Battle of Largs on 2nd October 1263 and the Scottish thistle as a national emblem

The 2nd October 1263 is the date of the Battle of Largs. It was an important point in Scotland's history as an expanding state. Although it was an indecisive engagement between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland, it signalled the beginning of the end of Scandinavian influence over Scotland. For centuries the Norse - Gael kingdoms of the Hebrides and Isle of Man came under the influence of Norway, as did the Northern Isles of Shetland and Orkney. Both King Alexander II of Scotland in the 1240’s and then later his son King Alexander III tried to purchase, then when this failed attempted military force to gain the Isles. King Hákon Hákonarson of Norway (1204 to 1263) sought to defend the lands against the expanding power of Scotland.

It was during the many years of conflict between Scotland and Norway that one such legend involving the importance of the thistle as an omen of good fortune for Scotland emerged.  The Battle of Largs took place in the reign of King Alexander III (4 September 1241 – 19 March 1286). Largs (Scottish Gaelic: An Leargaidh Ghallda) is a town on the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire (Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Àir a Tuath) near where the battle took place in 1263. During the campaign storms forced some of the ships onto the beach at Largs, where a force of  Norwegian fighters landed. 

The legend is that after they landed, the Norsemen came upon a group of Scottish warriors. In order to take the warriors by surprise under the cover of darkness the Norwegians took off their footwear to creep up on the unsuspecting Scottish. However, the ground was covered with thistles and as they crept barefoot towards their prey one of the advancing Norsemen stood on a thistle. He shouted in pain and the Scottish were alerted to their presence, so saving them from the attempted ambush. In recognition of the part played by the humble thistle it was adopted as Scotland's national emblem. There is no historic evidence to back up this story, but it’s a good tale. Although there is some question as to which species of thistle claims the title of the national symbol, nevertheless the thistle has a particular beauty and continues to stand proud as Scotland's floral emblem.