The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles: An Introductory Guide

A thirteenth-century manuscript chronicles the medieval Kingdom of Man and the Isles, tracing its rise and fall.

The thirteenth-century manuscript The Chronicles of the Kings of Man and the Isles is the earliest surviving piece of historical documentation from the Isle of Man and a uniquely important source describing the rise and fall of the medieval Kingdom of Man and the Isles between about 1016 and 1316. The text is the natural starting point for anyone interested in the history of the region, its Norse–Gaelic ruling dynasty and the kingdom’s relationship with other powers in the British Isles.

This completely new translation of the Chronicles is accompanied by a historical commentary explaining the complex array of people, places and events that crowd the often-turbulent medieval history of this region. Newly translated extracts from other contemporary documents such as the Saga of King Hakon of Norway further contextualise the social, political and religious history of the kingdom and provide useful background for the Chronicles year-by-year account.

This user-friendly translation, with its wealth of supporting commentary and documentation, will be a vital resource for scholars and students as well as a fascinating read for enthusiasts.

R. Andrew McDonald is Professor of History at Brock University, Canada, where he was the founding director of the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies. He is the author of many books, book chapters and articles on medieval Scottish, Hebridean and Manx history, including The Kingdom of the Isles: Scotland’s Western Seaboard, c.1100–c.1336, and is co-editor of The Viking Age: A Reader and Alba: Celtic Scotland in the Middle Ages.

Angus A. Somerville, a graduate of the University of Glasgow and retired Associate Professor at Brock University in Canada, has taught Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon and Middle English in universities in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Since retirement, his interests have increasingly focused on Old Norse. He is co-editor with Andrew McDonald of The Viking Age: A Reader (4th edn 2025).