The defeat and death of Somerled at Renfrew ended his invasion of Scotland and caused the Kingdom of the Isles to fragment among rival claimants.
Key Facts
- Year
- 1164
- Somerled's title
- King of the Isles
- Allied forces
- Kingdom of the Isles and Kingdom of Dublin
- Scottish commander
- Unknown; possibly Walter fitz Alan or Baldwin of Lanark
- Outcome for Islesmen
- Decisive defeat; Somerled slain, forces routed
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Somerled, King of the Isles, likely invaded southwest Scotland either to renew support for the sons of Máel Coluim mac Alasdair against Malcolm IV, or to reclaim territory formerly held by the Gall Gaidheil that had recently come under Scottish royal control. A perceived Scottish threat to his authority in the Firth of Clyde may also have motivated the campaign.
In 1164, Somerled led combined forces from the Kingdom of the Isles and the Kingdom of Dublin in an attack near Renfrew, Scotland. The Scottish commander's identity remains unknown, though Walter fitz Alan, Baldwin of Lanark, and the Bishop of Glasgow are proposed candidates. The Islesmen and Dubliners were decisively routed, and Somerled was killed, apparently by local levies.
Somerled's death destabilized the Kingdom of the Isles, which fractured once more. Guðrøðr Óláfsson's brother Rǫgnvaldr briefly gained power but was overcome within the year. The realm was then repartitioned between Guðrøðr and Somerled's descendants, mirroring the division that had originated with Somerled's coup in 1156. The battle is considered Malcolm IV's greatest recorded victory.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Somerled (Somairle mac Gilla Brigte).
Side B
1 belligerent
Unknown (possibly Walter fitz Alan).