Aspects of the Isle of Man in the seventeenth century
The Isle of Man has been ignored by the historians of the early modem period. This is as much the result of the perspective of traditional national histories which focus on one of the countries of the British Isles as of the more recent trend towards local studies - of counties, towns or villages. Few historians have attempted to view the British Isles as a whole or to integrate the smaller islands into the history of the Atlantic archipelago. The aim of this study is to attempt to set the Isle of Man in the wider context of the British Isles by analysing its government and economy and seeking the differences and similarities between Man and the countries bordering the Irish Sea. The constitutional status of the island in relation to the English Crown is examined and the prerogative rights of the Lord of Man and the king of England are compared. The distinctive administrative system of the island, which was mainly the product of the Norse settlement of Man in the medieval period, is then examined. The cornerstone of the Manx economy, as of all pre-industrialised economies, was agriculture, which was essentially pastoral in nature, although cereals were grown in sufficient quantity for most of the island's
Dickinson, John Roger
History
Aspects of the Isle of Man in the seventeenth century. The Isle of Man has been ignored by the historians of the early modem period. This is as much the result of the perspective of traditional national histories which focus on one of the countries of the British Isles as of the more recent trend towards local studies - of counties, towns or villages. Few historians have attempted to view the British Isles as a whole or to integrate the smaller islands into the history of the Atlantic archipelago. The aim of this study is to attempt to set the Isle of Man in the wider context of the British Isles by analysing its government and economy and seeking the differences and similarities between Man and the countries bordering the Irish Sea. The constitutional status of the island in relation to the English Crown is examined and the prerogative rights of the Lord of Man and the king of England are compared. The distinctive administrative system of the island, which was mainly the product of the Norse settlement of Man in the medieval period, is then examined. The cornerstone of the Manx economy, as of all pre-industrialised economies, was agriculture, which was essentially pastoral in nature, although cereals were grown in sufficient quantity for most of the island's
aspects isle_man seventeenth_century isle_man ignore historian early_modem period much perspective traditional national_history focus_one country british_isles recent trend_towards local study county_town village historian attempt view british_isles whole integrate small_island history atlantic archipelago aim_study attempt set isle_man wider_context british_isles analyse government economy seek difference_similarity man country border irish_sea constitutional status island relation english_crown examine prerogative right lord man king england compare distinctive administrative_system island mainly product norse_settlement man medieval_period examine cornerstone manx economy pre industrialised economy agriculture essentially pastoral nature although cereal grown sufficient quantity island