This unlikely location was the birthplace of a medieval empire that lasted 200 years, ruled by a dynasty of sea kings.

這難以置信的地方是一個持續了 200 年的中世紀帝國的發源地，由海王王朝統治。

The first of these kings was Godred Crovan, a notorious warlord descended from Irish and Viking rulers.

這些國王中的第一代是戈德雷德·克洛萬，他是愛爾蘭和維京統治者的後裔，臭名昭著的軍閥。

Starting in 1079, Godred consolidated power over the Isle of Man and the Hebrides, a collection of islands off the west coast of Scotland.

從 1079 年開始，戈德雷德鞏固了對曼島和赫布里底群島的統治，赫布里底群島是蘇格蘭西海岸的一系列島嶼。

He seized control of important sea routes between the British Isles, Scandinavia, and the North Atlantic.

他控制了不列顛群島、斯堪地納維亞半島和北大西洋之間的重要海上航線。

A turbulent period followed Godred's death, characterised by invasions from Norway and Ireland, and intense feuding between princes.

戈德雷德死後經歷了一段動盪時期，那時期有來自挪威和愛爾蘭的入侵，以及王子之間的激烈爭鬥。

But his descendants held on to power, building coastal fortresses, roving the seaways, throwing themselves into epic battles, and consolidating control over an impressive maritime kingdom.

但他的後代繼續掌權、建造沿海堡壘、在海上航行、投身於史詩般的戰鬥，並鞏固了對令人印象深刻的海上王國的控制。

The inhabitants of this kingdom had both Gaelic and Norse roots, and many probably spoke both languages.

這個王國的居民有蓋爾和挪威兩種血統，其中有許多人可能會說兩種語言。

Those on the Isle of Man were known as the Manx people, while those in the Hebrides were known as Islanders or People of the Isles.

曼島上的人被稱為曼島人，而赫布里底群島的人被稱為島民或群島人。

Though we still don't know for sure how many there were, we do know this relatively small group had an outsize impact on the region.

雖然我們仍不確定到底有多少人，但我們確實知道，這個相對較小的群體對該地區產生了巨大的影響。

Perched on cliffs with sweeping views and safe harbors, seaside fortresses helped the kings control shipping, commerce, and resources.

海濱堡壘棲息在視野開闊的懸崖上，擁有安全的港口，幫助國王控制航運、商業和資源。

The empire commanded vast fleets of Viking-style long ships, which they used for trading, raiding, and plundering the seas.

帝國指揮著龐大的維京式長船艦隊，用於貿易、掠奪和在海上劫掠。

Observing this prowess, many neighboring rulers sought their aid.

看到這種本事，許多鄰近的統治者尋求他們的幫助。

The brothers Rognvald and Olaf each solved neighbors' maritime woes: King Rognvald supplied military assistance to the Scottish king, and King Olaf's forces served as a Coast Guard at the English King Henry III's request— for a hefty fee.

朗格納瓦德和奧拉夫兄弟各自解決了鄰國的海上困境：朗格納瓦德國王向蘇格蘭國王提供軍事援助，奧拉夫國王的部隊應英國國王亨利三世的要求擔任海岸警衛隊並收取高額費用。

The sea kings also sparred with their powerful neighbors, but they had a particularly bitter rivalry with another dynasty in their own isles: a line of rulers in the Hebrides.

海王們也會與他們強大的鄰國爭執，但他們與自己島嶼上的另一個王朝有著特別激烈的競爭：赫布里底群島的統治者。

In the 1150s, a chieftain of this line, Somerled, defeated the Manx King, his brother-in-law, in a naval battle and formed a rival Kingdom of the Isles, fracturing the old kingdom.

在 1150 年代，這一血統的酋長索默莱德在海戰中擊敗了他的姐夫曼島國王，組建了一個敵對的群島王國，瓦解了舊王國。

This began a century-long rivalry between Somerled's line, who ruled the southern and central Hebrides, and the Manx Kings, who ruled the Isle of Man and northern Hebrides, to control the seaways.

這開啟了統治赫布里底群島南部和中部的索默莱德家族與統治曼島和赫布里底群島北部的曼島國王之間為了控制海道長達一個世紀的爭奪。

Family feuds often blossomed into bitter civil wars.

家庭不和經常演變成激烈的內戰。

In 1223, King Rognvald sent a letter to his son commanding him to murder his uncle Olaf.

1223 年，朗格納瓦德國王給他的兒子寫了一封信，命令他謀殺他的叔叔奧拉夫。

When Olaf discovered the plot, he launched a vicious attack on his nephew, blinding and mutilating him.

奧拉夫發現這個陰謀後，對他的侄子發動了兇殘的攻擊，使他失明並致殘。

After Rognvald's death several years later, people realized the letter ordering the attack might have been forged.

朗格納瓦德去世幾年後，人們意識到下令發動襲擊的信件可能是偽造的。

The Manx kings attempted to resolve disagreements at Tynwald, an open-air parliament centered on a mound, where assemblies ruled on matters of justice and other issues.

曼島國王試圖解決 Tynwald 的分歧，而 Tynwald 是一個以土丘為中心的露天議會，議會就司法問題和其他問題進行裁決。

Such sites were commonly used in the Viking world for resolving anything from local disputes to matters involving kings.

這種議會地點在維京世界中通常用於解決從地方爭端到涉及國王的事務的任何事情。

These meetings didn't always go smoothly— sometimes violence erupted, and in 1237, two rival factions squabbled to the point of breaking up the assembly at Tynwald.

這些會議並不總是一帆風順——有時會爆發暴力事件，1237 年，兩個敵對派別爭吵不休，以至於在 Tynwald 解散了集會。

The four-tiered mound at Tynwald survives to this day, and the modern Manx parliament still holds an annual meeting there.

Tynwald 的四層土丘一直保存至今，現代的曼島議會仍然每年在那裡舉行會議。

In 1248, King Harald of Man died in a shipwreck and was succeeded by his brother.

1248 年，曼島國王哈拉爾死於海難，其弟繼位。

Weeks into the new king's reign, a rebel knight assassinated him.

新國王在位數週後，一名叛亂騎士暗殺了他。

His brother Magnus died in 1265 at Castle Rushen — without an heir.

他的兄弟馬格努斯於 1265 年在勒遜城堡去世，沒有繼承人。

According to one scribe, his death marked the day that "kings ceased to reign in Man."

據一位文士描述，他的死代表著「君王不再統治曼島」的那一天。

Scotland annexed Man and the Isles the next year, in 1266.

次年，蘇格蘭於 1266 年吞併了曼島。

We know about the exploits of the sea kings primarily from a chronicle written by Christian scribes living on the Isle of Man, and from the praise poems composed to celebrate the kings' victories.

我們主要從居住在曼島的基督教文士所寫的編年史以及為慶祝國王的勝利而創作的讚美詩中了解海王的功績。

Today, although the sea kings are long gone, their presence remains etched onto the landscape.

現今，雖然海王早已不復存在，但他們存在的痕跡仍然銘刻在這個島上。