Thorfinn (Sigurdsson) Jarl of Orkney
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Thorfinn (Sigurdsson) Jarl of Orkney (abt. 1009 - abt. 1064)

Thorfinn "The Black" Jarl of Orkney formerly Sigurdsson
Born about in Norwegian Jarldom of Orkneymap
Ancestors ancestors
Child of and
Sibling of [half], [half], [half] and [half]
Spouse of — married 1038 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Parent of , , and
Died about at about age 55 in Norwegian Jarldom of Orkneymap
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Medieval Scotland
Thorfinn (Sigurdsson) Jarl of Orkney was an inhabitant of Medieval Scotland.
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Preceded by
Einar Sigurdsson		 Jarl (Earl) of Orkney
c. 1025 - c. 1064		 Succeeded by
Paul (Pål) Thorfinnsson and Erlend Thorfinsson

Contents

Biography

”Thorfinn Sigurdson II,” ”Þorfinnr Sigurðarson,” “Jarl of Orkney,” “Orkneyjarl,” “Earl of Caithness and Sutherland,” “3rd Earl of Orkney, Caithness, Skottland, Irland och Isle of Man“ ‘’Thorfinn the Black ,” “Þorfinnr inn Ríki (the Mighty)”

Birth and Early Life

Thorfinn Sigurdson was born about 1009 in the Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney, the son of Sigurd Digre Hlodvirsson, Jarl of Orkney [1] and Anleta (Thora Donada) MacAlpin, a daughter of Malcolm II of Scotland.

In 1014, when he was only 5 years old, his father, Sigurd II, was killed in the battle of Clontarf. [2][3] He “was then living with his grandfather, Malcolm II, King of Scots, who gave him Caithness and Sutherland, with the title of earl.” [4][5][6] But his elder half-brothers, Sumarlidi Sigurdsson, Brúsi Sigurdsson, and Einar "Wrymouth" Sigurdsson, denied his rights of inheritance, and divided the Jarldom of Orkney into equal thirds among themselves. [7][8] When Sumarlidi died, about 1019, Thorfinn demanded his share of Sumarlidi’s portion of the Orkneys, but Einar refused to cede any portion to Thorfinn and, instead, seized two thirds of the Jarldom. [9] Einar, powerful and greedy, lost popular support by violently forcing many Orcadian landowners from their homes to fight in his war expeditions. [10][11]

In the interim, while Thorfinn was still young, Thorkel Amundason became his "foster-father" and protector." [12] By 1020, after Thorkel had repeatedly intervened on Thorfinn's behalf to reduce his war demands on the landowners, the "enraged" Einar planned to ambush and murder Thorkel. Discovering this plot while they were attending a feast at Thorkel's farm in Sandwick, Thorkel killed him instead. [13][14]

After the death of Einar, Thorfinn and Brúsi acknowledged "the suzerainty of Olaf II "the Holy" King of Norway over the Orkneys," and both remained Jarls of a shared Orkney. However, they disputed the division of Orkney as Thorfinn wanted each to have one-half, but Brúsi wanted to keep the two-thirds already in his possession. Even holding a "Thing," they could not agree. [15] Brúsi knowing that Thorfinn, who had the support of Malcolm II, King of Scots), was stronger, journeyed East to appeal to Olaf II. But Olaf was exiled from Norway in 1028, and Thorfinn secured a majority two-thirds of the islands. [16][17] By about 1031, the approximate time of Brusi's death, Thorfinn Sigurdson became the only ruler of the Jarldom of Orkney.

Around 1034, he lost the support of the Scottish throne as his grandfather, Malcolm II, died and Duncan I became King of Scots. [18]

He married Ingebjørg Finnsdottir, the daughter of Finn Arnesson, Jarl of Halland. [19][20]

Children of Thorfinn Sigurdson and Ingebjørg Jarlemoder Finnsdotter

  1. Erlend Thorfinsson, Jarl of Orkney and Caithness, b. probably, Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney; d. abt. 1098, Trondheim, Sør-Trøndelag, Norway [21][22][23]
  2. Paul (Pål) Thorfinnsson, Jarl of Orkney, b. probably, Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney; d. 1098/9, Bergen, Hordaland, Norway [21][22][23]

By 1040, Thorfinn had grown into a fearsome warrior, "a huge, sinewy, uncomely, martial-looking man, sharp-featured, dark-haired, sallow, and of swarthy complexion, with a gold-plated helmet on his head, a sword at his belt, and a spear in his hands…,” From 1036 to 1046, Thorfinn Sigurdson and Ragnvald Brusesson were both Jarls of Orkney. [24]

Attacked in Caithness

Although attacked by the forces of Karl Hundason, [25] "a powerful ruler of Scotland," as Thorfinn, Earl of Caithness, he was able to successfully defend his lands in Caithness. [5][26][27]

Shared Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney with Ragnvald

However, Ragnvald Brusesson, son of his brother, Brúsi Sigurdsson) challenged his reign over Orkney. “Ragnvald Brusesson was in Norway when he heard of his father’s death, and being odal-born to his father’s third of the Islands, and having received from King Magnus Olafson a grant of that third which King Olaf had declared forfeited to himself for Eyvind Urarhorn’s murder, he went west to the Orkneys, prepared to maintain his rights against the claims of Thorfinn, who had taken possession of the whole. An amicable arrangement was made between the kinsmen, ..., From 1036 to 1046, Thorfinn Sigurdson and Ragnvald Brusesson were both Jarls of Orkney. [28][29]

Aided Macbeth in War to Depose King Duncan I

"While all of this was going on, Jarl Thorfinn found the time and the forces he needed to join with one 1st cousin, Macbeth MacFinnlaech, to help him challenge another 1st cousin, Duncan I, King of Scots, for the Scottish throne. The three met in battle on 15 August 1040 near Elgin; Duncan I was killed, and Macbeth became King of Alba." [30]

Defeated and Killed Ragnvald

However, as the relations of the two Jarls of Orkney became increasingly hostile, Ragnvald Brusesson tried to burn Thorfinn to death in his home at night, "...surprising Thorfinn in a house on the Mainland of Orkney,...(Ragnvald) set fire to it. Thorfinn broke down part of the wall of the house and leapt out, carrying his wife, Ingebjørg, in his arms, and escaped through the smoke.” [31][32]

Their struggles for supremacy in Orkney ended in 1046, when “‘The jarls came to blows at the naval battle of Roberry (Rauðabjǫrg) [33]...Ragnvald was finally hunted down and killed” at the loyal hand of Thorkel Amundason [34][35] From 1046 to 1064, Thorfinn Sigurdson was again the only Jarl of the Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney, which probably included Norse settlements around the northern and western coasts of Scotland, "a maritime ‘empire’ stretching from Shetland and Orkney to the southern Hebrides, even including Man (and 'a large realm in Ireland" [36]

Pilgrimage to Rome with Macbeth

About 1050 and “…presumably in expiation for his murder of Rögnvald and at least thirty of his supporters, Thorfinn went on pilgrimage to Rome, where he had an audience with the pope 'and received absolution from him for all his sins' (Orkneyinga Saga, chap. 31).” [37][38] It appears that Thorfinn and his cousin, Macbeth, King of Scots, journeyed to Rome together. [39] He also built Christ's Kirk, Birsay, Orkney in 1064. [40][41] He lost this long term ally when Macbeth was killed by Malcolm “King of the Cumbrians”, later Malcolm III, King of Scots. [42]

Death

Thorfinn Sigurdson died about 1065 in the Norwegian Jarldom of Orkney and was buried at Christchurch, Birsay. [43] An alternative date of death is 1056. [23] The territories he controlled split apart to fall under the control of local warlords. His sons, Paul (Pål) Thorfinnsson and Erlend Thorfinsson shared the Jarldom of Orkney and became vassals of Harald Hardrada. [44]

Thorfinn Sigurdson's widow Ingebjørg later married Malcolm Canmore, King of Scots. [45][46]

Research Notes

  1. Are Icelandic Sagas reliable sources? “Richard Heinzel, who was the first to attempt a scientific investigation of the spirit of the saga, calls the sagas “historical romances.”…They are, however, neither romances nor histories, but, as the name indicates, sogur (narrations), artistic reproductions of tradition. The historical and unhistorical are indissolubly blended. Some sagas are more, and some less, historical…What the sagas tell of the Norwegian ancestors of their heroes is, as a rule, unhistorical. Where the action takes place in foreign lands it is generally an invention.” [47]
  2. Orkneyinga Saga. "Written around AD 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author, the Orkneyinga Saga is an intriguing fusion of myth, legend and history. The only medieval chronicle to have Orkney as the central place of action, it tells of an era when the islands were still part of the Viking world, beginning with their conquest by the kings of Norway in the ninth century. The saga describes the subsequent history of the Earldom of Orkney and the adventures of great Norsemen such as Sigurd the Powerful, St Magnus the Martyr and Hrolf, the conqueror of Normandy. Savagely powerful and poetic, this is a fascinating depiction of an age of brutal battles, murder, sorcery and bitter family feuds." [48]
  3. Heimskringla. “(c. 1220; “Orb of the World”), collection of sagas of the early Norwegian kings, written by the Icelandic poet-chieftain Snorri Sturluson. “The value of these sagas as history is still debated, but Snorri ranks high as a critical historian. The sources he used were varied, but he relied heavily on the poems of the early skalds (court poets), which Snorri understood better than any scholar of his age.” [49]
  4. Norwegian Kings and Vikings - Do They Belong in Your Family Tree? (Recommended by Norway Project) [50] “Snorre’s Heimskringla is a fantastic source of knowledge of how the Norwegian society functioned in the late 12th and and early to mid-13th century. It is also the best source we have for understanding the Viking Age, but the Viking Age is described in 13th century standards. This means that main events in the Viking Age are described according to 13th century laws, traditions, and ethics, which meant…that history could be changed, rewritten or even invented to explain or give legality to political positions. This does not mean that the Sagas are useless. It shows just how careful one has to be when dealing with them.” [51]
  5. Thorfinn may have had two other sons by an unknown mistress or wife, Dolfin Thorfinnsson and Bardolv Thorfinsson, but no reliable source provides support.

Sources

  1. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “…He was the son of Sigurd II, Jarl of Orkney, and of a daughter of ‘Malcolm, king of Scots’, most probably Malcolm II (r. 1005–1034). He was born c.1009” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  2. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), pp. 36-37, https://a.co/82eVGb3.
  3. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “...he is said to have been 'only five years old' in Orkneyinga Saga when his father was killed at the battle of Clontarf in 1014...” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  4. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “he was then living with his grandfather, Malcolm, king of Scots, who gave him Caithness and Sutherland, with the title of earl, 'and appointed counsellors to govern with him' (Orkneyinga Saga, chap. 13).” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873). p. 38, https://a.co/gBTEQ86
  6. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6660, https://a.co/cCteuTt
  7. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6660, https://a.co/hP6IzwE
  8. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 160, https://a.co/13rDBrQ
  9. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “The preliminary phase of Thorfinn's rise to eminence concerned his struggle with his half-brothers, Sumarlidi, Brúsi, and Einarr, to gain a share of the earldom of Orkney which they had divided between them on the death of their father in 1014. After Sumarlidi's death Thorfinn claimed his third of Orkney, although it was argued by Einarr that Caithness and Sutherland—which Thorfinn held—constituted over a third of their father's earldom.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  10. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), pp. 36-37, https://a.co/9fEtdFm.
  11. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6675, https://a.co/f3l30Sh
  12. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), pp. 36-37, https://a.co/77nPq77.
  13. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6637, https://a.co/iGY3FUR
  14. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “With the support of Thorkel Amundson, an Orkney farmer who fostered Thorfinn when young, he succeeded in acquiring one-third of the islands. The rivalry with Earl Einarr came to a head at a feast at Thorkel's farm at Sandwick, when the earl was murdered by Thorkel (recorded in the Icelandic annals in the early fourteenth century as having taken place in 1020).” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  15. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6749, https://a.co/ggNTcAU
  16. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 6749, https://a.co/9xNfEyB
  17. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “These events gave the king of Norway, Óláf Haraldsson, an opportunity to intervene in the affairs of the earldom to his own advantage, and there are some highly imaginative scenes, described in the section of Orkneyinga Saga devoted to Thorfinn, of the occasion when the king announced the terms of the agreement made with Brúsi and Thorfinn over Earl Einarr's third of the earldom. The Icelandic annals describe this as Thorfinn and Brúsi giving the Orkneys into the power of King Óláf. Later, when Óláf was exiled from Norway (1028–30), Thorfinn managed to reverse the balance of power and secure two-thirds of the islands, and Brúsi kept one.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  18. ↑ Emma.Goodey. Malcolm II (r. 1005-1034). The Royal Family. London: The Royal Household (2016), Malcolm II
  19. ↑ Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: or, The Lives of the Norse Kings. Cambridge: W. Heffer (1932), loc. 10666, https://a.co/5SmNWCK
  20. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “Thorfinn's own piety is beyond doubt, as is evident from his pilgrimage to Rome. Neither liaisons nor offspring of any union is mentioned other than with his wife, Ingebjorg (Earls' Mother; d. c.1070), daughter of Finn Árnason of Norway, and one of their sons is named, significantly, Paul (the first Christian name in the earldom family).” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Crawford, Barbara E. Paul [Páll Þorfinnsson] (d. 1098/9. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), Paul (Páll Þorfinnsson).
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “A foremost ruler of the Scandinavian world, Thorfinn's ‘empire’ fell apart at his death and his earldoms were divided between his two sons, Paul and Erlend.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alba. Volume III. Land and People. Edinburgh: David Douglas (1886), This edition Paisley PA: Grian Press (2014), loc. 6359, https://a.co/cpEIDLT
  24. ↑ Rampini, Charles. “A History of Moray and Nairn.” Muskegon, MI: Electric Scotland USA LLC (1898), citing, “...the Saga gives us a striking picture of their leader Thorfinn—a huge, sinewy, uncomely, martial-looking man, sharp-featured, dark-haired, sallow, and of swarthy complexion, with a gold-plated helmet on his head, a sword at his belt, and a spear in his hands…” [https://electricscotland.com/history/moray/nairn01.htm
  25. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 40, https://a.co/3RhwZ4R
  26. ↑ Rampini, Charles. “A History of Moray and Nairn.” Muskegon, MI: Electric Scotland USA LLC (1898), citing, “As for his cousin Duncan…He had hardly succeeded to his grandfather’s throne than we find him in hostilities with…Thorfinn to recover possession by force of arms of the earldom of Caithness and Sutherland or to make Thorfinn pay tribute for it….The Norsemen were…successful; and in the end they gained a decisive victory…The fight was (at) Torfness—Burghead (on) 14th August 1040…led by King Duncan in person…”[https://electricscotland.com/history/moray/nairn01.htm
  27. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “At some point during this period (the chronology of the saga account does not permit any specific date to be hazarded), Thorfinn faced attack from a powerful ruler of Scotland, called in the saga Karl Hundason, who claimed Caithness and expected tribute to be paid for it by the earl. The claim on Caithness, and the location of the movement of the armies of both Earl Thorfinn and King Karl around the Moray Firth make it very likely that the Scottish rival was a ruler of the province of Moray, rather than of the southern mac Alpin dynasty: that he may have been Macbeth has often been suggested, though never entirely proven. He was clearly a famous warrior and the battles fought with Thorfinn—one in Orcadian waters, off Deerness, and the other near Karl's own home base at 'Torfness' (possibly Tarbat Ness in Easter Ross)—were close-won victories for Thorfinn.” Thorfinn Sigurdson..
  28. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), pp. 39-40, https://a.co/aMKBPi2
  29. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “During the negotiations with Óláf, Brúsi had to leave behind as a hostage his son, Rögnvald (II) Brúsason (d. 1046), earl of Orkney, an outstanding member of the earldom family, who also played a foremost role in the stirring events that took place in Norway in the following decade. He participated in the battle of Stiklestad, and went into exile with Harald Hardrada to Novgorod, returning with Magnús Óláfsson the Good to Norway in 1035. The following year he was given the title of earl, three fully equipped long ships, and one-third of the islands by Magnús, although when he arrived in Orkney he claimed his father's third also, which Thorfinn allowed, 'because his hands were full with the Hebrideans and the Irish' (Orkneyinga Saga, chap. 22).” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  30. ↑ Skene, William Forbes. Celtic Scotland: A History of Ancient Alban. Freeport, N.Y., Books for Libraries Press (1971), citing, "The truth seems to be that the conquest of the provinces south of Moray, which took place after this battle, was the joint work of Thorfinn and Macbeth, and that they divided the kingdom of the slain Duncan between them..." chap. vii, p. 405.
  31. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 40, https://a.co/0PvqJfE
  32. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “This was after he (Ragnvald) had set Thorfinn's house (on the mainland of Orkney) on fire when the earl had made a dramatic escape, unnoticed by the attackers, through a wooden partition wall with Ingebjorg in his arms.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  33. ↑ “D. Rǫgnvaldr Brúsason.” The Old Norse World. Accessed December 17, 2022. https://skaldic.abdn.ac.uk/m.php?p=doconw&i=614.
  34. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 40, https://a.co/c23v8BA
  35. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “Rögnvald was finally hunted down and killed on Papa Stronsay just before Christmas 1046, betrayed by the barking of his lap-dog as he hid among the rocks; he was buried on Papa Westray.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  36. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “Despite his Scottish upbringing Thorfinn became thoroughly immersed in the late viking world of the Norse settlements around the northern and western coasts of Scotland, which had been raided and conquered by his ancestors. He built on the successes of his father and maintained a maritime ‘empire’ stretching from Shetland and Orkney to the southern Hebrides, even including Man (and 'a large realm in Ireland' if the saga is to be believed).” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  37. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “presumably in expiation for his murder of Rögnvald and at least thirty of his supporters, he went on pilgrimage to Rome, where he had an audience with the pope 'and received absolution from him for all his sins' (Orkneyinga Saga, chap. 31). This famous journey included a visit to Swein Estrithson in Denmark and the emperor Heinrich III in Germany 'who gave him a warm welcome and many fine gifts'.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  38. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 102, https://a.co/17GIGyD
  39. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A., trans.; Goudie, Gilbert, ed.; Anderson, Joseph, notes & intro. The Orkneyinga Saga. Library of Alexandria. Edinburgh: Edmondston and Douglas, p. 430, https://a.co/aAKhMGe
  40. ↑ Hjaltalin, Jon A. & Goudie, Gilbert; Anderson, Joseph (ed.). (Translated from the Icelandic) The Orkneyinga Saga. Edinburgh: Edmonston & Douglas (1873), p. 77, https://a.co/0YenSyr
  41. ↑ Birsay Heritage Trust : St Magnus Church, Birsay
  42. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham (Salt Lake City: the author, 2013), vol. 4, p. 576.
  43. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  44. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “A foremost ruler of the Scandinavian world, Thorfinn's ‘empire’ fell apart at his death and his earldoms were divided between his two sons, Paul and Erlend.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  45. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. 5 vols., ed. Kimball G. Everingham Salt Lake City: the author (2013), vol. 4, pp. 576-578
  46. ↑ Crawford, Barbara E. Thorfinn Sigurdson (II) [Þorfinnr Sigurðarson , Þorfinnr inn Ríki (c. 1009–c. 1065). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press (2004), citing, “His widow, Ingebjorg, is said in Orkneyinga Saga to have married Malcolm III Canmore, king of Scots: a liaison recorded in no other source, but which may have produced Malcolm's two eldest sons.” Thorfinn Sigurdson.
  47. ↑ Bugge, Alexander. The Origin and Credibility of the Icelandic Saga. The American Historical Review 14, no. 2 (1909). pp. 260–61, https://doi.org/10.2307/1832657.
  48. ↑ Anonymous. Orkneyinga Saga by Anonymous: 9780140443837: Penguinrandomhouse.com: Books.” PenguinRandomhouse.com. (2022), Orkneyinga Saga.
  49. ↑ Heimskringla. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2022), Heimskringla.
  50. ↑ Norway Project Reliable Sources.
  51. ↑ Norwegian Kings and Vikings - Do They Belong in Your Family Tree? Presented at the SAGS (Scandinavian Area Genealogical Societies) meeting 27 Feb 1991 by Lars Løberg Vice Counsel of Norway, https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/6068184/norwegian-kings-and-vikings-rogalandslag,

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Images: 3
Arms of feudal Earldom of Orkney
Arms of feudal Earldom of Orkney
Viking Longship
Viking Longship
Vikings
Vikings


Comments: 3

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Perkins-11750 Clyde Perkins
I have completed updating this profile on behalf of the Scotland Project using Scotland - Profile Standards, https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Scotland_-_Profile_Standards. If anyone spots a typo, please correct or message me.

Thanks, Clyde

posted by Clyde Perkins
Stevens-17832 Jen (Stevens) Hutton
PMs not certified to work on this profile have been moved to the trusted list; please let the project know when you have pre-1500 certification and we can move you back.

Jen

posted by Jen (Stevens) Hutton
Hubbard-51 Krissi (Hubbard) Love
Known as "the Black".
posted by Krissi (Hubbard) Love

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Categories: Norse Jarls of Orkney | Scotland Project Managed Medieval Profiles