Travel with Rick Steves · Saturday, September 26, 2026
Kinley Francis explains that Orkney, despite its location off the coast of Scotland, has a distinct identity shaped by its historical ties to Scandinavia. The islands were historically part of Norway and were only given to Scotland in 1468 as part of a marriage dowry. This history has resulted in a strong Viking and Norse bloodline among the residents, and a unique cultural heritage.
“Yeah, so we were, um, once part of Scandinavia. And 1468, we were given up as part of a marriage dowry between King Christian I of Denmark and James III of Scotland.”
“Wait a minute, 500 years ago, Norway gave you away as a wedding present?”
“Yeah, it's very unfortunate for us because we did not actually want to be part of Scotland, we wanted to stay with Norway. So, we've got a very strong Viking and Norse bloodline.”