Historians relate, that military trophies were dedicated to the church ; that after Aidan gained a victory over the Picts and Saxons, he sent the banners of his vanquished enemies hither, because his fortune was ascribed exclu sively to the intercession of the saint. Likewise Kenneth II. having finally overthrown the Picts, devoted the sword and armour of their monarch Durst to the abbey. These assertions would require strong corroboration; for we can form very imperfect opinions of the banners and armour of our ancestors of those periods.
It has been supposed, that the monastery possessed a valuable library; not that we can credit Boyce, that a chest of books was brought hither from the sack of Rome by Alaric the Goth, and presented by one of the Scotish sovereigns to the monastery. But even in the fifteenth century its library must have been celebrated, as Pope Pius II. when in Scotland in 1456, proposed to visit it in quest of the lost books of Livy. A small parcel was car ried to Aberdeen, but from age and the fragility of the parchments, little could be unfolded. Some of the books and papers of Icolmkill were preserved and conveyed to the castle of Cairnburgh, where they were mostly destroy ed by fire in the time of Cromwell. One manuscript, however, had still escaped in the 1Sth century, when it also was destroyed, for the sake of the vellum.
It is affirmed, that this island was a Druidical establish ment previous to the introduction of Christianity, and long afterwards one of the Culdees ; but the evidence re specting either of these points is considered by some as not entirely satisfactory. See our article CULDEES.
Antiquaries agree, on the authority of Bede, that the in habitants of the southern parts of Scotland were converted to Christianity by St. Ninian, in the commencement of the fifth century. But it was only from the arrival of Columba in the year 563, that its precepts were diffused through out the kingdom. Iona thenceforward became exclusive ly the in of learning in the north. Soon after his settle ment n this spot, Columba made excursions into some parts of the county of Inverness, where he preached to the rude inhabitants through the medium of an interpreter; from which it appears, that they did not understand the language with which he was acquainted. All the inhabi tants of Scotland were converted during the life of Colum ba; and after his decease in 597, the island still preserved its celebrity. Aidan, having succeeded to the kingdom or territory of Argyle in 571, passed over to Icolmkill to be inaugurated. In 632, Oswald, kind of Northumberland, applied here for a bishop who might teach the Northum brians Christianity, and he received a monk from the esta blishment, who was followed from it by several successors. This seminary of learning became the head of the Pictish church, and, in time, it is said to have been the source of 100 other monasteries. Probably its supremacy was con sidered in the same light as that of Rome was viewed by Catholic countries. Hither the young princes of Scotland and Northumberland were sent to obtain the necessary rudiments of education, and the island received frequent visits from the neighbouring potentates of ancient times ; while others sought retirement from the world in its clois ters. These circumstances have conspired to preserve many incidents respecting a place otherwise inconsidera ble. In the year 765, Neil Frasach, king of Ireland, abdi
cated his sovereignty, and retired to Icolmkill, where he died : and in 777, we read that Asglal, the son of Cutald, king of Connaught, became a monk of Icolmkill, where he died also. Aulaf, king of Dublin, died during a pilgrimage to this place in the year 980. In the annals of Ulster it is written, that Columba's relics were carried to Scotland in 828, and also into Ireland in 830, by the Abbot Diarmid. The pirates of the north were accustomed to ravage the island, and commit many cruelties on the defenceless monks. By them, the monastery was burnt in the year 797, and in 801 they killed 68 of the ecclesiastics. Be sides other calamities, it was rifled in 985, and the abbot, together with 15 of his learned associates, put to death. They were likewise exposed to the resentment of neigh bouring potentates ; and Tighernac writes, that the monks of Iona were expelled beyond Drum Albin, by which is meant 13raidalbin, by Nectan, king of the Picts, in 716, or 718. Historians relate, that a Norwegian invader of the Hebrides, in 1098, spared it and its inhabitants from the devastation which marked the rest of his progress. How ever, it was afterwards plundered by a fleet of 12 sail of Norwegian pirates, which committed many depredations in the Hebrides. About the twelfth or thirteenth century its importance probably declined, as all the churches and chapels in Galloway belonging to Icolmkill were conferred on the monks of Holyroodhonse by William the Lion. It seems to have been occasionally a seat, but certainly not the principal one, of the bishops of the isles. In the year 1507, John, bishop of thelsles, who was a privy councillor to King James IV. obtained the annexation oldie abbey to his see. It must be observed, that this island derives much of its fame from the learned men who have dwelt in the monastery ; and in reviewing its various antiquities, we should remember that they are not coeval, but belong to various epochs. Thus the original structures were most probably only formed of wattles, which, being decayed or destroyed, were replaced by more solid materials. Some of the buildings may be very ancient ; others are consider ed to be fabrics of the twelfth, or, perhaps, the thirteenth century. Monro's brief narrative is exceedingly interest ing ; and all later observers have confirmed its truth, mak ing suitable allowance for the progressive ravages of time. Most of the relics of popery having been sacrificed by the zeal of the presbvterians, in the middle of the sixteenth century, Iona only exhibits a field of ruins, which, when entire, were venerated for ages. The island is 36 miles distant from the mainland of Scotland. See Cummins, Vita Columba ; Adamnanus, Vita Columba ; Bede, Histo ri.r Ecclesiastics Gentis Anglorum ; Pinkerton's history of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 269,272, 279. Chalmers' Caledonia, vol. i. p. 311, 319. 376, 427, 474 ; Keith's Hstory of the Bishops, p. 174, 280; Sacheverell's Account of the Isle of Man, p. 123 ; Pennant's Tour, vol. ii. p. 279 Statistical Account, vol. xiv. p. 198 ; Monro's Description of the He brides in Manuscript ; Walker's Essays on Natural His tory ; Macdonald's Agricultural Survey of the Hebrides, p. 690, Edin. 1811 ; Short Account of Iona in Manu script. (o)