On This Day
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Orkney and Shetland are ceded by Norway to Scotland as part of a dowry payment

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the northeast of Orkney, 110 mi (170 km) from mainland Scotland, and 140 mi (220 km) west of Norway.

They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The islands' area is 1,467 km2 (566 sq mi) and the population totalled 23,190 in 2024. The islands comprise the Shetland constituency of the Scottish Parliament. The islands' administrative centre, largest settlement and only burgh is Lerwick, which has been the capital of Shetland since 1708, before which time the capital was Scalloway.

Historical Significance

Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.

Events Before

  1. Portuguese heir to the throne Prince John (15) marries his cousin Eleanor of Viseu (12)

    Portuguese heir to the throne Prince John (15) marries his cousin Eleanor of Viseu (12)

  2. Battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire: Final battle between the Houses of Lancaster and York sees Prince of Wales, Edwar

    Battle of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire: Final battle between the Houses of Lancaster and York sees Prince of Wales, Edward of Westminster, killed and King Edward IV return to his throne, restoring political stability to England until his death in 1483

  3. Wars of the Roses: Battle of Barnet - Yorkists defeat the Lancastrians and kill the Earl of Warwick

    The Battle of Barnet was a decisive Yorkist victory in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England.

  4. Battle of Brunkeberg: Swedish regent Sten Sture defeats forces led by Danish King Christian I

    Sten Sture the Elder (Swedish: Sten Sture den äldre; 1440 – 14 December 1503) was a Swedish statesman and regent of Sweden from 1470 to 1497 and again from 1501 to 1503.

  5. Henry VI of England dies

    Henry VI of England, French king of england, known for king of england, died on 1471-05-21.

Events After

  1. Nicolaus Copernicus is born

    Nicolaus Copernicus mathematician and astronomer, known for mathematician and astronomer, was born on 1473-02-19.

  2. James IV is born

    James IV is born

  3. Duke Sigismund of Tirol ends contacts with Switzerland

    Duke Sigismund of Tirol ends contacts with Switzerland

  4. Breisach land guardian Peter von Hagenbach throws out Walloon and Italians

    Breisach land guardian Peter von Hagenbach throws out Walloon and Italians

  5. Stephen III of Moldavia defeats the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vaslui

    The Battle of Vaslui (also referred to as the Battle of Podul Înalt or the Battle of Racova) was a battle that was fought on 10 January 1475, between Stephen III of Moldavia and the Ottoman governor…

More from the 1470s

Battle of Nancy: Swiss Confederacy led by René II decisively defeats the Duchy of Burgundy, 7,000+ killed including the

Battle of Nancy: Swiss Confederacy led by René II decisively defeats the Duchy of Burgundy, 7,000+ killed including the Duke of Burgundy Charles the Bold

Stephen III of Moldavia defeats the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vaslui

The Battle of Vaslui (also referred to as the Battle of Podul Înalt or the Battle of Racova) was a battle that was fought on 10 January 1475, between Stephen III of Moldavia and the Ottoman governor…

Portuguese heir to the throne Prince John (15) marries his cousin Eleanor of Viseu (12)

Portuguese heir to the throne Prince John (15) marries his cousin Eleanor of Viseu (12)

Treaty of Alcáçovas: Portugal cedes the Canary Islands to Castile in exchange for claims in West Africa

Treaty of Alcáçovas: Portugal cedes the Canary Islands to Castile in exchange for claims in West Africa

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on February 20, 1472?
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the northeast of Orkney, 110 mi (170 km) from mainland Scotland, and 140 mi (220 km) west of Norway. They form part of the border between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east.
Why is Orkney and Shetland are ceded by Norway to Scotland as part of a dowry payment significant?
Shetland, also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom.

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February 20 in HistoryYear 1472