How Did Orkney Change Scottish History?

Orkney may proclaim its Norse identity, but Scottish history tour guide, Bruce Fummey visits historical locations to see how much Orkney has been linked to royal intrigues in Scottish history

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Scotland History Tours is here for people who want to learn about Scottish history and get ideas for Scottish history tours. I try to make videos which tell you tales from Scotland's past and give you information about key dates in Scottish history and historical places to visit in Scotland. Not all videos are tales from Scotland's history, some of them are about men from Scotland's past or women from Scotland's past. Basically the people who made Scotland. From April 2020 onward I've tried to give ideas for historic days out in Scotland. Essentially these are days out in Scotland for adults who are interested in historical places to visit in Scotland.

As a Scottish history tour guide people ask: Help me plan a Scottish holiday, or help me plan a Scottish vacation if your from the US. So I've tried to give a bit of history, but some places of interest in Scotland as well.

[christiankirkenes]

I'm Norwegian by loyalty and genetics, and my family is from Orkney. My tartan is Sinclair ancient hunting. I've been to Scotland once.
It's kind of hard to explain to people.

[katherinegannett]

Yes, yes, yes, please include Orkney in Scotland History Tours! As soon as I saw where you were standing at the start of this video, I recognized you were in Kirkwall, across the street from St. Magnus Cathedral. The Earl's Palace and the Bishop's Palace are right next to each other, across from the cathedral. There is so much history in one location, spanning a couple of centuries. I love Orkney and Shetland!

[jamesconnolly]

It would be most interesting to hear more history of our islands, often ignored and forgotten. Excellent programme 👍 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[Wee_Langside]

I went to Orkney for a week with my dad in about 1960/61. He was a representative for a veterinary company and travelled all over Scotland. I used to go with him as often as I could. The week in Orkney is still probably the most memorable I've had so far, the Isle of Man was another with a part in Scottish history.
You're right even a week is not long enough to explore all of Orkney. It's an amazing place. My outstanding memory is having a picnic lunch at the Stenness Standing Stones.
I hope you went on the ferry from Scrabster to Stromness across the Pentland Firth.
More Orcadian history would great.

[elainewoodard]

Yes! Include Orkney in a whole tour! Beautiful and historic place! Thanks for all the great videos and history!

[markjacobs]

Despite living in New Zealand, and having no Orcadian roots, I’ve travelled all the way to Orkney twice for holidays. I find it super interesting, and it would certainly make for some great material for more of your excellent videos

[MrDiggy]

Thanks for coming to Orkney! We don’t get enough love for how amazing historically and aesthetically the islands are! You also have the best pronunciation of Orkney and other place names I’ve ever heard from anyone outside of Orkney, let alone I’ve never really heard anyone who wasn’t from Orkney make a video about here without saying “the Orkney’s” so thanks so much! Please come back!

[artemystesfaye]

Would absolutely love to hear more Orcadian history 🙏🏽

[TheoTheTimeTravelingMagician]

I love your channel. I have deep Scottish heritage and I am very interested in learning more about Scottish history, culture, folklore, food, pretty much all of it. Your channel is an excellent way to learn and be entertained at the same time. You have great charisma and I am a big fan of the channel. 😊

[charlesdesmoulinsdefalaise]

A definite YES please include a full tour of Orkney in another video. My ancestors come from there and are related to James Fea who captured the famous Orkney pirate John would be fun for your subscribers to know more about. Very little is spoken of the Scottish pirates and their role in whisky smuggling that became standard practice for the next 150 years due to the increase of taxes from of course Scotland's most northern distillary Highland Park in Kirkwall !!

[JFahl]

Another excellent lesson - thank you Bruce & team! :) It is so fascinating to think of all the layers of migration and conquering that resulted in the mix that is now Scotland. I feel both like I learned something and am entertained every time I listen to your work.

[edamamameU]

I used to live and work with Scotland and miss in terribly. I'm so fortunate that my friends and I were able to visit Orkney and learn about its rich history, culture, and mythologies. The landscape is stunning and it was fascinating to visit many of Orkney's historical sites like Maes Howe.

[LyleFrancisDelp]

So fortunate to have toured the Orkneys in 2019. Saw pretty much everything to see. One of our best days ever.

[davidpaterson]

Great stuff as ever Bruce. Another great Orcadian “what if…” is:

“What if Haakon IV of Norway hadn’t died in Orkney in December 1263?”

He had gone there to over-winter after the autumn gales (rather more than a Scottish army) had prevented him from landing his army on the Ayrshire coast - the event known in Scottish history as “The Battle of Largs”. The fact that he was over-wintering there and had not returned to Norway suggests an intention to return to the Scottish mainland the following spring. This wasn’t a “Viking Raiding party” it was a full scale army of Norse and their Manx and Norse-Gael allies, one of his generals was “King Dugald of the Isles” - probably Dugald MacRuairi recognised as King of the “Sudreyjar” (southern isles - ie the inner and outer Hebrides) by the Norse.

Haakon’s original purpose was ostensibly to reassert the Norse claim to these islands (as far south as Arran and Bute and probably including a chunk of Argyll), a claim that was every bit as valid as that of any king of Scotland. But if he hadn’t died and HAD returned and landed his formidable army in southern Scotland there would at the very least have been no Treaty of Perth that ceded them to Scotland.

Furthermore, major Norse victories (not beyond the realms of probability) would have utterly changed the course of Scottish history - bearing in mind this was only 23 years before the death of Alexander III triggered the succession struggle that ended with the English conquest. What if Scotland had by that time become - like its islands - a fief of Norway, ruled by Norse-Gael Kings?

[GiovannaSessantaSei]

It’s always a treat to hear, “…in the mean time, let me tell ya a story.”
History with humor (when appropriate, because there’s a fair amount of tragedy, as well), and the future effects of the actions taken in response the the circumstances. Thank you!!!

[gerryphilly]

Once again you’ve entertainingly revealed the fascinating complexity of Scottish history.

[PeppieP]

I would love to hear more about Orkney history in your Scottish Tour. I just love your channel, it tells me so much about Scotland. History, particularly our Scottish history, can be so complicated and this one was much so.

[nancyholcombe]

Wow Bruce, that was a synopsis not only of the Orkneys but of just about every great nighttime soap opera ever done!😁 It's sad and cool all at the same time to us who love history but it became everyday news to the inhabitants after a while. I had a wonderful acquaintance from Orkney during the 1990s. When I mentioned that even now, their government seemed to change almost constantly, he replied "Aye. When I'm home I look at the paper ever mornin' ta see who's leadin' us that day. "!!!😆 They are a hard working people with a tremendous sense of humor! Very glad you showcased them here. I look forward to your future videos about the Orkney Islands. The history books here in the States don't know that they exist!

[sylviagibson]

Thank you! It is fascinating to see and hear about where my ancestors lived and the historical moments during their lives.

[jennyskeen]

Hello Sir; you caused me to do a laugh out loud spit take with a mouth full of my morning mug of tea when you cracked the joke line "about not getting into discussing it ", yet another time to dry off my telephone screen... Thanks, I needed that laughter first thing in the morning to begin my day with a smile on my face and a memory to chuckle about for the rest of my day. Your killing me man!! And I enjoy every moment of it. Keep on teaching me the history of my ancestors please.❤ ✌️