertainty of the events in the Hebrides and the Isle of Man immediately following Gofraid's death, in 1095. The Chronicle of Man states that Lagmann took control of the kingdom following his father's death. However, Lagmann may have taken control when his father seized the Kingdom of Dublin, in 1091. Lagmann is recorded to have warred with his younger brother, Aralt, and had him blinded and mutilated. According to the chronicle, a repentant Lagmann voluntarily travelled to Jerusalem, where he died. Some historians of the Crusades
consider Lagmann to have taken part in the First Crusade
.
Some scholars of the Norse-Gaelic history of the British Isles
suggest that Lagmann was forced from his island-kingdom by leading members of the powerful Uí Briain dynasty. The chronicle states that Muirchertach Ua Briain was invited by the leading men of Hebrides and Man, to select a ruler for their kingdom. This event may suggest that a faction supporting Lagmann's youngest brother, Amlaíb, appealed to Muirchertach for aid in battling supporters of Lagmann. Muirchertach imposed his nephew, Domnall mac Taidc, upon upon the kingdom, who ruled for several years. The Uí Briain influence within the island-kingdom may have enticed Magnús Berfœttr, King of Norway, to send a (short-lived) representative
into the Hebrides in 1097, and to have led a successful full-scale invasion of the kingdom, the following year. Mediaeval saga
accounts record that Lagmann was captured by Magnús as he sailed down the Hebrides and took control of the entire Kingdom of Man and the Isles. As the Chronicle of Man is untrustworthy in much of its chronology, it has been suggested that it was after Lagmann's capture, and Magnús's conquest of the island-kingdom, that Lagmann attempted his journey to Jerusalem.
as filius Haraldi nigri de ysland, and it is possible that ysland may refer to Iceland
. Within the Annals of Tigernach
, he is given the Gaelic patronymic
mac mic Arailt, which may mean that he was a son, or nephew
, of Ímar mac Arailt, King of Dublin (d. 1054). Ímar was a grandson of the celebrated Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Dublin, King of Northumbria (d. 981), who was a member of the powerful Uí Ímair
. In 1091, Gofraid won the Kingship of Dublin, and reigned there for about three years. In 1094 he was forced from Dublin, and died the following year of the plague on the Hebridean island of Islay
.
The chronicle is a somewhat untrustworthy source in the years immediately following Gofraid's death. What is known for certain is that, in 1098, Magnús Óláfsson
, King of Norway, led a marauding fleet through the Hebrides and ravaged the islands before reaching the Isle of Man. Whether Lagmann began his reign before Magnús's arrival, or after, is not known for certain, and both possibilities have been advanced by modern scholars. The chronicle states that Lagmann ruled the kingdom seven years after his father's death. Given the dubious nature of the chronicle's dates, it is possible that Lagmann assumed the kingship when his father gained the coveted kingship of Dublin, in 1091. The chronicle next records that Aralt rebelled against Lagmann for a long period of time before being captured, whereupon Lagmann had him emasculated and blinded. If the chronicle is to be believed, Lagmann afterwards repented for the cruelty he had inflicted upon Aralt, and resigned the kingdom before setting off for Jerusalem, where he died. Now, if we assume that Lagmann took power in the year of his father's death and then trust the chronicle when it says that he ruled for seven years after his father's death, then that brings us to 1102. The chronicle then states that Lagmann's brother rebelled for a long period and a stretch of the imagination might let us believe it was for four long years. If Lagmann then repented of his sins and wished to go on crusade he would have ben just in time to join the expedition of Sigurd Of Norway who set off to the Holy Land at this time with a large fleet. Considering that the Isles may at this time have been under Norwegian overlordship, this is perhaps not an entirely unlikely set of events to have transpired. Some historians of the Crusades
take this passage to be evidence that Lagmann took part in the First Crusade
(1096–1099).
of his own choice upon the Islesmen.
The "King of Ireland" of the chronicle has been identified as Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster. The reason why an outsider, such as Muirchertach, was picked by the Islesmen to choose a ruler, may have to do with Muirchertach's recent conquest and overlordship in the region. For example, in 1094 Muirchertach drove Gofraid from the kingship of Dublin (with Gofraid's death only a year later). Muirchertach then drove Domnall mac Flainn Ua Mael Sechlainn from the kingship of Mide, and put in his place another Ua Mael Sechlainn dynast. The chronicle records that Muirchertach sent a certain Domnall mac Taidc to rule the island kingdom. Domnall is considered to have been a son of Muirchertach's brother, and thus a grandson of Echmarcach mac Ragnaill
, who ruled Dublin between the years 1036–1038 and 1046–1052, and also the Isle of Man in 1061, and the Rhinns
in 1065. The chronicle records that Domnall then became a tyrant during his three year rule, and that the leading Islesmen revolted against him, and drove him from the kingdom back to Ireland. The Annals of the Four Masters
state that, in 1096 a certain Amlaíb mac Taidc Ua Briain was slain on the Isle of Man. Amlaíb is thought to have been a brother of Domnall, and his death may be evidence that the rule of the Uí Briain brothers was not as popular as the chronicle implies. In fact, Amlaíb may have been killed by supporters of Lagmann.
, into the Isles to take possession of the kingdom. Although Ingimundr is only mentioned in this one source, it is not implausible that Magnús sent someone to seize control of the island-kingdom on his behalf. The chronicle relates that, Ingimundr installed himself on Lewis
, but was later killed by the leading Islesmen. It has been suggested that Ingimundr may have based himself on the remote Outer Hebrides because the coveted Isle of Man was then contested by various other parties. In the following year, the chronicle records that internal hostilities broke out on the Isle of Man. One suggestion is that this record of internal strife may be related to the struggles between Lagmann and Aralt. The chronicle makes no mention of Domnall, and it is possible that he had lost control of the island by then. In the same year, the chronicle records the arrival of Magnús himself, and it is possible that Ingimundr's death at the hands of the Islesmen may have incited Magnús to take matters into his own hands.
Magnús' takeover of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man is colourfully depicted in several mediaeval Icelandic sources. Gísl Illugisson, an Icelandic skald
, described Lagmann as "Ivistar gram", which can be translated as "Prince of Uist", "Lord of Uist", or "lord of North Uist
". This title may indicate that Lagmann held some sort of position in the Hebrides. One suggestion is that he may have had his base on Uist
, a group of islands in the Outer Hebrides
. According to the mediaeval Morkinskinna
, and Heimskringla
, Lagmann ruled the "northern islands", a term which likely refers to the Outer Hebrides. According to Morkinskinna, as Magnús approached, Lagmann fled southwards and out to sea, but was eventually captured and spared by Magnús. Heimskringla records that Lagmann and his crew were captured whilst attempting to sail to Ireland. Gísl's poetry records that Lagmann was kept in the company of Magnús. Another skald, Bjǫrn Krepphendi, described how Lagmann was banished from his lands by Magnús' marauding fleet. It has been suggested that Magnús may have released Lagmann on condition that he leave the region and take part in the crusade implied by the chronicle. Also, part of the seven year reign, assigned to Lagmann by the chronicle, may have been under the suzerainty of Magnús.
The Annals of Innisfallen record that, in 1111 Domnall mac Taidc travelled into the north of Ireland, and took the kingship of the Insegall, which may refer to not only to the Hebrides but the Isle of Man as well. If this record is to be believed, then Domnall's rule was a brief one. He was slain in 1115, and would have likely been in Ireland in 1114, since he was Muirchertach's heir, and that year Muirchertach was gravely ill and had suffered the usurpation of his kingdom to his own brother. However, another view of the 1111 record is that it refer to merely an attempt by Domnall to regain control of the kingdom, possibly from the control of Muirchertach, and it has been suggested that Domnall's rule in the region was confined to about the years 1095–1098, before the arrival of Magnús. Another suggestion that has been offered is that both Domnall and Lagmann began their reigns after Magnús' death.
of The Buchan School
, the junior school to King William's College
on the Isle of Man, is named Lagman. The three other houses are named Godred, Magnus, and Olaf. According to the school's website, the names "commemorate famous Viking
rulers of the Island". All four names have been borne by multiple mediaeval rulers in the region.
In the late 1920s, members of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society excavated an area near the tower of ruinous Rushen Abbey
, on the Isle of Man. The team uncovered several burials, one of which was thought to have been that of Lagmann. This particular grave, dubbed "Lagman's Grave", contained two bronze
buckles which were thought to have "a special significance". A more recent (1988) analysis of archaeological finds noted that the claim of a connection with Lagmann cannot be supported.
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
(the Kingdom of Man and the Isles). Lagmann was the eldest son of Gofraid Crobán, a late 11th century ruler of Man, the Hebrides, and Dublin. There is uncertainty of the events in the Hebrides and the Isle of Man immediately following Gofraid's death, in 1095. The Chronicle of Man states that Lagmann took control of the kingdom following his father's death. However, Lagmann may have taken control when his father seized the Kingdom of Dublin, in 1091. Lagmann is recorded to have warred with his younger brother, Aralt, and had him blinded and mutilated. According to the chronicle, a repentant Lagmann voluntarily travelled to Jerusalem, where he died. Some historians of the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
consider Lagmann to have taken part in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
.
Some scholars of the Norse-Gaelic history of the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
suggest that Lagmann was forced from his island-kingdom by leading members of the powerful Uí Briain dynasty. The chronicle states that Muirchertach Ua Briain was invited by the leading men of Hebrides and Man, to select a ruler for their kingdom. This event may suggest that a faction supporting Lagmann's youngest brother, Amlaíb, appealed to Muirchertach for aid in battling supporters of Lagmann. Muirchertach imposed his nephew, Domnall mac Taidc, upon upon the kingdom, who ruled for several years. The Uí Briain influence within the island-kingdom may have enticed Magnús Berfœttr, King of Norway, to send a (short-lived) representative
Ingemund
Ingemund was an 11th century Norse lord who was sent by Magnus, King of Norway, to the Outer Hebrides to take rule as his vassal. According to the mediaeval Manx Chronicle, soon after his arrival in the Isles Ingemund enraged the local leaders and in consequence, both he and his followers were...
into the Hebrides in 1097, and to have led a successful full-scale invasion of the kingdom, the following year. Mediaeval saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
accounts record that Lagmann was captured by Magnús as he sailed down the Hebrides and took control of the entire Kingdom of Man and the Isles. As the Chronicle of Man is untrustworthy in much of its chronology, it has been suggested that it was after Lagmann's capture, and Magnús's conquest of the island-kingdom, that Lagmann attempted his journey to Jerusalem.
King of Man and the Isles
According to the Chronicle of Man, Lagmann was the eldest of Gofraid Crobán's three sons—Lagmann, Aralt, and Amlaíb. The ancesty of Lagmann's father is uncertain. The chronicle describes Gofraid in LatinLatin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
as filius Haraldi nigri de ysland, and it is possible that ysland may refer to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. Within the Annals of Tigernach
Annals of Tigernach
The Annals of Tigernach is a chronicle probably originating in Clonmacnoise, Ireland. The language is a mixture of Latin and Old and Middle Irish....
, he is given the Gaelic patronymic
Patronymic
A patronym, or patronymic, is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father, grandfather or an even earlier male ancestor. A component of a name based on the name of one's mother or a female ancestor is a matronymic. Each is a means of conveying lineage.In many areas patronyms...
mac mic Arailt, which may mean that he was a son, or nephew
Nephew
Nephew is a son of one's sibling or sibling-in-law, and niece is a daughter of one's sibling or a sibling-in-law. Sons and daughters of siblings-in-law are also informally referred to as nephews and nieces respectively, even though there is no blood relation...
, of Ímar mac Arailt, King of Dublin (d. 1054). Ímar was a grandson of the celebrated Amlaíb Cuarán, King of Dublin, King of Northumbria (d. 981), who was a member of the powerful Uí Ímair
Uí Ímair
The Uí Ímair , or Dynasty of Ivar, were an enormous royal and imperial Norse dynasty who ruled Northern England, the Irish Sea region and Kingdom of Dublin, and the western coast of Scotland, including the Hebrides, from the mid 9th century, losing control of the first in the mid 10th, but the rest...
. In 1091, Gofraid won the Kingship of Dublin, and reigned there for about three years. In 1094 he was forced from Dublin, and died the following year of the plague on the Hebridean island of Islay
Islay
-Prehistory:The earliest settlers on Islay were nomadic hunter-gatherers who arrived during the Mesolithic period after the retreat of the Pleistocene ice caps. In 1993 a flint arrowhead was found in a field near Bridgend dating from 10,800 BC, the earliest evidence of a human presence found so far...
.
The chronicle is a somewhat untrustworthy source in the years immediately following Gofraid's death. What is known for certain is that, in 1098, Magnús Óláfsson
Magnus III of Norway
Magnus Barefoot or Magnus III Olafsson was King of Norway from 1093 until 1103 and King of Mann and the Isles from 1099 until 1103.-Background:...
, King of Norway, led a marauding fleet through the Hebrides and ravaged the islands before reaching the Isle of Man. Whether Lagmann began his reign before Magnús's arrival, or after, is not known for certain, and both possibilities have been advanced by modern scholars. The chronicle states that Lagmann ruled the kingdom seven years after his father's death. Given the dubious nature of the chronicle's dates, it is possible that Lagmann assumed the kingship when his father gained the coveted kingship of Dublin, in 1091. The chronicle next records that Aralt rebelled against Lagmann for a long period of time before being captured, whereupon Lagmann had him emasculated and blinded. If the chronicle is to be believed, Lagmann afterwards repented for the cruelty he had inflicted upon Aralt, and resigned the kingdom before setting off for Jerusalem, where he died. Now, if we assume that Lagmann took power in the year of his father's death and then trust the chronicle when it says that he ruled for seven years after his father's death, then that brings us to 1102. The chronicle then states that Lagmann's brother rebelled for a long period and a stretch of the imagination might let us believe it was for four long years. If Lagmann then repented of his sins and wished to go on crusade he would have ben just in time to join the expedition of Sigurd Of Norway who set off to the Holy Land at this time with a large fleet. Considering that the Isles may at this time have been under Norwegian overlordship, this is perhaps not an entirely unlikely set of events to have transpired. Some historians of the Crusades
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
take this passage to be evidence that Lagmann took part in the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
(1096–1099).
Uí Briain intervention in the Isles
Although the Chronicle of Man maintains that Lagmann voluntarily gave up his throne, some historians have suggested that he was forced from his island-kingdom. The chronicle states that with the death of Lagmann, messengers from the leading Islesmen were sent to the "King of Ireland", requesting that he send a royal family member to rule over the kingdom until Lagmann's younger brother, Amlaíb, was old enough to rule. One explanation of this request is that it may have been made on behalf of supporters of Amlaíb, who may have been hostile to Lagmann's rule. If this was the case, then the king's price for intervention may have been to impose a regentRegent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of his own choice upon the Islesmen.
The "King of Ireland" of the chronicle has been identified as Muirchertach Ua Briain, King of Munster. The reason why an outsider, such as Muirchertach, was picked by the Islesmen to choose a ruler, may have to do with Muirchertach's recent conquest and overlordship in the region. For example, in 1094 Muirchertach drove Gofraid from the kingship of Dublin (with Gofraid's death only a year later). Muirchertach then drove Domnall mac Flainn Ua Mael Sechlainn from the kingship of Mide, and put in his place another Ua Mael Sechlainn dynast. The chronicle records that Muirchertach sent a certain Domnall mac Taidc to rule the island kingdom. Domnall is considered to have been a son of Muirchertach's brother, and thus a grandson of Echmarcach mac Ragnaill
Echmarcach mac Ragnaill
Echmarcach mac Ragnaill was the Gall-Gaidhel King of the Isles, Dublin , and much of Galloway. According to Seán Duffy he was either a grandson or great-grandson of Ivar of Waterford, but an alternative exists. Benjamin Hudson has contended Echmarcach was a grandson of Gofraid mac Arailt...
, who ruled Dublin between the years 1036–1038 and 1046–1052, and also the Isle of Man in 1061, and the Rhinns
Kingdom of the Rhinns
Na Renna, or the Kingdom of the Rhinns, was a Norse-Gaelic lordship which appears in the 11th century records. The Rhinns was a province in medieval Scotland, and comprised, along with Farines, the later county of Wigtown...
in 1065. The chronicle records that Domnall then became a tyrant during his three year rule, and that the leading Islesmen revolted against him, and drove him from the kingdom back to Ireland. The Annals of the Four Masters
Annals of the Four Masters
The Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland or the Annals of the Four Masters are a chronicle of medieval Irish history...
state that, in 1096 a certain Amlaíb mac Taidc Ua Briain was slain on the Isle of Man. Amlaíb is thought to have been a brother of Domnall, and his death may be evidence that the rule of the Uí Briain brothers was not as popular as the chronicle implies. In fact, Amlaíb may have been killed by supporters of Lagmann.
Magnús Berfœttr's arrival in the Isles
The extent of Domnall's rule in the kingdom is unknown. It is questionable whether he had any real authority in the northern Hebrides, furthest from the Isle of Man. According to the Chronicle of Man, in 1097 Magnús Berfœttr, King of Norway, sent a delegate, IngimundrIngemund
Ingemund was an 11th century Norse lord who was sent by Magnus, King of Norway, to the Outer Hebrides to take rule as his vassal. According to the mediaeval Manx Chronicle, soon after his arrival in the Isles Ingemund enraged the local leaders and in consequence, both he and his followers were...
, into the Isles to take possession of the kingdom. Although Ingimundr is only mentioned in this one source, it is not implausible that Magnús sent someone to seize control of the island-kingdom on his behalf. The chronicle relates that, Ingimundr installed himself on Lewis
Lewis
Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris, the largest island of the Western Isles or Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The total area of Lewis is ....
, but was later killed by the leading Islesmen. It has been suggested that Ingimundr may have based himself on the remote Outer Hebrides because the coveted Isle of Man was then contested by various other parties. In the following year, the chronicle records that internal hostilities broke out on the Isle of Man. One suggestion is that this record of internal strife may be related to the struggles between Lagmann and Aralt. The chronicle makes no mention of Domnall, and it is possible that he had lost control of the island by then. In the same year, the chronicle records the arrival of Magnús himself, and it is possible that Ingimundr's death at the hands of the Islesmen may have incited Magnús to take matters into his own hands.
Magnús' takeover of the Hebrides and the Isle of Man is colourfully depicted in several mediaeval Icelandic sources. Gísl Illugisson, an Icelandic skald
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
, described Lagmann as "Ivistar gram", which can be translated as "Prince of Uist", "Lord of Uist", or "lord of North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
". This title may indicate that Lagmann held some sort of position in the Hebrides. One suggestion is that he may have had his base on Uist
Uist
Uist or The Uists are the central group of islands in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.North Uist and South Uist are linked by causeways running via Benbecula and Grimsay, and the entire group is sometimes known as the Uists....
, a group of islands in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides
The Outer Hebrides also known as the Western Isles and the Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of Scotland. The islands are geographically contiguous with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland...
. According to the mediaeval Morkinskinna
Morkinskinna
Morkinskinna is an Old Norse kings' saga, relating the history of Norwegian kings from approximately 1025 to 1157. The saga was written in Iceland around 1220, and has been preserved in a manuscript from around 1275....
, and Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
, Lagmann ruled the "northern islands", a term which likely refers to the Outer Hebrides. According to Morkinskinna, as Magnús approached, Lagmann fled southwards and out to sea, but was eventually captured and spared by Magnús. Heimskringla records that Lagmann and his crew were captured whilst attempting to sail to Ireland. Gísl's poetry records that Lagmann was kept in the company of Magnús. Another skald, Bjǫrn Krepphendi, described how Lagmann was banished from his lands by Magnús' marauding fleet. It has been suggested that Magnús may have released Lagmann on condition that he leave the region and take part in the crusade implied by the chronicle. Also, part of the seven year reign, assigned to Lagmann by the chronicle, may have been under the suzerainty of Magnús.
The Annals of Innisfallen record that, in 1111 Domnall mac Taidc travelled into the north of Ireland, and took the kingship of the Insegall, which may refer to not only to the Hebrides but the Isle of Man as well. If this record is to be believed, then Domnall's rule was a brief one. He was slain in 1115, and would have likely been in Ireland in 1114, since he was Muirchertach's heir, and that year Muirchertach was gravely ill and had suffered the usurpation of his kingdom to his own brother. However, another view of the 1111 record is that it refer to merely an attempt by Domnall to regain control of the kingdom, possibly from the control of Muirchertach, and it has been suggested that Domnall's rule in the region was confined to about the years 1095–1098, before the arrival of Magnús. Another suggestion that has been offered is that both Domnall and Lagmann began their reigns after Magnús' death.
Lagmann's legacy
One of the four housesHouse system
The house system is a traditional feature of British schools, and schools in the Commonwealth. Historically, it was associated with established public schools, where a 'house' refers to a boarding house or dormitory of a boarding school...
of The Buchan School
The Buchan School
The Buchan School is an independent primary school in the south of the Isle of Man, catering for children aged 3–11. It is the junior school of King William's College.- History :...
, the junior school to King William's College
King William's College
King William's College is a leading world International Baccalaureate HMC independent school for ages 3 to 18, situated near Castletown on the Isle of Man...
on the Isle of Man, is named Lagman. The three other houses are named Godred, Magnus, and Olaf. According to the school's website, the names "commemorate famous Viking
Viking
The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...
rulers of the Island". All four names have been borne by multiple mediaeval rulers in the region.
In the late 1920s, members of the Isle of Man Natural History and Antiquarian Society excavated an area near the tower of ruinous Rushen Abbey
Rushen Abbey
Rushen Abbey was an abbey on the Isle of Man, located near Ballasalla. Originally home for monks of the Savignac order, it soon came under Cistercian control and remained so until its dissolution. The abbey is located two miles from Castle Rushen; the most important political entity on the island...
, on the Isle of Man. The team uncovered several burials, one of which was thought to have been that of Lagmann. This particular grave, dubbed "Lagman's Grave", contained two bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
buckles which were thought to have "a special significance". A more recent (1988) analysis of archaeological finds noted that the claim of a connection with Lagmann cannot be supported.
