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Hebrides

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Geography of Great
Britain

   The Hebrides
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   The Hebrides

   The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west
   coast of Scotland, and in geological terms are composed of the oldest
   rocks in the British Isles. They can be divided into two main groups:
     * Inner Hebrides, including Skye, Mull, Islay, Jura, Staffa and the
       Small Isles
     * Outer Hebrides, including Lewis and Harris, Berneray, North Uist,
       South Uist, Barra and St Kilda

   The Hebrides as a whole are sometimes referred to as the Western Isles,
   but this term is more accurately applied just to the Outer Hebrides.

   The Hebrides are probably the best-known group of Scottish islands, but
   other groups include the islands of the lower Firth of Clyde and the
   Northern Isles. The islands in the Clyde, especially Arran, are
   sometimes mistakenly called Hebrides too.

   The Hebrides, also known as Fingal's Cave, is a famous overture written
   by Felix Mendelssohn while residing on these islands.

   The majority of native Scottish Gaelic speakers live on, or come from,
   the Hebrides. Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college is based on Skye
   and Islay. Especially on the Outer Hebrides, the language is still very
   viable.

The Hebrides under Norwegian control

   The Hebrides began to come under Norwegian control and settlement
   already before the 9th century AD. The Norwegian control of the
   Hebrides was formalised in 1098 when Edgar of Scotland recognised the
   claim of Magnus III of Norway. The Scottish acceptance of Magnus III as
   King of the Isles came after the Norwegian king had conquered the
   Orkney Islands, the Hebrides and the Isle of Man in a swift campaign
   earlier the same year, directed against the local Norwegian leaders of
   the various islands. By capturing the islands Magnus III subdued the
   Norsemen who had seized the islands centuries earlier and imposed a
   more direct royal control.

   The Norwegian control of both the Inner and Outer Hebrides would see
   almost constant warfare until being ultimately resolved by the
   partioning of the Western Isles in 1156. The Outer Hebrides would
   remain under the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles while the Inner Hebrides
   broke out under Somerled, the Norse-Celtic kinsman of both Lulach and
   the Manx royal house. Although the Inner Hebrides, from 1156 known as
   the Kingdom of the Hebrides, still nominally was under the sovereignty
   of Norway, the leaders were Scottish in language and culture rather
   than Norse.

   After his victory of 1156 Somerled went on to two years later seize
   control over the Isle of Man itself and become the last King of the
   Isle of Man and the Isles to rule over all the islands the kingdom had
   once included. After Somerled's death in 1164 the rulers of Mann would
   no longer be in control of the Inner Hebrides.

   In the 1266 Treaty of Perth the Outer Hebrides, along with the Isle of
   Man, were yielded to the Kingdom of Scotland.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrides"
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   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
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