223:
1008:
326:
420:
c.1115, and that the writer is emphasising the doom of "kin-slaying". The connection with Erik
Bloodaxe may also have been made to illustrate the continuing influence of the Norwegian ruling families in Orcadian affairs, which lessened in the late 10th century when Scandinavian expeditions tended to
411:
Thomson (2008) concludes that there is "no real reason to trust the details of this bloodthirsty story" about
Thorfinn's children, and speculates about the saga writer's intentions. The joint rulership of earls was a recurring theme in the period up to 1214 and was "inherently unstable and usually
357:
and although outnumbered Ljot had the victory. However he later died of wounds suffered there and "people thought it a great loss". Hlodvir then became earl and "ruled alone over this country". Hlodvir ruled well and married Eithne, daughter of
Kjarvalr, King of Ireland. Hlodvir died in his bed and
441:
and it is possible that the saga writer meant the former by this term. Crawford (1987) suggests that "if the late ninth-century conquest of northern
Scotland by Thorstein the Red and Sigurd the Mighty had indeed led to permanent colonies in Caithness and along the coastal areas of Sutherland, then
403:
in 1014, marrying the daughter of a king who died more than 120 years before that. Furthermore, Thorstein "the Red" Olafsson (fl. late 9th century and
Hlodvir's great-grandfather) was apparently married to a granddaughter of Kjarvalr. Woolf (2007) concludes that the saga writers may have confused
321:
in turn. Ragnhild's ambitions were still not assuaged and this "female spider" then colluded with Ljot
Thorfinnson whom she married and then he had the second Einar killed. Having now married three of Thorfinn's sons in succession no more is told of Ragnhild and Ljot became earl and an "excellent
344:
Skuli gave allegiance to the Scots king who gave him the title Earl of Orkney but he never gained control of the islands, being killed in battle against Ljot in the Dales of
Caithness at which Ljot "fought like a hero". Ljot then took control of Caithness but this angered the Scots and
432:
it is claimed that he requested the support of the "king of Scots" for his claim to
Caithness. However it is far from certain that the kings of Scots were in a position to offer any authority so far north at this time. The Irish annalists referred to the
421:
be directed towards
England "by-passing Orkney and allowing the earls greater scope for independent action". In this context Ragnhild may have been not so much the cause of the Thorfinsson's troubles as the "prize for the winner".
249:
may have been more important for the Orkney earldom. It is likely that Dungad was a member of a pre-Norse era ruling family and that the marriage brought Groa's descendants within the Celtic
255:
and helped to legitimise their ambitions on the north mainland of
Scotland. Thorfinn and Grelad also had two daughters whose names are not known, each of whom had a son called Einar - Einar
442:
the late tenth century struggle may have been a result of aggression from the Scottish side in an attempt to regain control of the northernmost province of the Scottish mainland".
305:
in Caithness and married his brother Havard "Harvest-happy" who then ruled as earl for a time. Not content with this new arrangement Ragnhild then conspired with her nephew Einar
17:
211:, the first Earl of Orkney. Torf-Einarr had two other sons, Arnkel and Erlend who "fell in a war expedition" at an unspecified location in England along with
428:
earl, Skuli Thorfinsson's relationship with the Scots offers some insight into the politics of the north of Scotland in the late tenth century. In the
827:
195:. These stories were first written down in Iceland in the early 13th century and much of the information they contain is "hard to corroborate".
706:. Translated by JĂłn A. Hjaltalin & Gilbert Goudie. Edinburgh. Edmonston and Douglas. The Internet Archive. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
454:- where Erik Bloodaxe was killed. Arnkel and Erlend Torf-Einarsson are not mentioned by the Northumbrian sources that record this event.
282:
Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson lived to be an old man and may have died c. 963 "on a bed of sickness". He is said to have been buried at the
486:
state that the battle at Skitten Mire took place "between 943 and 945" although this does not square with Earl Thorfinn dying c. 963.
1056:
799:
775:
1061:
918:
820:
948:
785:
750:
718:
241:, Ljot, and Skuli. Their mother was Grelad, a daughter of "Earl Dungad of Caithness" and Groa, herself a daughter of
245:. Grelad's Norse credentials were thus impressive, but it has been suggested that her connection to this "earl" of
655:
813:
732:
353:, brought a large army north. They engaged in battle at Skitten Mire (now called the Moss of Killimister) near
399:
who died in 888. There is clearly a chronological problem with Earl Hlodvir, whose son Sigurd was killed at
930:
1041:
219:
then fled north to Orkney with her sons who used the islands as a base for summer raiding expeditions.
346:
185:
780:
Wenham, Sheena "The South Isles" in Omand, Donald (ed.) (2003) The Orkney Book. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
1046:
1036:
758:
266:
Gunnhildr and her family later set out for Norway, but before they left they "gave" their daughter
966:
392:
404:
this story about the provenance of Sigurd Hlodvirsson with one about Thorstein, a close ally of
667:
1051:
900:
888:
848:
267:
238:
208:
132:
924:
8:
451:
222:
936:
854:
701:
483:
405:
400:
270:
to Arnfinn Thorfinnsson in marriage. In the later days of Thorfinn's rule, the sons of
738:
725:
Orkney in the Sagas: The Story of the Earldom of Orkney as told in the Icelandic Sagas
978:
972:
954:
795:
781:
771:
746:
728:
714:
417:
242:
412:
ended in violence". He identifies these family feuds as being the main theme of the
990:
984:
912:
906:
894:
755:
434:
396:
387:
363:
350:
298:
his sons became Earls after him but the earldom was then beset by dynastic strife.
1007:
960:
942:
291:
179:
996:
837:
359:
354:
338:
174:
42:
1030:
370:
271:
212:
287:
227:
191:
100:
274:
fled Norway and returned to Orkney where they "committed great excesses".
866:
325:
204:
143:
113:
60:
805:
457:
334:
330:
246:
216:
167:
310:
251:
108:
313:. Einar and Ragnhild then fell out and the latter persuaded Einar
560:
Sturlason, Snorri Chapter 99. "History of the Earls of Orkney".
302:
283:
230:
670:. (18 September 2008) BBC News. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
309:, who killed Havard at the battle of HavarĂ°steiger near
1019:
Dates are approximate. Joint earldoms were frequent.
743:
Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney
362:in Caithness. He was succeeded as earl by his son
592:
1028:
233:(at left), Earl Thorfinn's supposed burial place
763:. Project Gutenberg. Retrieved 11 January 2014.
821:
460:, said to mark the grave of Ljot Thorfinnson.
585:
583:
504:
502:
614:
612:
610:
608:
606:
604:
516:
514:
301:Ragnhild had her husband Arnfinn killed at
828:
814:
835:
794:. Edinburgh. Edinburgh University Press.
637:(1981) Chapters 9, 10 & 11. pp. 35-36
580:
499:
237:Thorfinn had five sons: Arnfinn, Havard,
601:
511:
324:
221:
630:
628:
626:
624:
18:Thorfinn Turf-Einarsson, Earl of Orkney
14:
1029:
570:
568:
566:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
544:
809:
658:. Canmore. Retrieved 27 January 2014.
621:
317:to attack and kill his cousin Einar
741:and Edwards, Paul Geoffrey (1981).
668:"Brewery's Skull Splitter headache"
563:
541:
277:
24:
1006:
416:, culminating in the martyrdom of
376:
25:
1073:
939:"the Jerusalem-farer" (1098–1103)
203:Thorfinn was the youngest son of
875:Erlend Torf-Einarsson (910-954)
872:Arnkel Torf-Einarsson (910–954)
792:From Pictland to Alba, 789–1070
682:
673:
661:
649:
640:
477:
766:Thomson, William P. L. (2008)
713:. Leicester University Press.
700:Anderson, Joseph (ed.) (1873)
532:
523:
13:
1:
1057:10th-century counts in Europe
863:Hallad Rognvaldsson (893–895)
656:"Upper Bowertower, Stone Lud"
464:
259:("Buttered-bread") and Einar
135:, Ljot, Skuli and 2 daughters
931:Paul and Erlend Thorfinnsson
709:Crawford, Barbara E. (1987)
7:
445:
391:and has been identified as
189:, as incorporated into the
27:10th-century Earl of Orkney
10:
1078:
1062:Orkneyinga saga characters
881:"Skull-Splitter" (910–963)
727:. The Orcadian. Kirkwall.
1017:
1004:
987:"the Younger" (1191–1198)
867:Torf-Einarr Rognvaldarson
844:
768:The New History of Orkney
424:Although he never became
373:is named after Thorfinn.
369:The modern Orcadian beer
198:
149:
139:
127:
119:
107:
95:
87:
82:- Thorfinn Skull-splitter
74:
66:
56:
48:
41:
34:
921:"the Mighty" (1025–1064)
860:Guthorm Sigurdsson (893)
851:"the Wise" (9th century)
618:Thomson (2008) pp. 58-59
226:The site of The Howe of
144:Torf-Einarr Rognvaldsson
915:"Wry-mouth" (1014–1026)
879:Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson
679:Woolf (2007) pp. 283-84
598:Wenham (2003) p. 211-12
577:(1981) Chapter 8. p. 33
164:Thorfinn Skull-splitter
160:Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson
36:Thorfinn Torf-Einarsson
1011:
897:"the Stout" (990–1014)
770:. Edinburgh. Birlinn.
760:Saga of Olaf Haraldson
341:
234:
1010:
975:"the Old" (1138–1206)
967:Rögnvald Kali Kolsson
885:Arnfinn, Havard, Ljot
857:"the Mighty" (to 892)
711:Scandinavian Scotland
589:Crawford (1987) p. 54
508:Crawford (1987) p. 63
393:Cerball mac DĂşnlainge
328:
225:
207:, himself the son of
173:) was a 10th-century
114:Norse Earls of Orkney
901:Sumarlidi Sigurdsson
889:Hlodvir Thorfinnsson
849:Ragnvald Eysteinsson
745:. Penguin Classics.
688:Crawford (1987) p.64
529:Thomson (2008) p. 56
520:Thomson (2008) p. 57
268:Ragnhild Eriksdotter
209:Rognvald Eysteinsson
177:. He appears in the
171:Ăžorfinnr hausakljĂşfr
80:Ăžorfinnr hausakljĂşfr
70:Arnfinn Thorfinnsson
919:Thorfinn Sigurdsson
790:Woolf, Alex (2007)
703:The Orkneyinga Saga
538:Woolf (2007) p. 242
452:Battle of Stainmore
1042:People from Orkney
1012:
895:Sigurd Hlodvirsson
855:Sigurd Eysteinsson
695:General references
406:Sigurd Eysteinsson
342:
235:
1024:
1023:
979:Erlend Haraldsson
973:Harald Maddadsson
955:Harald Haakonsson
949:Magnus Erlendsson
925:Rögnvald Brusason
800:978-0-7486-1234-5
776:978-1-84158-696-0
756:Sturlason, Snorri
723:Muir, Tom (2005)
646:Muir (2005) p. 21
243:Thorstein the Red
157:
156:
131:Arnfinn, Havard,
16:(Redirected from
1069:
991:David Haraldsson
985:Harald Eiriksson
937:Sigurd Magnusson
913:Einar Sigurdsson
907:Brusi Sigurdsson
830:
823:
816:
807:
806:
739:Pálsson, Hermann
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351:Mormaer of Moray
286:site at Howe of
278:Death and legacy
263:("Hard-mouth").
215:. Erik's widow,
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83:
32:
31:
21:
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1076:
1072:
1071:
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1067:
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1047:Earls of Orkney
1037:Norwegian earls
1027:
1026:
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1020:
1013:
1002:
961:Paul Haakonsson
943:Haakon Paulsson
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838:earls of Orkney
834:
804:
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687:
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635:Orkneyinga Saga
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435:rulers of Moray
430:Orkneyinga saga
414:Orkneyinga saga
397:King of Osraige
385:appears in the
379:
377:Interpretations
294:. According to
292:South Ronaldsay
280:
201:
183:and briefly in
180:Orkneyinga saga
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78:
37:
28:
23:
22:
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12:
11:
5:
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997:Jon Haraldsson
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371:Skull Splitter
358:was buried at
339:Ham, Caithness
296:St Olaf's Saga
279:
276:
200:
197:
186:St Olaf's Saga
175:Earl of Orkney
162:also known as
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43:Earl of Orkney
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786:1-84158-254-9
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751:0-14-044383-5
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719:0-7185-1197-2
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437:by the title
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272:Eric Bloodaxe
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214:
213:Erik Bloodaxe
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192:Heimskringla
190:
184:
178:
170:
163:
159:
158:
109:Noble family
101:Hoxa, Orkney
79:
29:
1052:960s deaths
999:(1206–1231)
993:(1206–1214)
981:(1151–1154)
969:(1136–1158)
963:(1123–1136)
957:(1123–1130)
951:(1106–1116)
945:(1104–1123)
933:(1064–1098)
927:(1036–1046)
909:(1014–1031)
903:(1014–1016)
388:Landnámabók
205:Torf-Einarr
75:Native name
61:Torf-Einarr
57:Predecessor
1031:Categories
733:0954886232
465:References
383:ĂŤrakonungr
322:leader".
166:(from the
49:Title held
891:(963–988)
869:(895–910)
494:Footnotes
458:Stone Lud
418:St Magnus
381:Kjarvalr
335:mill pond
331:watermill
315:harĂ°kjotr
261:harĂ°kjotr
247:Caithness
217:Gunnhildr
168:Old Norse
120:Spouse(s)
67:Successor
446:See also
439:Ri Alban
426:de facto
401:Clontarf
329:The old
319:kliningr
311:Stenness
307:kliningr
257:kliningr
252:derbfine
52:? to 963
484:Canmore
347:MacBeth
239:Hlodvir
153:Unknown
133:Hlodvir
836:Norse
798:
784:
774:
749:
731:
717:
364:Sigurd
349:, the
303:Murkle
199:Family
150:Mother
140:Father
123:Grelad
96:Buried
91:c. 963
471:Notes
284:broch
231:broch
128:Issue
887:and
796:ISBN
782:ISBN
772:ISBN
747:ISBN
729:ISBN
715:ISBN
355:Wick
333:and
288:Hoxa
228:Hoxa
88:Died
360:Ham
337:at
290:on
1033::
623:^
603:^
582:^
565:^
543:^
513:^
501:^
408:.
395:,
366:.
829:e
822:t
815:v
735:.
20:)
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