The Isle of Man is one of the most attractive places for lovers of fast driving due to the lack of speed limits on it. Therefore, riders from all over the world race to test themselves. Readers of Top Gear magazine are also well aware of the existence of this place on the planet. It is here expanse for all sports cars. Here they are compared, tested in "field conditions". However, this is far from all the interesting facts that the land, which is not ordinary-looking at first glance, hides.
Where is the Isle of Man
First you need to figure out its location. Look for it should be in the Irish Sea between Ireland and the UK. Its dimensions are far from impressive: it is 51 km long and even smaller: somewhere around 13 km, and where it’s all 25, however, against the background of the neighboring islands, Maine looks like a giant, over 80, 000 people live compactly on its area speaking english and manx.
Celts on the island
According to scientists, the Isle of Man appeared due to the melting of glaciers in the Mesolithic era over 80, 000 years ago. It is assumed that the isthmus connecting this land with Britain was flooded. So the island was formed.
Judging by the megaliths, people appeared here in the Neolithic era. One of the first written references to this place can be considered the work of Julius Caesar "Notes on the Gallic War." He calls the modern Isle of Man Mopa. However, the Romans did not attach serious importance to this territory. But here the British tried to penetrate and subordinate all to their power. Nothing good came of this venture.
But the Irish missionaries succeeded more. Christianity came to this earth with them.
Scandinavian period
The next owners of the Isle of Man were the fierce Vikings. Around the year 800 AD e. they completely subjugated him to their power. Having established their settlements, they settled here for a long time and in earnest. Although the island was formally recognized as a vassal of Norway, in practice, however, the Norwegian kings had enough worries. The conquerors did not make efforts to assimilate the local population, so the Celtic language and culture were preserved.
Yes, and the natives themselves were distinguished by valor and love of freedom. The famous son of the Norwegian king Imar 3, who went down in history as Goodred Krovan, was able to subdue the Isle of Man in 1079 only on the third attempt, collecting a huge number of soldiers by that standards.
The Scots were able to drive the Scandinavians out of these places only in the second half of the 13th century. It is with them that the mysterious triskelion, flaunting on the coat of arms (and not only) of the island, is associated.
To the question of triskelion
Very often in the photo of the Isle of Man you can see triskel, a symbol known to many Indo-European peoples since ancient times. The fact is that they attached magic number 3 to the number 3. This sign is a point from the center of which three legs bend at the knee. It is very similar to the triskel of Sicily and is found everywhere.
This similarity with the Sicilian version was the birth of several assumptions associated with its appearance. The most popular of them are two: the first is connected with the pre-Indo-European roots of the symbol, and the second believes that the Vikings, who undoubtedly had contacts with Sicily, brought this three-legged sign to the Isle of Man. Nevertheless, a careful study of the history of Scotland in the Middle Ages proves that it was the Scottish king Alexander 3 who introduced this three-legged sign in the Kingdom of Maine after an unsuccessful military campaign in Sicily undertaken by the English king Henry 3.
Under the Iron Heel of Great Britain
The Scots and the English fought fierce battles for this territory. Maine was constantly moving from one state to another, changing its rulers. The final statement of the British on this earth occurred only after their victory at Neville Cross.
In the capital of the Isle of Man Douglas was the residence of hereditary governors who bore the title of king on this land. They ruled safely to the famous upheavals known in historiography as the English Bourgeois Revolution. This Stanley dynasty remained faithful to King Charles 1 and supported his son Charles 2 in the struggle for power.
The revolutionaries executed the former governor and king of the island. However, after some time, his descendants returned their possessions.
All the land on the island belonged to the lord, and in order to sell his allotment, the peasant had to pay a predatory duty. Such orders, plus a convenient geographical location, prompted the natives to engage in smuggling. They were so successful in this field that the English parliament did not spare the enormous sum of 70, 000 pounds to buy these lands from the Lord. Thus, the British government got more opportunities to deal with the local criminal element.
