The Norsemen of the Western Isles lost little time in sending messengers
to Norway, telling how the King of Scots had attempted to force their
allegiance to his crown.
Hakon, the Norwegian king, was roused to anger. He determined to revenge
the injuries offered to his vassals, and at once issued orders for the
assembling of a vast fleet and army, whilst he repaired in person to his
great seaport of Bergen to make ready for an expedition which should not
only restore his vassals to their lands and rights, but which should
also sweep away every kilted Scot from the isles, and convert the great
kingdom of Scotland itself into a dependency of Norway.
These great preparations for war commenced in the autumn of 1262. It was
not until eight months afterwards that they were completed.
When Allan Redmain, with Earl Kenric and Duncan Graham lying ill in his
cabin, rejoined the combined forces of Sir Piers de Currie and the Earl
of Ross, he found these two chiefs on the point of separating. The Earl
of Ross left the sound of Iona and sailed northward again, while Sir
Piers, with the eight galleys of Bute and Arran, bent his course south
to Colonsay, there to pick up the vessel that Kenric had left in guard
over that island. These nine vessels thereupon returned to the Clyde,
and Sir Piers made a journey into Scotland to make his report to the King.
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