Godred Crovan

Godred Crovan, the son of King Harold and grandson of Godred MacHarold, was born in Iceland in 1045. Sometime after Harold was killed in 1047, Crovan and his mother Gerda returned to Sodor with Sigurd of Cronk, his wife, Helga, and his son Ogmund, also born in 1045.

Crovan and Ogmund were brought up together as best friends, and later as step-brothers after Helga died and Sigurd married Gerda.

In 1063, Sigurd died and was succeeded by Ogmund in the position of most powerful man in Sodor, after the king. The king of Sodor and son of invader Earl Sigurd of Orkney, Thorfinn, was losing his grip to power, and Crovan set about regaining his father's kingdom. With Sodor virtually in good hands, he left and conquered the Isles, Dublin and eventually Man in the battle of Sky Hill in 1079. Ogmund, however, fell in the battle.

Crovan died sometime between 1089 and 1116. He is remembered for foiling the only Viking invasion in Sodor's history by means of a clever ruse, luring the Vikings to a small pass (now named Crovan's Gate in his honour) while another group destroyed the Vikings' ships.