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Ann an Litir còig ceud, seasgad ’s a seachd (567), bha mi ag innse dhuibh mu Cho-chòrdadh Pheairt. Thug an co-chòrdadh gu crìch an smachd aig na Lochlannaich air taobh an iar na h-Alba – agus an iar-thuath, na h-eileanan agus Eilean Mhanainn cuideachd. Chaidh an t-aonta a tharraing ri chèile le riochdairean aig Nirribhidh agus Alba ann am Peairt. Bha sin anns a’ bhliadhna dà cheud deug, seasgad ’s a sia (1266). 

Bha an co-chòrdadh eadar Alasdair III, Rìgh na h-Alba, agus Rìgh Nirribhidh, Mànas IV. A rèir an aonta, bha Alba a’ pàigheadh ceithir mìle marg agus an uair sin ceud marg gach bliadhna. Fhuair Alba smachd air na tìrean a dh’ainmich mi, ach Arcaibh is Sealtainn.

Cha b’ e sin deireadh an sgeòil airson Co-chòrdadh Pheairt. Chaidh a dhaingneachadh ann an Inbhir Nis nuair a bha Raibeart am Brusach na rìgh. Bha esan an làthair airson ainm a chur ris an sgrìobhainn. 

Tha dreach dhen aonta – air eadar-theangachadh gu Beurla – anns an leabhar Invernessiana. Chaidh an leabhar a chur ri chèile le Teàrlach Friseal Mac an Tòisich. Thàinig an dà sgioba còmhla air an latha mu dheireadh dhen Dàmhair ann an trì cheud deug ʼs a dhà-dheug (1312). Ann an sgioba na h-Alba, a bharrachd air an rìgh, bha co-dhiù ceathrar easbaigean agus triùir iarlan. Chuir iad uile an seulachan pearsanta ris an sgrìobhainn.

Cha robh Rìgh Nirribhidh, Håkon V, an làthair. Bha esan air a riochdachadh le àrd-easbaig, dithis easbaigean, iarla agus dithis bharan. 

Cha deach an t-aonta atharrachadh. Dhearbh am Brusach gun cumadh Alba ris na dleastanasan aice. Bhiodh i a’ cur ceud marg a h-uile bliadhna gu sìorraidh gu Rìgh Nirribhidh agus oighrean. Bhiodh an t-airgead air a thoirt seachad air Fèill Eòin ann an Eaglais an Naoimh Mhànais. Tha an t-seann eaglais sin fhathast ann – ann am Baile na h-Eaglaise ann an Arcaibh. Carson a thachradh e an sin? Uill, bhuineadh Arcaibh fhathast do Rìgh Nirribhidh. 

A bheil sin a’ ciallachadh gu bheil Alba fhathast a’ cur sùim co-ionann ri ceud marg gu Nirribhidh gach bliadhna? Bheir sinn sùil air sin an ath-sheachdain.

In Litir 567, I was telling you about the Treaty of Perth. The treaty brought to an end the Scandinavian control of the west of Scotland – and the north-west, the islands and the Isle of Man as well. The agreement was drawn up by Norwegian and Scottish representatives in Perth. That was in the year 1266.

The treaty was between Alexander III, the King of Scotland, and the King of Norway, Magnus IV. According to the agreement, Scotland was paying four thousand merks and then a hundred merks every year. Scotland got control of the lands I named, except Orkney and Shetland.

That wasn’t the end of the story for the Treaty of Perth. It was ratified in Inverness when Robert the Bruce was king. He was present to put his name to the document.

A form of the agreement – translated to English – is in the book Invernessiana. The book was put together by Charles Fraser-Mackintosh. The two teams came together on the last day of October in 1312. In Scotland’s team, in addition to the king, there were at least four bishops and three earls. They all put their personal seals to the document. 

The King of Norway, HÃ¥kon V, was not present. He was represented by an archbishop, two bishops, and earl and two barons.

The agreement was not changed. Bruce confirmed that Scotland would meet its obligations. It would send a hundred merks every year forever to the King of Norway and his heirs. The money would be handed over at the Feast of St John in St Magnus’s Church [Cathedral]. The old church is still there – in Kirkwall in Orkney. Why would it happen there? Well, Orkney still belonged to the King of Norway.

Does that mean that Scotland still sends a sum equivalent to a hundred merks to Norway every year? We’ll look at that next week.