The Battle of Largs



The Battle of Largs took place in 1263.  The Scots had victory at Renfrew in 1164, but the Norse still maintained control of the Isles and Argyll.  The King of Norway determined to take complete control of the territory.

In July of 1263 the Norse set sail down the coast of Scotland raiding the mainland along the way.  The Scots initially held negotiations but it was just a means for buying time.  As the negotiations were going on the Scots were raising forces to fend off the Norse army.

A storm forced the Norse to land in bad circumstances and on a difficult coast.  The battle continued over the next several days.  Much of the Norse army was trapped on ships because of the storm.  The Scots were also not fully organized.  Details of the battle are sketchy, but the results ended up favoring the Scots.  The Battle of Largs may not have been a decisive military victory but it was a moral victory for the Scots.

 

Norse ships were forced back north due to the coming winter.  The Norse King died during the winter and so it is unknown if there would have been a different outcome had he resumed the battle in the spring.