Godred Haraldson, 930989 (aged 59 years)

Name
Godred /Haraldson/
Given names
Godred
Surname
Haraldson
Birth
about 930
Occupation
King of the Sudreys
Death of a father
about 940 (aged 10 years)
Birth of a daughter
about 960 (aged 30 years)
Birth of a son
about 962 (aged 32 years)
Occupation
King of the Sudreys 976-989. Sudreys var et gammelt navn for Sydøerne d.v.s. Isle of Man
976 (aged 46 years)
Misc
976 (aged 46 years)
Note: Magnus Haraldson was succeeded as King of the Sudreys by his brother, Godred, who is referred to in the Irish annals as King of the Insi-Gall. This evident change in rulers may have been the cause of at least two non-recoveries of coin hords in the Isle of Man - that from beneath Kirk Andreas church-tower, in the parish of Kirk Andreas and Sheading of Ayre, and that from Bellaquayle, Douglas mentioned above. Michael Dolly considers that the first coin-heard should be dated at least as late as in the early 970s and that the second could perhaps be dated somewhere in the generel bracket implied by c 975. Thus both could fit in with the year 976 or 977 and the death in battle of Magnus and, doubtless, many of his followers.

Magnus Haraldson was succeeded as King of the Sudreys by his brother, Godred, who is referred to in the Irish annals as King of the Insi-Gall. This evident change in rulers may have been the cause of at least two non-recoveries of coin hords in the Isle of Man - that from beneath Kirk Andreas church-tower, in the parish of Kirk Andreas and Sheading of Ayre, and that from Bellaquayle, Douglas mentioned above. Michael Dolly considers that the first coin-heard should be dated at least as late as in the early 970s and that the second could perhaps be dated somewhere in the generel bracket implied by c 975. Thus both could fit in with the year 976 or 977 and the death in battle of Magnus and, doubtless, many of his followers.
Godred Haraldson would appear to have served the connections between the Sudreys and England, probably because King Edgar the Peacefull died in 975 and was succeeded by his son, edward, of whom little is known exept that he was, according to Gwyn Jones, "young, unstable, resented by many, murdered in 978 and in time dubbed saint and martyr". The fact that Gordred Haraldson subsequently seems to have paid tribute to Earl Hakon of Western Norway may well have been because he wished to have a protector in case the king of England should try to make him a vassal.

Death of a brother
about 977 (aged 47 years)
Misc
979 (aged 49 years)
Note: in 979, Godred Haraldson, after two early defeats, devastated Anglesey, havin been hired by Prince Constantin the Black, son of Jago, to fight against Constantines cousin, Howel. It seems probable that Godred took part in the battle of Tara, which took place in Ireland about 980, in which the Norseman under Olaf the II Kvaran were severely defeated by the Irish King, Mealseachlainn. The evidence to support this is contained in the "Annals of the four masters", which record under the year 978 (corrected year 980), that "The battle of Tara was gained by Mealseachlainn over the foreigners of Dublin and the islands and over the sons of Olaf" (That is Olaf Kvaran) "in particular where many where slain, together with Ragnall (Reginald) "son of Olaf, heir to the sovereignty of the foreigners". It would seem certainthat the "foreigners of the islands" included, if they where not wholly, Sudreans and it is most likely that they were llead by their king, that is Godred Haraldson. One affect of the battle og tara was that, after that date and untill 1014, the Dublin Nors played only a secondary role in Irish affairs. Another affect of the battle seems to have been that Godred Haraldson discontinued his connections with Dublin.
Marriage of a daughter
before 980 (aged 50 years)
Death of a daughter
after 980 (aged 50 years)
Misc
987 (aged 57 years)
Note: About 982 Sigurd the Stout, earl of Orkney and a descendant of Ketil Flat-Nose, attacked Isle of Man and extorted a heavy penalty from the inhabitants. Sigurds men seems to have met and defeated Godred Haraldson at Iona in 987. In the same year, Godred seems to have been again defeated, this time by the sons of Njal and Kari (who was friends of Sigurd) in the Isle of Man. In this battle, Godreds son Dungal, was killed. The annals of Ulster records the battle as having been fought between the son af Harald and the Danes and state that one thousind were killed in the engagement. The reference to the Danes must be construed as a reference to Norsemen, Irish analist often confusing the people of the two nations. This is reasonable as "Dane" has an original sense corresponding to "Scandinavian" today.
Death of a son
Death
989 (aged 59 years)
Note: Godred himself was killed in 989. According to Munch and A.W. More, Godred was killed in engagement with the Dalriadic Scots but there is a feeling today among historians that Godred may well have met his death in a battle which took place in Ulster. The events and dates concerning the fights between Sigurd the Stout and Godred Haraldson are confused. There is considerable conflict between various historians but the facts given above seems as likely than any others. Certainly, by 989, Godred Haraldson was dead.
Family with parents
father
905940
Birth: about 905
Death: about 940Connaught, Ireland
elder brother
928977
Birth: about 928
Death: about 977
3 years
himself
930989
Birth: about 930
Death: 989
Godred Haraldson + … …
himself
930989
Birth: about 930
Death: 989
daughter
3 years
son
962987
Birth: about 962
Death: 987Isle of Man, Scotland
Birth
Occupation
Occupation
Misc
Misc
Misc
Name
Death
Misc

Magnus Haraldson was succeeded as King of the Sudreys by his brother, Godred, who is referred to in the Irish annals as King of the Insi-Gall. This evident change in rulers may have been the cause of at least two non-recoveries of coin hords in the Isle of Man - that from beneath Kirk Andreas church-tower, in the parish of Kirk Andreas and Sheading of Ayre, and that from Bellaquayle, Douglas mentioned above. Michael Dolly considers that the first coin-heard should be dated at least as late as in the early 970s and that the second could perhaps be dated somewhere in the generel bracket implied by c 975. Thus both could fit in with the year 976 or 977 and the death in battle of Magnus and, doubtless, many of his followers.
Godred Haraldson would appear to have served the connections between the Sudreys and England, probably because King Edgar the Peacefull died in 975 and was succeeded by his son, edward, of whom little is known exept that he was, according to Gwyn Jones, "young, unstable, resented by many, murdered in 978 and in time dubbed saint and martyr". The fact that Gordred Haraldson subsequently seems to have paid tribute to Earl Hakon of Western Norway may well have been because he wished to have a protector in case the king of England should try to make him a vassal.

Misc

in 979, Godred Haraldson, after two early defeats, devastated Anglesey, havin been hired by Prince Constantin the Black, son of Jago, to fight against Constantines cousin, Howel. It seems probable that Godred took part in the battle of Tara, which took place in Ireland about 980, in which the Norseman under Olaf the II Kvaran were severely defeated by the Irish King, Mealseachlainn. The evidence to support this is contained in the "Annals of the four masters", which record under the year 978 (corrected year 980), that "The battle of Tara was gained by Mealseachlainn over the foreigners of Dublin and the islands and over the sons of Olaf" (That is Olaf Kvaran) "in particular where many where slain, together with Ragnall (Reginald) "son of Olaf, heir to the sovereignty of the foreigners". It would seem certainthat the "foreigners of the islands" included, if they where not wholly, Sudreans and it is most likely that they were llead by their king, that is Godred Haraldson. One affect of the battle og tara was that, after that date and untill 1014, the Dublin Nors played only a secondary role in Irish affairs. Another affect of the battle seems to have been that Godred Haraldson discontinued his connections with Dublin.

Misc

About 982 Sigurd the Stout, earl of Orkney and a descendant of Ketil Flat-Nose, attacked Isle of Man and extorted a heavy penalty from the inhabitants. Sigurds men seems to have met and defeated Godred Haraldson at Iona in 987. In the same year, Godred seems to have been again defeated, this time by the sons of Njal and Kari (who was friends of Sigurd) in the Isle of Man. In this battle, Godreds son Dungal, was killed. The annals of Ulster records the battle as having been fought between the son af Harald and the Danes and state that one thousind were killed in the engagement. The reference to the Danes must be construed as a reference to Norsemen, Irish analist often confusing the people of the two nations. This is reasonable as "Dane" has an original sense corresponding to "Scandinavian" today.

Death

Godred himself was killed in 989. According to Munch and A.W. More, Godred was killed in engagement with the Dalriadic Scots but there is a feeling today among historians that Godred may well have met his death in a battle which took place in Ulster. The events and dates concerning the fights between Sigurd the Stout and Godred Haraldson are confused. There is considerable conflict between various historians but the facts given above seems as likely than any others. Certainly, by 989, Godred Haraldson was dead.