Orkney

Orkney lies beyond Scotland's northern coast, a group of islands with fertile land and rich seas. Its ancient stone monuments include the houses of Skara Brae, the chambered tomb of Maeshowe and the Ring of Brodgar. Norse settlers later established an earldom whose ties reached across the North Atlantic and into northern Scotland. Kirkwall became an important center among the islands. In 1468 the islands were pledged to James III of Scotland as security for the dowry of his bride Margaret of Denmark. The promised payment was not made, and in 1472 the Scottish parliament incorporated the earldom into the kingdom. Norse names and traditions remained deeply rooted in Orkney even as political authority passed to Scotland.