Scandinavian Scotland or
Norwegian Scotland refers to the period from the 8th to the 15th centuries during which
Vikings and
Norse settlers, mainly
Norwegians and to a smaller extent other
Scandinavians, and their descendents colonised parts of what is now modern Scotland. Viking influence in the area commenced in the late 8th century, and hostility between the Scandinavian
Earls of Orkney and the emerging
thalassocracy of the
Kingdom of the Isles, the rulers of Ireland,
Dál Riata and
Alba, and intervention by the crown of
Norway were recurring themes.