[16] In 1226,
Harald was drowned at sea, probably on his return voyage, thus leaving
John without any male heir, and save for his nameless hostage daughter
or her children, if any, without any direct lineal heirs for the
jarldom and earldom of Orkney and of Caithness respectively.
In 1228 John sent presents to the Norse king, and received in return a
good long-ship and many other gifts; and in 1230 John is found aiding
Olaf, King of Man, a friend of the Norse king, by giving him a like
vessel, "The Ox," to enable him to complete his voyage back from
Norway to his own kingdom, and in the same year John rendered
assistance to the Norse expedition, which had attacked the South
Hebrides, by harbouring its ships in Orkney on their voyage back to
Norway.[17]
From the above facts it is clear that Earl John, though he owed
allegiance to both kings, was more inclined to favour Norway than
Scotland, and that he was more constantly in attendance at the Norse,
than at the Scottish Court. At the same time it became more and more
likely that he would have to choose between his two masters, as war
for the Sudreyar or Hebrides was already certain to break out between
the two countries, and, save for civil war in Norway, would have
broken out at once.
Pages:
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157