Bárid mac Oitir

Bárid mac Oitir (Old Norse: Bárðr Óttarsson, died 914) was a Viking^{[nb 1]} leader who may have ruled the Isle of Man in the early 10th century.

Biography

Bárid mac Oitir is mentioned once in contemporary Irish annals. The Annals of Ulster in 914 record:

A naval battle off the Isle of Man between Bárid son of Oitir and Ragnall grandson of Ímar, in which Bárid and nearly all of his army were destroyed.^[2]

This incident is the earliest known occasion where Vikings are linked with Man.

Notes

1. The definition as given by Downham is used here – Vikings were "people of Scandinavian culture who were active outside of Scandinavia".^[1]