The
Treaty of Perth ended military conflict between
Norway under
Magnus the Law-mender and
Scotland under
Alexander III over the sovereignty of the
Western Isles, the Isle of Mann and
Caithness.
In Norwegian terms the Western Isles were known as the Sudreys (meaning Southern Isles) and they had become Norwegian territory during centuries when both Scotland and Norway were still forming themselves as coherent nation-states. The treaty was agreed three years after the 1263 naval
Battle of Largs and, in Scotland,
(page 90, Pimlico 1992, Order: ISBN 0-7126-9893-0),
Michael Lynch has compared the treaty's importance with that of the 1237 Treaty of York.
Largs is often claimed as a great Scottish victory, but the Norwegian forces, led by
Hakon IV, were not fully committed to battle and the result was inconclusive. Hakon had planned to renew military action the following summer, but he died in Orkney during the winter. His successor, Magnus the Law-mender, sued for peace and secured the Treaty of Perth.
In the treaty Norway recognised Scottish sovereignty over the disputed territories in return for a lump sum of 4000
marks and an annuity of 100 marks. The annuity was actually paid during subsequent decades.
Category:1266 in law
Perth, Treaty of (1266)
Perth, Treaty of (1266)