Person Page - 2175

     Håkon Eriksson (?) Jarl in Norway was born in 998.¹ He married Gunhild Burislawsdatter (?) of the Wends, daughter of Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden and Tyre Haraldsdatter (?) Princess of Denmark, Queen of Norway, circa 1029
;
Her 1st husband.^1,2,8,5,6,9
Håkon Eriksson (?) Jarl in Norway died circa 1030 at Pentland Firth (strait) between Orkney Islands and Caithness, Scotland (now); drowned.^1,10,6
      ; Per Med Lands:
     "GUNHILD (-after 1045). Gunhild must have been much younger than her sisters who are named above if the date of her first marriage is correct. Florence of Worcester names "the noble lady Gunhilda daughter of king Wyrtgeorn by Canute's sister and successively the wife of earls Hakon and Harold" when recording that she was banished from England in 1044 with her two sons Haakon and Harald and went to Bruges, later to Denmark[50]. It is not, however, certain that Gunhild was the daughter of Burislaw by his wife Tyre of Denmark as it would mean that she was the first cousin of her first husband. Gunhild is named "kinswoman of King Cnut" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, when recording that she was expelled from England in 1045 and for a long time thereafter lived at Bruges before going to Denmark[51].
     "m firstly (1029) HAKON Eiriksson Jarl in Norway, son of ERIK Hakonsson Earl of Northumbria & his wife Gyda Svendsdatter ([998]-drowned Pentland Firth 1030 before 29 Jul[52]). According to Florence of Worcester, "Hakon a Danish earl who had married the noble lady Gunilda, his [=King Canute's] sister's daughter by Wyrtgeorn king of the Winidi" was banished from England in 1029 by King Canute "for he feared that the earl would take either his life or his kingdom"[53].
     "m secondly ([1031]) HARALD Thorkilsen Jarl, son of THORKIL "Havi/the Tall" Ealdorman of East Anglia & his [first] wife --- (after 1017-murdered 1043)."
Med Lands cites:

; This is the same person as ”Håkon Eiriksson” at Wikipedia (DK), as ”Håkon Eiriksson Ladejarl” at Wikipedia (NO), and as ”Haakon Ericsson” at Wikipedia.^2,11,12

; Per Genealogics:
     “Håkon was born about 998, the son of Eirik Håkonsson, jarl in Norway and England, and Gyda Svendsdatter of Denmark. He was from a dynasty of Norwegian rulers in the eastern part of Trondheim, bordering the Trondheimsfjord. After the Battle of Svolder, his father Eirik, together with Eiriks's brother Sveinn Håkonarson, became rulers of Norway under Svend II Forkbeard. In 1014 or 1015 Eirik left Norway and joined Knud den Store for his campaign in England. The north English earldom of Northumberland was given by Knud to Eirik after he had won control of the north. Eirik remained as earl of Northumberland until his death between 1023 and 1033.
     “As his father's successor in Norway, Håkon ruled as a Danish vassal from 1012 to 1015, with Einar Tambarskjelve as his aide and his uncle, Sveinn Håkonarson, holding some areas as a Swedish vassal. After some years' absence in England fighting the Danes, Olav II Haraldsson, son of Harald Gränske, viceroy of Westfold, returned to Norway in 1015 and declared himself king, obtaining the support of the petty kings of the Uplands. In 1016 Olav defeated Sveinn Håkonarson at the Battle of Nesjar. After Olav's victory Håkon fled to England, where he was well received by King Knud and made earl of Worcester. After the Battle of the Helgea, Norwegian nobles rallied behind Knud, and Olav II was driven out. In 1028 Håkon returned as Knud's vassal ruler of Norway. About 1029 he married Gunhild Burislawdatter of The Wends, daughter of Burislaw, prince of The Wenden, and Tyre Haraldsdatter of Denmark. Their daughter Bodil would have progeny, marrying Ulf 'Galicienfahrer', jarl in Denmark.
     “Håkon died in a shipwreck in the Pentland Firth, between the Orkney Islands and the Scottish mainland, in either late 1029 or early 1030.”.⁵

Reference: Genealogics cites: Nachkommen Gorms des Alten 1978. , S. Otto Brenner, Reference: 33.⁵

; Per Med Lands:
     "HAAKON Eriksson ([997/98]-drowned Pentland Firth 1030 before 29 Jul[111]). Snorre records the birth of Haakon, son of Eirik & his wife the year after his parents' marriage[112]. He left Norway in [1016/17] after being captured by King Olav, finding refuge in England with King Canute[113]. Jarl in Norway, he was installed as regent of Norway 1028 by Knud King of Denmark after the expulsion of King Olav II. According to Florence of Worcester, "Hakon a Danish earl who had married the noble lady Gunilda, his [=King Canute's] sister's daughter by Wyrtgeorn king of the Winidi" was banished from England in 1029 by King Canute "for he feared that the earl would take either his life or his kingdom"[114]. He was drowned while returning to Norway from England.
     "m ([1029]) as her first husband, GUNHILD of the Wends, daughter of BURISLAW Prince of the Wends & his wife [Tyre Haraldsdatter of Denmark] (-after 1045). Florence of Worcester names "the noble lady Gunhilda daughter of king Wyrtgeorn by Canute's sister and successively the wife of earls Hakon and Harold" when recording that she was banished from England in 1044 with her two sons Haakon and Harald and went to Bruges, later to Denmark[115]. It is not, however, certain that Gunhild was the daughter of Burislaw by his wife Tyre of Denmark. If this was the case, she was the first cousin of her first husband. Gunhild is named "kinswoman of King Cnut" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, when recording that she was expelled from England in 1045 and for a long time thereafter lived at Bruges before going to Denmark[116]. She married secondly ([1031]) Harald Thorkilsen Jarl."
Med Lands cites:

; Per Genealogy.EU (Norway 4): “D1. Hakon Eiriksson, Jarl in Norway (998-1030), *ca 998, +ca 1030; m.ca 1029 Gunhild, dau.of Wyrtgeorn of the Wends”.¹³ He was Jarl of Hlaðir between 995 and 1023.¹¹ He was Regent of Norway with Sveinn Hákonarson between 1012 and 1015.¹¹ He was Regent of Norway with Canute the Great between 1028 and 1029.¹¹

      ; Per Med Lands:
     "STRUTHARALD . King in Skåne. Snorre names "Sigvalde…earl over Jomsborg in Vindland…a son of King Strutherald who had ruled over Skane"[1].
     "[m ---. The name of Struthharald´s wife is not known.]"
Med Lands cites:

     Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden married Tyre Haraldsdatter (?) Princess of Denmark, Queen of Norway, daughter of Harald I "Blåtand/Bluetooth" Gormsson (?) King of Denmark and Gunhilda (?),
;
His 2nd wife, her 2nd husband.^3,2,4,5 Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden married Unknown (?)
;
His 1st wife.⁶
Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden died in 972.^6,2
     ; Per Med Lands:
     "TYRE Haraldsdatter (-18 Sep [1000]). Snorre records the betrothal of "Thyre, a daughter of Harald and King Svein's sister" and "King Burizleif" as part of the deal reached for the release of her brother after he was captured at Jomsborg[176]. Snorre records the marriage in a later passage, Tyre's flight from her new husband to Norway and her marriage to King Olav[177]. The Historia Norwegie records the marriage of King Olav and "sororem Sweinonis regis…Tyri" who had earlier been betrothed to "dux quidam de Sclauia"[178]. According to the Gesta Danorum, the marriage shown below as her third did not take place as Svend King of Denmark (there described as Tyre's father rather than brother) withdrew his consent[179]. The account records the event as having taken place just before King Svend's marriage to Sigrid.
     "m firstly STYRBJÖRN [Björn] “den Starke/the Strong" of Sweden, from Jomsburg, son of [BJÖRN Erkison/OLOF Björnsson King of Sweden & his wife ---] (-killed in battle Fyrisvall, near Uppsala 985).
     "m secondly (divorced) as his [---] wife, BURISLAW Prince of the Wends, son of ---.
     "m thirdly (Tønsberg 998) as his third wife, OLAV I Trygveson King of Norway, son of TRYGVE Olavvsson King in Romerike & his wife Åstrid Eiriksdatter ([968]-in a sea battle in the Øresund, off Svold near Rügen 9 Sep [1000])."
Med Lands cites:

Reference: Genealogics cites: Nachkommen Gorms des Alten, 1978 , Brenner, S. Otto. 10.⁴ Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden was also known as Borislaw (?) Prince of the Wends.⁴ Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden was also known as Wyrtgeorn (?) of the Wends.⁸ Burislaw (?) Prince of the Wenden was also known as Wyrtgeornus/Vortigen (?) af Venden.⁹

     Bodil Hakonsdotter (?) Queen of Denmark married Ulf "Galicienfahrer" (?) Jarl in Denmark.^1,8,4,5

     Reference: Genealogics cites: Nachkommen Gorms des Alten, 1978 , Brenner, S. Otto. 43.⁴

; Per Med Lands: "BODIL Haakonsdotter. m ULF Jarl in Denmark "Galicienfari", son of ---."⁵

; Per Genealogy.EU (Norway 4): “E1. Bodil Hakonsdotter; m.Ulf, Jarl in Denmark, called "Galicienfahrer" [traveller to Galicia]”.⁹

; Per Med Lands:
     "ULF Jarl in Denmark "Galicienfari", son of ---.
     "m BODIL Haakonsdotter, daughter of HAAKON Eriksson Jarl in Norway & his wife Gunhild of the Wends. Her marriage and parentage is given in Knytlnga Saga[27]."
Med Lands cites:

     Ulf "Galicienfahrer" (?) Jarl in Denmark married Bodil Hakonsdotter (?) Queen of Denmark, daughter of Håkon Eriksson (?) Jarl in Norway and Gunhild Burislawsdatter (?) of the Wends.^1,2,3,4
Ulf "Galicienfahrer" (?) Jarl in Denmark was born circa 1010.⁵
      ; Per Med Lands: "BODIL Haakonsdotter. m ULF Jarl in Denmark "Galicienfari", son of ---."⁴

; This is the same person as ”Ulv Galiciefarer” at Wikipedia (DK), and as ”Ulv Galiciefarer” at Wikipedia.^5,6


Reference: Genealogics cites: Nachkommen Gorms des Alten, 1978 , Brenner, S. Otto. 66.² Ulf "Galicienfahrer" (?) Jarl in Denmark was also known as Ulv Galiciefarer (?)⁵

; Per Med Lands:
     "ULF Jarl in Denmark "Galicienfari", son of ---.
     "m BODIL Haakonsdotter, daughter of HAAKON Eriksson Jarl in Norway & his wife Gunhild of the Wends. Her marriage and parentage is given in Knytlnga Saga[27]."
Med Lands cites:

; Per Genealogy.EU (Norway 4): “E1. Bodil Hakonsdotter; m.Ulf, Jarl in Denmark, called "Galicienfahrer" [traveller to Galicia]”.⁸

     Thorgunna Vagnsdatter (?) married Jarl Thrugot Ulvsön Fagerskind (?), son of Ulf "Galicienfahrer" (?) Jarl in Denmark and Bodil Hakonsdotter (?) Queen of Denmark.^1,4,5,3

     Reference: Genealogics cites: Nachkommen Gorms des Alten, 1978 , Brenner, S. Otto. 66.³ Thorgunna Vagnsdatter (?) was living in 1070.³

     Vagn Ageson (?) married Ingeborg Thorkelsdatter (?), daughter of Thorkel Leira (?).²

     Ragnhild Haakonsdatter (?) married Skopti Skagasson (?)¹
Ragnhild Haakonsdatter (?) married Eiliv (?)¹

     Eiliv (?) married Ragnhild Haakonsdatter (?), daughter of Håkon Sigurdsson Jarl "the Mighty" (?) Reichsverweser of Norway.¹

     Orm Eilivsson (?) Jarl in Oplandene married Sigrid Finsdatter (?), daughter of Finn Arnesson (?) of Vrjar, Jarl of Halland and Thorberg/Bergliot Halvdansdottir (?) av Ringerike.¹

Orm Eilivsson (?) Jarl in Oplandene died circa 1055.¹

     Sigrid Finsdatter (?) married Orm Eilivsson (?) Jarl in Oplandene, son of Eiliv (?) and Ragnhild Haakonsdatter (?).¹

     Thorfinn II "the Black" Sigurdsson (?) Jarl of Orkney, Mormaer of Caithness was born between 1007 and 1009 at Orkney, Scotland; Ashley says b. ca 1007; Genealogics and Med Lands say b. ca 1009.^1,2,3 He married Ingibiorg Finnsdottir av Austraat og Halland (?), daughter of Finn Arnesson (?) of Vrjar, Jarl of Halland and Thorberg/Bergliot Halvdansdottir (?) av Ringerike, between 1045 and 1050
;
Her 1st or 2nd husband.^{7,1,4,8,9,10,2,3}
Thorfinn II "the Black" Sigurdsson (?) Jarl of Orkney, Mormaer of Caithness died after 1057 at Christ's Kirk, Birdsey, Scotland; Genealogics says d. aft 1057; Med Lands says d. 1060/65.^2,3
      ; Per Med Lands:
     "INGIBJÖRG Finnsdatter ([1030/35]-). Orkneyinga Saga names Earl Thorfinn´s wife as “Ingibjorg, the Earls´-Mother, daughter of Earl Finn Arnason” and niece of Kalf Arnason[30]. Snorre names "Ingebjorg, the earl-mother…a daughter of Fin Arnason" as wife of Earl Thorfin[31]. Morkinskinna records that “Thorfinn jarl [of] Orkney” was married to “Kálfr´s sister Ingibjorg Árnasdóttir” at the time Kalf Arnesson fled Norway[32]. The chronology is certainly tight for Ingibjörg to have been Kalf´s niece, if it is correct that she was already married when Kalf fled Norway, which must be dated to [1040/42] from the context in Morkinskinna. Her birth date is estimated on the basis of the estimated birth dates of her mother and her older son, both of which are restricted. Orkneyinga Saga records that “Ingibjorg the Earls´-Mother” (widow of Thorfinn) married “Malcolm King of Scots, known as Long-neck” and that “their son was Duncan, King of Scots, father of William”[33]. There must be considerable doubt about whether this can be correct. Ingibjörg's [first] husband died in [1060/65]. King Malcolm's marriage to Queen Margaret is dated to 1070, three years after her arrival at the Scottish court. Although this provides sufficient time for the king to have married Ingebjörg, and for Ingebjörg to have died, the chronology for the birth of two sons would be tight. In addition, it is unlikely that either of these sons was born after [1065], as explained in the document SCOTLAND. If the king had really married Ingibjörg during this time, and if she had given birth to two sons, the absence of any reference to her in either Scottish or English sources is all the more surprising. It is possible that King Malcolm's marriage to Ingibjörg (if it did take place) was more Danico, implying concubinage rather than regular marriage, but this does not change the chronological difficulties. The one puzzle which remains, if the Saga is not correct, is why the author would have fabricated this detail.
     "m [firstly] ([1045/50]) THORFINN "the Black" Jarl of Orkney, son of SIGURD "Digri" Jarl of Orkney and Caithness & his wife --- of Scotland ([1009]-[1060/65]]).
     "[m secondly ([1066]) as his first wife, MALCOLM III "Caennmor/Bighead" King of Scotland, son of DUNCAN I King of Scotland & his wife Sibylla of Northumbria (1031-killed in battle near Alnwick, Northumberland 13 Nov 1093, bur Tynemouth, later transferred to Dunfermline Abbey, Fife, and later still to Escorial, Madrid).]"
Med Lands cites:

; This is the same person as ”Thorfinn the Mighty” at Wikipedia and as ”Torfinn Sigurdsson” at Wikipedia (DE).^11,12 GAV-32.

Reference: Genealogics cites: Burke's Guide to the Royal Family, London, 1973. 313.²

; Per Genealogics:
     “Thorfinn was the son of Sigurd II Dirgi, jarl (earl) of Orkney and earl of Caithness, and Donada, daughter of Malcolm II, king of Scots. He married Ingibiorg Arnesson, and they had two sons who survived childhood, Paul and Erlend.
     “Thorfinn's nephew Rognvald Brusason arrived in Shetland and learned that Thorfinn was in Orkney with quite a small force, not expecting trouble in the middle of winter. Rognvald and his men travelled to Orkney to mount a surprise attack. Thorfinn and his men discovered that attackers had blocked every door of their house. Rognvald and his men then set fire to the house. Thorfinn sent some of his men to the doors to ask who was responsible. They were told that Rognvald had arrived.
     “The men ran for their weapons, but could put up no resistance as there was no exit, and soon the house was ablaze. Thorfinn broke out through a wooden partition-wall and escaped, carrying his wife Ingibiorg in his arms. In the dark of the night they escaped under cover of the smoke, and that same night rowed over to Caithness. Rognvald burned the farmhouse to ashes and everyone was convinced that Thorfinn had perished there.
     “Rognvald took up residence at Kirkwall, and there just before Christmas it was the turn of Rognvald and his men to be imprisoned in a burning house. Rognvald escaped, holding his lap dog in his arms. However the barking of the dog betrayed him and he was killed by Thorfinn's men. Only now could Thorfinn claim control over the whole of Orkney.
     “Thorfinn travelled to Norway and Denmark and from there to Saxony, where he met the Emperor Heinrich III. He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he was received by the pope. On his return to the Orkneys he settled at Birsay. He was one of the most powerful of the earls of Orkney, winning himself nine Scottish earldoms, along with the whole of the Hebrides.
     “Thorfinn died towards the end of the reign of Harald Sigurdarson, and was buried at Christchurch, Birsay, a church he had built. His sons took over the earldom. While Paul was in charge, the brothers remained on friendly terms. About 1059 Ingibiorg married Malcolm III Canmore, king of Scots, and they had three sons.”.²

; Dorothy Dunnett's historical novel King Hereafter presents a sweeping overview of the life of Thorfin and Macbeth and the history, politics and events of northern England, Scotland, Denmark and Norway - Including the interactions between the Scandinavian settlers and lower England. I recommend it as a good read to anyone interested in this period. Greg Vaut.¹³

; Per Med Lands:
     "THORFINN "the Black", son of SIGURD "Digri" Jarl of Orkney and Caithness & his wife Donada of Scotland ([1009]-[1060/65], bur Birsay, Christchurch). Orkneyinga Saga names “Earl Thorfinn” as the son of Sigurd and his wife “the daughter of Malcolm King of Scots”, adding that his father sent him to Scotland “to be fostered by the King, the boy’s maternal grandfather” when he left for Ireland, and that he was five years old when his father was killed[916]. Snorre names Thorfin as son of "Sigurd the Thick" & his wife, recording that he was five years old when his father was killed[917]. Orkneyinga Saga records that “his grandfather King Malcolm of Scotland” gave “Caithness and Sutherland…[with] the title earl” to Thorfinn and “appointed counsellors to govern with him”[918]. Orkneyinga Saga records that Thorfinn unsuccessfully claimed a share of Orkney from his half-brother Einar after the death of their brother Somerled, but that “when Earl Thorfinn came of age” he reasserted his claim and a settlement was reached through the intervention of their brother Brusi[919]. Assuming that he came of age when around 15 years old, this event would be dated to [1023/24]. This suggested age of majority appears confirmed by a later passage in Orkneyinga Saga which records that “at fifteen [Thorfinn] began leading raiding expeditions abroad”[920]. He succeeded [1030] as sole Jarl of Orkney. He disputed the succession of Duncan I King of Scotland in 1034, joined forces with Macbeth Mormaer of Moray, and obtained dominion over the whole of northern Scotland after the latter's accession in 1040[921]. Having given 1/3 of Orkney to his nephew Ragnvald II in 1036, he expelled the latter in 1046 and became sole Jarl once more. Orkneyinga Saga records the death of Thorfinn “towards the end of the reign of Harald Sigurdarson” (who was killed in 1066) and his burial “at Christchurch, Birsay” which he had built[922]. His date of death is not consistent with the birth of Duncan II King of Scotland, son of Thorfinn's wife by her second marriage, in 1060, unless Thorfinn repudiated his wife before he died.
     "m ([1045/50]) [as her first husband,] INGIBJÖRG Finnsdatter, daughter of FINN Arnesson [later Jarl of Halland in Denmark] & his wife Bergliot Halfdansdatter ([1030/35]-). Orkneyinga Saga names Earl Thorfinn’s wife as “Ingibjorg, the Earls’-Mother, daughter of Earl Finn Arnason” and niece of Kalf Arnason[923]. Snorre names "Ingebjorg, the earl-mother…a daughter of Fin Arnason" as wife of Earl Thorfin[924]. Morkinskinna records that “Thorfinn jarl [of] Orkney” was married to “Kálfr’s sister Ingibjorg Árnasdóttir” at the time Kalf Arnesson fled Norway[925]. The chronology is certainly tight for Ingibjörg to have been Kalf’s niece, if it is correct that she was already married when Kalf fled Norway, which must be dated to [1040/42] from the context in Morkinskinna. Her birth date is estimated on the basis of the estimated birth dates of her mother and her older son, both of which are restricted. Orkneyinga Saga records that “Ingibjorg the Earls’-Mother” (widow of Thorfinn) married “Malcolm King of Scots, known as Long-neck” (Malcolm III "Caennmor/Bighead" King of Scotland) and that “their son was Duncan, King of Scots, father of William”[926]. There must be considerable doubt about whether this can be correct. Ingibjörg's [first] husband died in [1060/65]. King Malcolm's marriage to Queen Margaret is dated to 1070, three years after her arrival at the Scottish court. Although this provides sufficient time after the death of her first husband for the king to have married Ingebjörg, and for Ingebjörg to have died, the chronology for the birth of two sons would be tight. In addition, it is unlikely that either of these sons was born after [1065], as explained in SCOTLAND KINGS. If the king had really married Ingibjörg during this time, and if she had given birth to two sons, the absence of any reference to her in either Scottish or English sources is all the more surprising. It is possible that King Malcolm's marriage to Ingibjörg (if it did take place) was more Danico, implying concubinage rather than regular marriage, but this does not change the chronological difficulties. The one puzzle which remains, if the Saga is not correct, is why the author would have fabricated this detail."
Med Lands cites:

; Per Genealogy.EU (MacAlpine): “I2. [2m.] Thorfinn, Jarl of Orkney and Caithness, claimant to the Scottish throne, *ca 1009, +ca 1056; m.Ingiborg (+before 1070), dau.of Finn Arnarsson of Vrjar, Jarl of Halland”.¹⁴ He was Earl of Orkney: [Ashley, pp. 447, 449-450] THORFINN II known variously as THE BLACK and THE MIGHTY, shared part of the earldom of Orkney from 1018, most of it from 1028 and all of it from c1030 except for 1038-46, when he shared it with RAGNALD II. Thorfinn's inheritance is complicated. He was the son of SIGURD II after his second marriage to Donada, the daughter of MALCOLM II of Scotland, and thus half-brother to MACBETH. When his father died at Clontarf in 1014, Thorfinn was only six or seven and was left in the care of the Scottish king. Malcolm confirmed Thorfinn as earl of Caithness, and installed him at Duncansby with a body of advisers and guardians. The leading official was Thorkel, known as the Fosterer. Malcolm clearly saw this as an opportunity to gain control over Caithness and possibly Orkney itself. It also gave him a powerful ally over the mórmaers of Moray. He thus supported Thorfinn as he grew into an intelligent but precocious young man, ambitious for power and wealth. Even at the age of eleven, possibly less, he became embroiled in a squabble over inheritance with his half-brothers, following the death of SOMERLED, who had left his territory to EINAR, who was every bit as ambitious as Thorfinn. Thorfinn, no doubt urged on by Malcolm, disputed Einar's share. Einar refused to budge, on the basis that Thorfinn already had Caithness, which was not part of the arrangement. Two years of negotiation ensued, mediated by the third brother, BRUSI. Eventually, in 1018, Brúsi bequeathed Einar his share of the land on the basis that Einar shared a third with Thorfinn. Einar did so, but refused to pay Thorfinn his share of the revenues. To settle the dispute Thorfinn traveled to the court of Olaf, king of Norway, in the summer of 1020. Olaf supported Thorfinn and gave both him and Thorkel a longship each. They returned to Caithness and prepared to embattle Einar until Brúsi negotiated a peace. Einar visited Thorkel at Sandwick, where he was promptly murdered. Thorkel was forgiven for this crime by King Olaf (who had no love for Einar) but he used it as an opportunity to claim a share of the Orkneys himself, so that by 1021, Brúsi, Olaf and Thorfinn each administered a third. Thorfinn negotiated to administer Olaf's third as a fief of the king, which was agreed, but Brúsi also earned the king's respect and was allowed the greater share of the earldom. From 1021 to 1028 therefore, Brúsi was the senior earl and administrator in Orkney, whilst Thorfinn retained one-third of that earldom, plus his own earldom in Caithness. Brúsi eventually handed over the majority of the earldom to Thorfinn in 1028, and all of it in 1030.
It was retaining his hold on Caithness that occupied most of his time from then on. The lands had long been under threat from FINDLAECH, MALCOLM and GILLECOMGAIN, the mórmaers of Moray. It is recorded that Thorfinn was in battle against them for much of his early adult life, though this changed when his half-brother MACBETH succeeded to the stewardship. By then Thorfinn's main adversary was the man the sagas call Karl Hundisson, who was probably the Scottish king DUNCAN (I), Thorfinn's cousin. Duncan/Hundisson invaded Caithness in 1040 with a view to conquest but was defeated by Thorfinn twice, resulting in Duncan's death. Thorfinn followed up this victory by not only reclaiming Caithness but Sutherland, Moray and Ross, so that he now dominated all of northern Scotland.
In 1038 Thorfinn was forced to share a third of the earldom with his nephew, RAGNALD, the son of Brúsi, who had been confirmed as earl by the king of Norway. Thorfinn tolerated Ragnald at first, in fact they seemed to work well together, and the two of them reconquered the Western Isles, which had been lost to the earldom since Clontarf. Thorfinn also exacted retribution upon Ireland for its support of Hundisson and in 1042 raided as far south as England, probably using the Isle of Man as his base. Thorfinn had no serious ambitions on England it was as much a show of strength, but it confirmed his authority. He and Ragnald now ruled over half of Scotland, including all of the surrounding islands. Unfortunately by 1045 the relationship between the two suffered when Thorfinn demanded Ragnald pay over the revenues from his third to help support the Norse earl, Kalf Arnesson, who had fled from Norway to seek refuge in the Orkneys. Thorfinn had married Kalf's niece, Ingibiorg, some years earlier. Ragnald refused and after a year of arguing, Ragnald went to Norway, received the support of King Magnus, and returned to the Orkneys with a fighting force. He defeated Thorfinn at first, but then Kalf Arnesson brought his soldiers into the picture and he and Thorfinn drove Ragnald back to Norway. Ragnald was reinforced by King Magnus, returned and caught Thorfinn by surprise, burning down his house. Thorfinn escaped to Caithness, but in his turn, came back and burned Ragnald's house. Ragnald was killed while escaping. Thorfinn reconciled himself with King Magnus and from then till his death was the sole earl of Orkney. He now underwent a conversion and, in 1048, went on a tour through the courts of Europe, culminating in a visit to the pope, who forgave him for his past sins. It is not stated that Thorfinn was baptized into the Christian faith, but after 1048 he was a professed Christian and, on his return to Orkney, he established an episcopal church beside his royal household at Birsay, with its first bishop Thorolf. With the help of Thorolf, Thorfinn completely reorganized the administrative and legal structure of his earldom. Surprisingly the exact date of his death, which followed a long illness, is not known. It is unlikely to be as late as 1065, as often recorded, because his widow Ingibiorg married MALCOLM III of Scotland and bore three children before 1069. He probably died between 1057 and 1060. Although his territories were always subject to the king of Scotland (on the mainland) and the king of Norway (Orkney and the Western Isles), Thorfinn seems to have governed with almost total autonomy, certainly towards the end of his life, and was ahead of his Scandinavian contemporaries in establishing a bishopric in his lands. Despite his early petulance and ambition, he became a wise and dedicated ruler, recognized throughout Europe, though today he is one of the forgotten great rulers of Britain. After his death his lands were shared between his two sons, PAUL and ERLEND (II). between 1018 and 1064.¹

     Ragna Ormsdotter (?) married Sven Svenson (?)¹

     Sven Svenson (?) married Ragna Ormsdotter (?), daughter of Orm Eilivsson (?) Jarl in Oplandene and Sigrid Finsdatter (?).¹

     Astrid (?) married Sune Ivarsson (?)¹

     Orm Svensson "Krypinge-Orm" (?) married Ragnhild (?), daughter of Skuli Tostesson Kongsfostre (?) and Gudrun Nevsteinsdottir (?),
; his 1st wife.¹ Orm Svensson "Krypinge-Orm" (?) married Ragnhild (?), daughter of Svenke Steinarsson (?),
; his 2nd wife.¹
Orm Svensson "Krypinge-Orm" (?) died in 1140.¹
      ; Orm Svensson, called Krypinge-Orm, +1140; 1m: Ragnhild, dau.of Skuli Tostesson Kongsfostre; 2m: Ragnhild, dau.of Svenke Steinarsson.¹

     Ragnhild (?) married Orm Svensson "Krypinge-Orm" (?), son of Sven Svenson (?) and Ragna Ormsdotter (?),
; his 1st wife.¹

     Magnus V Erlingsson (?) King of Norway married Elrid Bjornsdotter (?), daughter of Bjorn Byrdasven (?) and Rangrid Guttormsdotter (?),
; her 2nd husband.^1,2 Magnus V Erlingsson (?) King of Norway was born in 1156.¹
Magnus V Erlingsson (?) King of Norway died on 15 June 1184; killed in battle.¹
      ; King of Norway.¹

     Asulf/Asólfr (?) married Thora Skopitsdatter (?)¹

      ; Leo van de Pas cites: Morkinskinna 2000, Cornell University Press.²

     Thora Skopitsdatter (?) married Asulf/Asólfr (?), son of Skuli Tostesson Kongsfostre (?) and Gudrun Nevsteinsdottir (?).¹

     Guttorm Asulfsson (?) of Rein married Eldred Jonsdotter (?)
; his 1st wife.¹ Guttorm Asulfsson (?) of Rein married Bergljot (?)
; his 2nd wife.¹ Guttorm Asulfsson (?) of Rein married Sigrid Thorkilsdotter (?)
; his 3rd wife.¹
      ; Leo van de Pas cites: Morkinskinna 2000, Cornell University Press, Reference: Stewart Baldwin.²