Episode 5 The Norse and Normans

In all our discussion of Gaels, Britons, Angles, and Picts, let's not leave out the Norse and Normans, who founded many Scottish kindreds.  Remember that the Normans were originally Scandinavians who were invited by the king of France to settle in northern France (modern Normandy) to serve as buffers against further Viking attacks.  They integrated into French society, married local girls, and adopted the language.  

Some clans that have Norse origins are MacAskill, MacAulay, McCorquodale, McCotter, MacIver, McKittrick, Gunn, and MacLeod.  Let's not leave out a group of kindreds that don't necessarily have a Norse name but do, in fact, descend, at least partially from the Norse.  I'm talking about those descended from Somerled: MacRory, MacDougall, and MacDonald.  

The Normans were introduced to Scotland much less violently than the Norse (and even much less violent than their own arrival in England).  They were invited, many of them by David I.  Some of the kindreds that were founded by a Norman include Bruce, Comyn, Montgomery, Fraser, Grant, Murray, Sutherland, Crawford, Hay, Hunter, Innes, Jardine, Kerr, Menzies, Ramsay, Sinclair, and Stewart.

A short not on a few of these kindreds.  Although the Murrays and Sutherlands are usually included in a list of Norman clans, they claim descent from a Flemish knight named Freskin.  Also, the Stewarts are descended from a Breton family who moved into England with the Normans.

#Scotland, #Scottish, #Vikings, #Clan,