Treaty of Perth
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Perth, 1266, ended military conflict between Norway
, under King Magnus VI of Norway
, and Scotland
, under King Alexander III
, over the sovereignty of the Hebrides
and the Isle of Man
.
The Hebrides and the Isle of Man had become Norwegian territory during centuries when both Scotland and Norway were still forming themselves as coherent nation-states, and Norwegian control had been formalised in 1098, when Edgar of Scotland
signed the islands over to Magnus III of Norway
. In Norwegian terms, the islands were the Sudreys, meaning Southern Isles.
The Treaty was agreed three years after the Battle of Largs
in 1263. Michael Lynch
has compared the treaty's importance with that of the Treaty of York
of 1237. The Treaty of York defined a border between Scotland and England
which is almost identical to the modern border.
Largs is often claimed as a great Scottish victory, but the Norwegian forces, led by King Håkon IV
, were not fully committed to battle and the result was inconclusive. Håkon had planned to renew military action the following summer, but he died in Orkney during the winter. His successor, King Magnus VI, sued for peace and secured the Treaty of Perth.
In the treaty Norway recognised Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4,000 marks
and an annuity of 100 marks. The annuity was actually paid during subsequent decades. Scotland also confirmed Norwegian sovereignty over Shetland and Orkney.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, under King Magnus VI of Norway
Magnus VI of Norway
Magnus VI Lagabøte or Magnus Håkonsson , was king of Norway from 1263 until 1280.-Early life:...
, and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, under King Alexander III
Alexander III of Scotland
Alexander III was King of Scots from 1249 to his death.-Life:...
, over the sovereignty of 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...
and the Isle of Man
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...
.
The Hebrides and the Isle of Man had become Norwegian territory during centuries when both Scotland and Norway were still forming themselves as coherent nation-states, and Norwegian control had been formalised in 1098, when Edgar of Scotland
Edgar of Scotland
Edgar or Étgar mac Maíl Choluim , nicknamed Probus, "the Valiant" , was king of Alba from 1097 to 1107...
signed the islands over to Magnus III of Norway
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:...
. In Norwegian terms, the islands were the Sudreys, meaning Southern Isles.
The Treaty was agreed three years after the Battle of Largs
Battle of Largs
The Battle of Largs was an engagement fought between the armies of Norway and Scotland near the present-day town of Largs in North Ayrshire on the Firth of Clyde in Scotland on 2 October 1263. It was the most important military engagement of the Scottish-Norwegian War. The Norwegian forces were...
in 1263. Michael Lynch
Michael Lynch
Michael or Mike Lynch may refer to:* Michael Francis Lynch, Australian arts administrator* Michael Lynch * Michael Lynch * Michael Lynch...
has compared the treaty's importance with that of the Treaty of York
Treaty of York
The Treaty of York was an agreement between Henry III of England and Alexander II of Scotland, signed at York on 25 September 1237. It detailed the future status of several feudal properties and addressed other issues between the two kings, and indirectly marked the end of Scotland's attempts to...
of 1237. The Treaty of York defined a border between Scotland and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which is almost identical to the modern border.
Largs is often claimed as a great Scottish victory, but the Norwegian forces, led by King Håkon IV
Haakon IV of Norway
Haakon Haakonarson , also called Haakon the Old, was king of Norway from 1217 to 1263. Under his rule, medieval Norway reached its peak....
, were not fully committed to battle and the result was inconclusive. Håkon had planned to renew military action the following summer, but he died in Orkney during the winter. His successor, King Magnus VI, sued for peace and secured the Treaty of Perth.
In the treaty Norway recognised Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4,000 marks
Mark (money)
Mark was a measure of weight mainly for gold and silver, commonly used throughout western Europe and often equivalent to 8 ounces. Considerable variations, however, occurred throughout the Middle Ages Mark (from a merging of three Teutonic/Germanic languages words, Latinized in 9th century...
and an annuity of 100 marks. The annuity was actually paid during subsequent decades. Scotland also confirmed Norwegian sovereignty over Shetland and Orkney.