List of Manx monarchs

This article lists the monarchs who have ruled the Isle of Man. The island has been ruled by Brythonic, Irish, Scottish, Hiberno-Norse, English, and British monarchs. Currently, the island is ruled by the Lord of Mann, Charles III, who is represented by Lieutenant Governor, Sir John Lorimer.

• Top left: Manannán mac Lir is the mythological first ruler of Mann.
• Top right: Merfyn Frych was the last Brythonic King of Ynys Manau.
• Bottom left: William I of Mann was the first independent English King of Mann
• Bottom right: Charles III is the current Lord of Mann.

Mythology

According to Manx mythology, the first ruler of the Isle of Man was Manannán mac Lir.^[1]

Kings of Galwyddel (c.400 ‒ c.550)

The Kingdom of Galwyddel was a Brythonic kingdom, part of the Hen Ogledd, in modern-day Galloway, Scotland. The Kingdom was likely a breakaway polity from the Kingdom of Alt Clut led by Tutgual of Galwyddel, son of King Cinuit of Alt Clut and is believed to have maintained authority over the Isle of Man.^[2] Around 550, Galwyddel was invaded and annexed by the Kingdom of Rheged, under King Urien. The Galwyddel King, Senyllt, was forced to flee to Ynys Manau (Isle of Man).^[3]

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Note	Royal house
	Start	End
Tutgual I b. c.467	Late 400s	Early 500s	Son of Cinuit, King of Alt Clut; Brother of Dynfwal Hen of Alt Clut	House of Alt Clut
Dingat b. late 400s	Early 500s	Mid 500s	Son of Tutgual of Galwyddel
Senyllt b. c.510	Mid 500s	c.550	Son of Dingat ap Tudwal; Exiled to Ynys Manau

Kings of Ynys Manau (c.550 ‒ 578)

Following his expulsion from Galwyddel, Senyllt continued to rule over the Isle of Man as the independent King of Ynys Manau.^[3]

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Notes	Royal house
	Start	End
Senyllt b. c.510	c.550	Late 500s	Son of Dingat ap Tudwal	House of Alt Clut
Neithon[4] b. c.530	Late 500s	578	Son of Senyllt ap Dingat

Ulaid Rule (578 ‒ 582)

The Annals of Ulster record an expedition of the Ulaid to the Isle of Man in 577 and their return in 578 in which King Báetán mac Cairill imposed his authority on the island.^[5] In 582 after his death, the annals record the taking of Man by Áedán mac Gabráin.^[6]

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign			Notes	Royal house
	Start	End	Length
Báetán mac Cairill (d. 581)	578	582	4 years	Also King of Ulaid	House of Ulaid

Dál Riada Rule (582 ‒ c.600)

In 582, Dál Riada are recorded taking the island under King Áedán mac Gabráin. According to some sources he established a puppet king, Diwg.^[7]

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Notes	Royal house
	Start	End
Áedán mac Gabráin (d. 581)	582	c.600	Also King of Dál Riada	Cenél nGabrain

Kings of Ynys Manau (c.600 ‒ 620)

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Notes	Royal house
	Start	End
Rhun b. Mid 500s	Late 500s	Early 600s	Son of Neithon ap Senyllt	House of Alt Clut
Tudwal II[8] b. late 500s	Early 600s	Mid 600s	Son of Rhun ap Neithon
Anllech b. c.590	Mid 600s	620	Son of Tudwal ap Rhun

Bernician/Deiran Rule (620 – 633)

Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign			Notes	Royal house
		Start	End	Length
	Edwin of Bernicia & Deira (c.586─632)	620[9]	633	13 years	Also King of Bernicia and Deira	House of Deira

Kings of Ynys Manau (633 ‒ 825)

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Notes	Royal house
	Start	End
Cynin b. Early 600s	633	Mid 600s	Son of Anllech ap Tudwal	House of Alt Clut
Mermin Fawr (b. c.630)	Mid 600s	682[10]	Son of Cynin ap Anllech
Anaraud (b. c.650)	682	Late 600s	Son of Mermin Fawr[11]
Tudwal III (b. c.670)	Late 600s	Early 700s	Son of Anaraud ap Mermin
Iudgual (b. c.690)	Early 700s	Mid 700s	Son of Tudwal ap Anarawd[12]
Celemion (b. c.690)	Mid 700s	Late 700s	Daughter of Tudwal ap Anarawd; Possibly ruled jointly with her husband Sandde
Sandde (b. c.685)	Mid 700s	790	Husband of Celemion ferch Tudwal; Ruled jure uxoris; Male-line descendant of Llywarch Hen[13]	Coeling
Elidyr (b. c.730)	790[7]	Early 800s	Son of Sandde ap Alcwn and Celemion ferch Tudwal
Gwriad (b. c.750)	Early 800s	Early 800s	Son of Elidyr ap Sandde;[14] married Esyllt, daughter of Cynan, King of Gwynedd
Merfyn Frych (c.770─844)	Early 800s	825	Son of Gwriad ap Elidyr

Gwynedd Rule (825 ‒ 836)

In 825, Merfyn Frych becomes King of Gwynedd bringing Mann under Welsh rule.

Portait	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign			Notes	Royal house
		Start	End	Length
	Merfyn Frych (c.770─844)	825	836	11 years	Son of Gwriad ap Elidyr; Also King of Gwynedd	Coeling

Early Norse Rule (836 ‒ 914)

In the 800s, Mann came under the rule of a series of primarily Hiberno-Norse kings and incorporated into the Kingdom of the Isles. Various rulers have been identified as ruling Man, but not the Kingdom of the Isles as a whole. The Isle of Man may have fallen under Norse rule in the 870s, and paradoxically they may have brought the Gaelic language with them. The island has produced a more densely distributed Viking Age archaeology than anywhere else in the British Isles, but the written records for this time period are poor.^[15][16]

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house	Vassalage
	Start	End
Gofraid mac Fergusa (c.800─853)	836[17]	853	Lord of the Hebrides	Possibly Son of Fergus Mór, King of Dál Riada	Dál Riada	Independent
Otir	912[18]	914[19]	Jarl and "Master of the Isle of Man"		Otir	Possibly as a vassal of Ragnall ua Ímair[20]
Bárid mac Oitir	914	914	N/A	Likely son of Ottir		Independent?

Kingdom of the Isles (914 ‒ 1265)

Main article: List of rulers of the Kingdom of the Isles

Since the emergence of Somerled and his descendants in the 12th century, the Manx kings began to lose territory and power in the Hebrides. Before the reigns of the three sons of Olaf the Black, the Manx kings styled themselves "King of the Isles". By the time of the reigns of Olaf's sons, the kings had begun to style themselves "King of Mann and the Isles".

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house	Vassalage
	Start	End
Ragnall ua Ímair (d. c.921)	914	921	King of Northumbria	Defeated Bárid in a naval battle off Man in 914;[21][22]Grandson of Ímar, King of Dublin	Uí Ímair	Independent
						Northumbria
Gothfrith ua Ímair (d.934)	920s	930s	King of Northumbria; King of Dublin	Grandson of Ímar, King of Dublin		Northumbria & Dublin
Olaf Guthfrithson (d.941)	930s	941	King of Northumbria; King of Dublin	Son of Gofraid ua Ímair; Married a daughter of Constantine II of Scotland
Amlaíb Cuarán	c.941	980	King of the Isles[23] (and possibly King of Mann);[24] King of Northumbria; King of Dublin[25]	Son of Sitric Cáech; Died on Iona in 981.[26]
Maccus mac Arailt	980	?	King of the Isles[27]	Said to have been "brought under subjection" by Edgar the Peaceful, King of England who died in 975[28]		Kingdom of England
Gofraid mac Arailt[29]	?	989	King of the Isles	Brother of Maccus mac Arailt
Gilli	990	?	Jarl	Operated under Sigurd the Stout, Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of Caithness. Married to Sigurd's sister. Sigurd himself was a vassal of the King of Norway.		Jarldom of Orkeny
Ragnall mac Gofraid	?	1005[30]	King of the Isles[31][32]	Son of Gofraid mac Arailt	Uí Ímair
Sigurd the Stout	1005	1014	Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of Caithness		Orkney	Kingdom of Norway
Einar Sigurdsson	1014	1016?	Joint Earl of Orkney			Jarldom of Orkeny
Håkon Eiriksson	1016	1030[33]	Ruler of the Suðreyar; Governor ofNorway	Nephew of Cnut the Great	Lade	North Sea Empire
Olaf Sigtryggsson	1030	1034[34]	King of Mann and many of the other islands of Denmark[34]	Son of Sitric Silkbeard and grandson of Amlaíb Cuarán	Uí Ímair	Independent
Thorfinn the Mighty	c.1035	c.1058	Earl of Orkney & Mormaer of Caithness		Orkney	Kingdom of Norway
Ímar mac Arailt	c.1045?[35]	?	King of Dublin	Ruler of Dublin and possibly Mann. In 1045 Ímar crushed the Ulaid in a raid on Rathlin which may be evidence that he also controlled Mann at this point.[35]	Uí Ímair	Dublin
Echmarcach mac Ragnaill	1052	1061[36][37]	King of Mann	Probably ruler of both Dublin and Mann prior to 1052, when he was expelled from the former by Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó.[37] Possibly son of Ragnall mac Gofraid and thus possibly a King of Innse Gall as well.[33][36][38]
Murchad mac Diarmata	1061	1070	King of Dublin and Mann?[39]		Uí Ceinnselaig
Diarmait mac Maíl na mBó	1070	1072	King of Dublin and the Isles[40]	Father of Murchad, but who ruled after him over Dublin "and, one assumes, Man"[39]
Godred Sitricson	1072	1074	King of Man[41]		Uí Ímair	Independent
Fingal Godredson (d. c.1070)	1074	1070s	King of Man[42]	Son of Godred Sitricson[42]
Godred Crovan (d.1095)	1070s	1095	King of Dublin and the Isles[43]	Son of "Harald the Black of Ysland"[44][45]	Crovan Dynasty
Lagmann Godredsson	1095	1098?		Eldest son of Godred Crovan. Whether Lagmann began his reign before or after Magnus Barelegs's arrival is not known for certain.
MacMaras		d. 1098	Jarl of Man	Each Earl of "one half of Man" in a civil war ending in the Battle of Santwat, in which both die. [46][47]	?
Ottar		d. 1098	Jarl of Man		Cotter
Magnus Barelegs	1098	1102	King of Norway Possibly King of the Isles	Direct Norwegian rule[48][49]	Hardrada	Kingdom of Norway
Sigurd Magnusson	1102	1103	King of Norway	Nominal control by under-age son of Magnus Barelegs[48]
Lagmann Godredsson	1103	1110		Eldest son of Godred Crovan	Crovan Dynasty	Independent
Domnall mac Taidc Uí Briain	1111[50]	1112	Regent during the minority of Olave the Red	Nephew of Muirchertach Ua Briain. Expelled by the Islesmen.	Meic Taidc (Uí Briain)
Olave the Red	1112[51]	1152		Son of Godred Crovan[50]	Crovan Dynasty
Godred the Black	1154[51]	1158	King of Man and the Isles[52] King of Man (1156─1158)	Son of Olave the Red Kingdom partitioned in 1156 after the Battle of Epiphany[53][54] but Mann remains under Godred until 1158.
Somerled	1158	1164	Lord of Argyll, Kintyre and Lorne[55]	Son-in-law of Olave the Red, and son of GilleBride of the old royal house of Dalriada, and a Norse woman.[55] By 1158 Somerled was Rex Insularum, King of the Isles. His dominion covered 25,000 square miles and more than 500 islands.[56]	Dál Riada
Reginald[57]	1164	1164	No record	Half-brother of Godred the Black[58]	Crovan Dynasty
Godred the Black[59]	1164	1187	King of the Isles	Re-instated
Ragnvald	1188	1226	King of the Isles	Son of Godred the Black[60][61]
Olaf the Black[59]	1226	1237	King of Mann and the Isles	Half-brother of Raghnall mac Gofraidh
Óspakr-Hákon	1230	1230	King of the Suðreyjar[62]	Son of Dubgall mac Somairle?	Dál Riada
Gofraid Donn	1230	1230s		Son of Raghnall mac Gofraidh	Crovan Dynasty
Harald Olafsson	1237	1248	King of Mann and the Isles	Son of Olaf the Black		Kingdom of Norway
Ragnvald Olafsson	1248	1249	King of Mann and the Isles	Son of Olaf the Black, his rule was brief
Harald Godredsson	1249	1250	King of Mann	Son of Gofraid Donn and grandson of Raghnall mac Gofraidh
Magnus Olafsson	1252	1265?	King of Mann and the Isles	Son of Olaf the Black

Scottish and English rule (1265 – 1333)

Between 1265 and 1333, Mann was ruled directly by the Kings of Scotland (1265–1290, 1293–1296, 1313–1317, 1328–1333) or the Kings of England (1290–1293, 1296–1313,^[63] 1317–1328).

Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house
	Start	End
Kingdom of Scotland (1265‒1290)
Alexander III[64] (1249–1286)	1265	1286	King of Scots	Mann annexed by Scotland	Dunkeld
Margaret (1283–1290)	1286	1290	Queen of Scots	Granddaughter of Alexander III	Sverre
Kingdom of England (1290‒1293)
Edward I (1272–1307)	1290	1293	King of England	Mann annexed by England	Plantagenet
Kingdom of Scotland (1293–1296)
John Balliol (1292–1296)	1293	1296	King of Scots	Mann annexed by Scotland	Balliol
Kingdom of England (1296–1313)
Edward I (1272–1307)	1296	1307	King of England	Mann annexed by England	Plantagenet
Edward II (1307–1327)	1307	1327	King of England	Son of Edward I
Kingdom of Scotland (1313–1317)
Robert I[65] the Bruce (1306–1329)	1313	1317	King of Scots	Mann annexed by Scotland	Bruce
Kingdom of England (1317‒1328)
Edward III (1327–1377)	1317	1328	King of England	Mann annexed by England	Plantagenet
Kingdom of Scotland (1328–1333)
Robert I[65] the Bruce (1306–1329)	1329	1329	King of Scots	Mann annexed by Scotland	Bruce
David II[66] (1329–1371)	1329	1333	King of Scots	Son of Robert I
Kingdom of England (1317‒1328)
Edward III (1327–1377)	1333	1333	King of England	Mann annexed by England	Plantagenet

Kings of Mann (1333 ‒ 1399)

Main article: King of Mann

Portrait/Arms	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house	Vassalage
		Start	End
	William I (1301–1344)	1333	1344	King of Mann Earl of Salisbury	In 1333, Edward III of England renounced all royal claims over Mann, and recognised it as an independent kingdom.[67]	Montagu	Kingdom of England
	William II (1328–1397)	1344	1392	King of Mann Earl of Salisbury	Son of William I of Mann
	William III (c.1350–1399)	1392	1399	King of Mann Earl of Wiltshire	Title purchased from William II of Mann. He was executed for his support of Richard II in his struggle with Henry Bolingbroke and the Kingdom of Mann passed to the English Crown.	Scrope

English Suzerainty (1399 ‒ 1504)

Main article: King of Mann

Portrait/Arms	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house
		Start	End
	Henry IV (1367–1413)	1399	19 October 1399	King of England	Claimed Mann by Right of Conquest	Lancaster
	Henry I (1367–1413)	19 October 1399	1405	King of Mann Earl of Northumberland	Henry IV granted the Island, as a fiefdom under the English Crown to Henry Percy. He was officially made Lord of Mann but styled himself as King of Mann.[68] He was stripped of this title following a rebellion in 1405.[69]	Percy
	John I (c.1350–1414)	1405	1414	King of Mann	Henry IV granted the Island, as a fiefdom under the English Crown to Sir John Stanley.[69]	Stanley
	John II (c.1386–1437)	1405	1437	King of Mann	Son of John I of Mann
	Thomas I (c.1405–1459)	1437	February 1459	King of Mann Baron Stanley	Son of John II of Mann
	Thomas II (1435–1504)	February 1459	29 July 1504	King of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Thomas I of Mann Married Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII of England
	Thomas III (1485–1521)	29 July 1504	23 May 1521	King of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Thomas II of Mann

Lords of Mann (1521 ‒ Present)

Main article: Lord of Mann

Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, the son of Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby, did not take the style "King", and he and his successors were generally known instead as Lord of Mann.^[70][71] However, the Latin style Rex Manniae et Insularum (King of Mann and the Isles) continued to be occasionally used in official documents until at least the 17th century.

In 1765, the title was revested in the Crown of Great Britain; thus today the title, Lord of Mann, is used by King Charles III.^[72][73] Queen Victoria was styled as Lady of Mann, whereas, title "Lord" was used by Queen Elizabeth II.^[74]

Portrait/Arms	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house
		Start	End
	Edward (1509–1572)	23 May 1521	24 October 1572	Lord of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Thomas III of Mann	Stanley
	Henry II (1531–1593)	24 October 1572	25 September 1593	Lord of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Edward of Mann
	Ferdinando (1559–1594)	25 September 1593	16 April 1594	Lord of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby

Succession Dispute (1594–1607)

After Ferdinando's death, the succession is disputed between his daughters and his brother William, Earl of Derby. Ultimately the English Privy Council awarded the island to the daughters of Ferdinando.^[75] However, they were all below the age of majority at the time so James I of England appointed two interim Lords of Mann to act as regents.^[76]

Portrait/Arms	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house
		Start	End
	Henry Howard (1540–1614)	1607	1608	Lord of Mann Earl of Northampton	Made interim Lord by letters patent of James I of England	Howard
	Robert Cecil (1563–1612)	1608	1609	Lord of Mann Earl of Salisbury	Made interim Lord by letters patent of James I of England	Cecil

In 1609, the Parliament of England passed the Assurance of the Isle of Man Act 1609 (7 Jas. 1. c. 4 Pr.)^[77] which established the title in law as Lord of Mann. The lordship was conferred by letters patent dated 7 July 1609 upon William Stanely, Earl of Derby.^[78]

Portrait/Arms	Name (Birth–Death)	Reign		Titles	Notes	Royal house
		Start	End
	William IV (1561–1642)	7 July 1609	1612	Lord of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby	Stanley
	Elizabeth (1575–1627)	1612	10 March 1627	Lord of Mann Countess of Derby	Wife of William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby who granted her the title Lord of Mann.	De Vere
	James (1607–1651)	10 March 1627	15 October 1651	Lord of Mann Earl of Derby	Son of William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby and Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Derby	Stanley

See Also

• List of Manx royal consorts
• King of Ynys Manau
• List of Kings of Mann and the Isles
• King of Mann
• Lord of Mann
• Governor of the Isle of Man
• Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man
• History of the Isle of Man