ORKNEY 
Gahabited iflands are Pomona or the Mainland, Graemfay, 
{fi 
low, Gainfay, and 
thefe will be found defcribed under their re{pective appella- 
tions, in peri or fubfequent pages ot ‘his 
Hiffory.—The period at which the Orkne; iflads were 
firft made known ie the civilized wor'd is not recorded in 
the works of any ancient author. Dr. Barry, however, 
deems it more than probable that they were difcovered by 
the Carthaginians, or by the fpirited Greck colony at Mar- 
feilles, feveral centuries previous to the Chriltian era. But 
whether they were ihabited at that time, is a queftion 
which the fame writer admits it to be im sae to deter- 
mine; though he is of opinion that they w and thinks it 
molt likely that ne a inhabitants came hither from 
the north of Scotlan events, there is no 
oe cape Orcus, un thern promon- 
tory of Caithnefs, from which thefe nae can be diftinétly 
feveral kings, who reigned 
firft five centuries of the Chriftian era. And in 
of the Roman empire among ue ns of Conftantine, the 
Orcades are claffe " Gaul, Spain, in the 
with Britai 
enumeration cf thofe countries aren fell to the lot of young 
on antine. 
affirmed with certainty, except th 
eople, who, under the denomination of 
under the dominion of Nera » by Harold Harfager, who 
likewife fubdued the rete iflands and the Ifle of Man. 
This — conferred the hereditary government of his new 
conquefts on Ronald, count of Merca; but that nobleman 
medial refigned them in favour of his brother Sigurd, 
whom the king, “at the fame time, created earl of Orkney. 
By the ck of this grant, Sigurd, though tributary to 
the kin Norway, was in effeét as independent as any 
fovereign prince. and could levy troops and make war at his 
own pleaiure. Accordingly he turned his arms again 
Scotland, and reduced under his fway the whole of Caith- 
nefs and Sutherland. This earl was fucceeded by his fon 
Gottorm, who dying without iffue, the earldom reverted to 
his uncle Ronald, by whom it was given to Hallad, one of 
His government was marked with timidity 
Inflead of exerting himfelf to repel the in- 
roads of the numerous pirates who infetted the iflands, he 
fhut himfelf up in one of his caftles, and at length abdicated 
orway. inar, his 
The adminiltration of 
this earl was as vigorous and wife as that . his aia ag 
had been weak and impolitic. He introduced many im 
‘provements into the iflands, and not only freed Cea from 
ISLANDS. 
Piratical invafion, but, throwing off the Norwegian yoke, 
of the murder of his father, rendered himfelf in- 
eft three fons, the 
3 
OQ 
° 
S 
5 
land y this princefs he had 
fon, Sigurd, his fucceffor, w as one of the moft illuf 
trious men of He fell in battle at Clontarf, near 
Dublin, and was eventually fucceeded by his youngelt fon 
Morfin, who maintained the glory of his father’s name. He 
left two fons, Paul and Erlend, who lived in the utmoft 
cordiality, till their Z iendfhip was difturbed by the ambition 
of Hacon, the fon Paul. 
prince accordingly failed for peel and difpofleffing the 
two earls, appointed one of his own fons viceroy in their 
ftead. He 
then made excurfions into Scotland, Ireland, 
nd England, accompanied by Hacon, and his two coufins, 
Erlend and Magnus. This laft was highly diftinguifhed 
- his learning and piety, which fo much excited the envy 
f Haco on, that he caufed him to be murdered.. Soon after 
dec the former, by his own imprudence, gave the 
entire fovereignty to Paul. nother competitor for the 
earldom, however, foon after appeared. This was Ronald, 
: ar i 
the. 3d year of his age, and with him ended the independent 
fovereignty of the Orkneys; for though aides - of the 
N 
egian race Sabie after him, they mpie ey 
under the controul of the fovereigns of Nor 
The laft refident earl Orkney was s V., at 
whofe death, in 1 male line became extin&, and 
Henry Side of the aig of Strathearn, a defcendant by 
the female line, fucceeded to the title. Caithnefs and Suther- 
land were now alienated for ever to the crown of Scotland; 
aud the kings of that country foon after claimed the fove- 
reignty of the iflands alfo. This, however, they did not 
obtain till the reign of James III., who having married a 
daughter of Eric, king of Denmark, Orkney and Shet- 
land were Pee ed in payment of her dowry, which was 
and ae both thefe clufters of iflands 
of the Scottifh mo- 
re- 
tained for fome time ers many of the high privileges an = 
nexed to their ftation; but thefe alfo, and even the titl 
A. 2 were 
