#orkneyinga saga

[ukdamo]

Orkneyinga Saga (excerpt)

a Viking text telling of King Hakon’s death

The fleets which now consisted of more than a hundred vessels, for the most part large and all well equipped, was divided into two squadrons, one of which, consisting of fifty ships, plundered the coasts of Kintyre and Mull, rejoining King Hakon at Gigha. A detatched squadron now plundered Bute, and the fleet cast anchor in Arran Sound, from which King Hakon sent Gilbert, Bishop of Hamar, and Heniy, Bishop of Orkney, with three other envoys, to treat for peace with the Scottish King. The negotiations failed, and soon after the fleet was disabled by a storm, and the power of the Norwegian King utterly broken in the battle of Largs. King Hakon, gather- ing together the shattered remnants of his fleet and army, retired slowly northwards, meeting with no impediment until they arrived off Durness, in Sutherlandshire, when the wind fell calm, and the fleet steered into the sound, where seven men of a boat’s crew, who had been sent ashore for water, were killed by the Scots. In passing through the Pentland Firth one vessel went down with all on board in the  Swelkie, a dangerous whirlpool in certain states of the tide, and another was carried by the current helplessly through the Firth, and made straight for Norway. King Hakon laid up his fleet in Midland Harbour and Scapa Bay. He then rode to Kirkwall, and lay down to die. He was lodged in the bishop’s palace, and after having been confined to his bed for some days, he recovered so much that he attended mass in the bishop’s chapel, and walked to the cathedral to visit the shrine of St Magnus. But there came a relapse, and he was again laid prostrate. He caused the Bible and Latin books to be read to him to beguile the tedium of the sick bed, until he was no longer able to bear the fatigue of reflecting on what he heard ; and then he desired that Norwegian books should be read to him night and day — first the Sagas of the Saints, and then the Chronicles of the Kings, from Halfdan the Black through all the succession of the Bangs of Norway.

Then he set his affairs in order, caused his silver plate to be weighed out to pay his troops, and received the sacrament. He died at midnight on Saturday, 15th December 1263. On Sunday the corpse, clothed in the richest garments, with a garland on the head, was laid in state in the upper hall of the palace. The king’s chamberlains stood round it with tapers, and all day long the people came to view the remains of their king. The nobles kept watch over the bier through the night ; and on Monday the royal remains were borne to St. Magnus’ Cathedral, where they lay in state all that night. On Tuesday they were temporarily interred in the choir of the church, near the steps leading to the shrine of St. Magnus. Before his death the king had given directions

that his body should be carried east to Norway, and buried beside the remains of his father and his relatives in Bergen. In the month of March the corpse was exhumed and conveyed to Scapa, where it was placed on board the great ship in which he had sailed on the unfortunate expedition to Largs, and taken to Bergen, where it was interred in the choir of Christ’s Church.

#orkney #orkneyinga saga #norway #poetry #viking #hakon #lord of the isles #battle of largs #kirkwall #history #scotland

[sekkitsune]

The sagas are historical, not mythological

By which I mean, yes, "myths are not stories that are untrue; rather they are tales that don't fit neatly into the historical record, which serve as the foundation of a culture". The sagas do fit neatly into the historical record.

• • •

In Eiríks saga rauða, Erik the Red's saga, there's this bit where Auðr djúpúðga, better known to many as Unn the Deep-Minded, has to flee Scotland after her son is killed and his many enemies come looking for her. So she builds a ship in secret, no small undertaking, and escapes.

Later, someone shows up in Greenland and says "I am a descendant of that same Auðr!" and everyone's duly impressed.

Now, when I read this, it was after I had already read Orkneyinga saga, where this is mentioned in passing—Auðr does this in Caithness, the part of Scotland immediately south of Orkney, and so the story is mentioned in passing as an impressive deed.

So having read first an allusion to it in Orkneyinga saga, then the details and some consequences in Eiriks saga rauða, I was impressed with "oh yeah, this fits together because it's real history."

Then, I read Laxdæla saga and it turns out the entire opening part of it concerns Auðr/Unn directly, and the historicity got even thicker.

• • •

When I was in Iceland, I stayed in the part of the country that is Egils saga land. I mentioned how… let's say, impressively violent Egil is to an Icelandic friend over chat, and he immediately replied with a list of ~49 names, the first being an Egilsdóttir, and the last name his. He just happened to have his direct line of descent handy.

#sagas of the Icelanders #the greenland sagas #Orkneyinga saga #mythology #history #Not Ragnarssona þáttr #just because we call it a saga in English that doesn't mean it is a saga

[scotianostra]

On April 16th 1117 Earl Magnus of Orkney, later St Magnus, is betayed and murdered by his cousin Håkon on the island of Egilsay in Orkney.

This is a great wee story, most of it gleaned from OrkneyJar, dates differ on other sites and I will post a link at the end going through the alternatives.

Orkney was ruled for most of its history by Norway. It occupied a crucial position off the north coast of Scotland for the Norwegian ships that harried England, Ireland and Wales and indeed Scotland, from the 9th to the 12th Centuries.

Hakon and Magnus grew up in Orkney. Their fathers, brothers Paul and Erlend, were joint Earls of Orkney: each ruling half of the islands. It was a period of peace and prosperity. Hakon developed into a proud fighter and warrior. Magnus preferred books to fighting and turned to the church for his strength.

Upon the death of their fathers, the Earldom passed to Sigurd, the son of King Magnus of Norway. During this time Hakon accompanied the King on various expeditions down the west coast of of the British Isles and lived up to his reputation as a fierce and fearless warrior.

Magnus joined the king on one expedition – a raiding expedition down the west coast of Scotland, travelling as far south as Angelsey. He refused to fight against English noblemen with whom he said he had no quarrel. (Some version say they were Welsh)

Rather than join battle, he sang psalms and prayed. He was no coward, but did not believe in fighting for its own sake. The king’s wrath was incurred so Magnus escaped from the King’s ship one night and swam to shore of Scotland where he had to disappear for several years until the old King was dead.

When the old king died, Sigurd succeeded to the Norwegian throne and Hakon was given the Earldom of Orkney.

Hakon ruled alone for a while, until Magnus arrived from Scotland and claimed possession of his patrimony, with the blessing of the new King. Hakon initially refused to give up any of Orkney, but as the local noblemen wouldn’t fight Magnus, he had to cede half of the islands. They ruled as their fathers had done.

Hakon and Magnus ruled Orkney in harmony for seven years; defending their Earldom from invaders and marauders with success. They appeared to have had a good understanding and Orkney flourished under their joint rule.

It seems that Magnus was the more popular of the cousins. The Orkneyinga Saga tells of a blameless life, a wise man, eloquent, strong-minded, magnanimous, and more beloved than any other man. He was generous to the deserving but severe with robbers and raiders. He punished rich and poor impartially for wrong-doing. His justice was fair and consistent. To cap it all, he was God-fearing. He married a Scots girl and lived with her for ten years without touching her, to honour a bond between him and God. When he was tempted to break his bond, he plunged into a tub of freezing water and prayed for divine guidance.

Hakon became increasingly jealous of Magnus’ popularity, fuelled at least in part by men of evil dispositions, Sigurd and Sighwat Sokki, who spread inflammatory rumours in the courts of both Earls. It resulted in Hakon and Magnus both taking troops to the regular meeting of Orkney noblemen on the Mainland. Battle was only averted by the intervention of noblemen who, as friends of both earls, managed to broker a truce.

To seal the bond of their reconciliation and continued cooperation, Hakon and Magnus arranged to meet on the island of Egilsay. They agreed to take only two ships each and few men. Magnus stuck to this arrangement and was on the island, praying, when Hakon arrived with eight ships and men armed to the teeth. His intent was clear.

It is recorded that Magnus had no concern for his own life, but wanted to save his cousin from the consequences of a shocking crime. He offered to leave on pilgrimage, never to return to Orkney. Hakon refused. He offered to submit to imprisonment in Scotland. Hakon refused. Finally he said “Let me be maimed as you like, or deprived of my eyes, and throw me into a dark dungeon”. Hakon was set to accept this offer, but his noblemen objected, saying that one or other of the Earls had to die that day. Hakon replied he would rather rule than die. Magnus’ fate was sealed.

In one more twist to the story, Hakon ordered his standard bearer to kill Magnus. He refused, knowing that the killer of such a popular man would be an outcast in Orkney. It was to his cook, Lifolf, that Hakon turned, knowing that he would not dare refuse the order. As Lifolf wept, Magnus prayed for him, forgave him, then prayed for the souls of his enemies, Earl Hakon included. Lifolf took up his axe and brought it down on Magnus’ forehead.

The place where Earl Magnus was slain had been rocks and moss, but after his death, grass grew strongly, indicating to the saga-writer that it was the death of a holy and righteous man. Hakon permitted the body to be buried in the church on the Brough of Birsay, which had been built by their Grandfather, Thorfinn. Soon after the burial a holy light was seen above the church and the sick were cured when they prayed at the grave. Pilgrimages started from all over Orkney.

Earl Hakon took over the rule of all of Orkney and extracted huge fines from those who had been loyal to Magnus. After a while, he made a pilgrimage to Rome and perhaps he saw the error of his ways, because against all the odds, he returned to Orkney to become a just and popular ruler, much lamented when he died, many years later.

The cult of Magnus spread well beyond Orkney’s shores. He died on April 16th 1117 and that day is kept as the day of his martyrdom. In the 12th Century saints could be chosen by popular acclaim; the canonisation process did not need a process at Rome. By 1136 he was a saint, authorised by the Bishop of Orkney. In 1137 the building of St Magnus Cathedral, which stands in the centre of Kirkwall today, was started by Earl Rognvald, Magnus’ nephew. It was erected with the express purpose of receiving the relics of St Magnus, which were transferred there when it was ready for use.

There was no firm evidence that the bones of St Magnus really did reside in St Magnus Cathedral until 1919, when extensive cathedral renovation was going on. Some loose stones were removed from a pillar, with the intention of re-mortaring them. Within a cavity behind these stones there was a box containing most of a human skeleton. The state of the skull conformed with the story in the sagas about St Magnus’ death wound to the head. St Magnus’ relics had been found. They were replaced and the stones fixed back in place.

A couple of links here the first is regarding a reconstruction of his face, fascinating stuff! http://www.bbc.co.uk/…/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetla…

The second link explains the dates of his murderhttp://www.orkneyjar.com/history/stmagnus/magnus6.htm

#scotland #scottish #the northern isles #orkneys #history #religious history #religious figure

[jimrichardsonng]

Scotland Fix of the Day: St. Magnus Cathedral dominates the skyline of Kirkwall — as well as the history and lore of the surrounding Orkney Islands that sprawl across the North Sea. Whenever I return to Kirkwall this red sandstone edifice draws me back into the murderous intrigue of its founding during the rivalries of the Earls of Orkney in the 10th century. The story of Magnus’ martyrdom at the hands of his cousin Hakon was a saintly affair, if you believe the Orkneyinga Saga’s telling. (Other accounts confirm the details but take some of the burnish off Magnus’ glowing soul.) Nevertheless miracles ensued, Magnus was canonized, and the cathedral begun by his nephew Rögnvald in 1137. (More murderous intrigue involved here, too.) This history certainly has much to do with the allure, but today I get a sense of peace from this place, the graves of townspeople gathered here over the last thousand years, nestled in the town that emerged (eventually) as a bustling and well-ordered center of business and culture in the islands. I think it is one of the prime reasons Orkney so impresses visitors, even though these island lack the towering mountainous grandeur of the Hebrides. Have you visited Kirkwall and St. Magnus? If so I’d love to hear your experiences. #scotland #orkney #highlands #bestofscotland #hiddenscotland #thehighlandcollective #scotland_highlights #drivescotland #ig_scotland #visitscotland #scotlandgreatshots #scotlandmagazine #scottishhighlands #scotland_greatshots #igersscotland #unlimitedscotland #scotlandtrip #scotlandtravel #thescottishcollective #simplyscotland #moodyscotland #scotlanddreams — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/iE5nd9w

#Instagram #IFTTT

[bletheringskite]

Wolf’s Tale - The history of the wolf in Scotland

The earliest record of this conflict between wolves and the people who lived in what is now modern Scotland comes from the 2nd century BC.

According to Hector Boece, a king called Dorvadilla reigning at that time decreed:

​“The slayer of ane wolf to have ane ox to his reward.”

​Boece goes on to remark that:

​“Oure elders persewit this beist with gret hatreut, for the gret murdir of beistis done be the samin “.

​Boece also mentions a Scottish contemporary of Julius Caesar called Edeir as a great hunter of wolves, and Boece's translator, Bellenden, tells us that in the forests of Caledonia there were:

"Gret plente of haris, hartis, hindis, dayis, rais, wolffis, wild hors, and toadis (fox),"

​He later describes the "wolffis" as being "rycht noysum to the tame bestiall in all parts of Scotland."

Wars, leaving numbers of blood soaked corpses littering a battlefield, may also have been responsible for some wolves becoming accustomed to consuming human flesh. The Orkneyinga Saga tells the story of the Battle of Waterfirth, fought in the 11th century between the islanders of Skye and the invading Norse. Arnor, the Earl's Skald, describes the aftermath of the battle:

 “There I saw the grey wolf gaping

O'er the wounded corse of many a man.”

​The tendency of wolves to dig up buried corpses is well documented

The wolf traditionally cited as the last in all of Scotland, however, is said to have been killed on the upper reaches of the River Findhorn, at a place between Fi-Giuthas and Pall-a-chrocain, in the year 1743.

#Wolves #Scotland #history #extinction

[aloneinstitute]

Buchollie Castle in Caithness.

Stronghold of the great 12th Century Viking Sweyn Asleifsson, the castle was then known as Lambaborg, and mentioned in the Orkneyinga Saga.

[too-many-rooks]

I need to read thirty two chapters of an Icelandic saga today, I’m at nineteen and I’ve just started blorboing the characters. Unlikely dad Thorkel the Forester? Found family with Earl Thorfinn? Don’t mind if I dooo.

The least constructive thing I could do right now is write Orkneyinga Saga fanfic but the temptation is very real

#I’m being unproductive #and rambling into the void

[trans-marcus-brutus]

Our boys! Siward, Earl of Northumbria, and Thorfinn, Jarl of Orkney. Aka someone (me) is having a lot of fun with height differences.

#medieval history #medieval england #vikings #orkneyinga saga #thorfinn sigurdsson #siward #history #fantasy #medieval fantasy #like not really but #it’s the aesthetic #digital art #artists on tumblr #shakespeare #macbeth #my art #thorfinn

[fledgling-witch]

Hey Sigurd

nice cursed raven banner that ensures your victory in battle but also the death of its bearers

did your MOM make it for you

#orkneyinga saga #njal's saga #sigurd the stout

[verecunda]

I’ve booked a week’s holiday up in Orkney for July. Somewhere I’ve always wanted to visit, so I’m pretty excited! Now I just need to work out where I want to visit. So many historical sites on so many wee islands, so little time...

#Skara Brae's top of the list obviously #World. Of. Stone. #also I guess I should probably actually read the Orkneyinga Saga at some point #:P

[itonje]

we should put bloodeagling into arthurian legend

#finny.txt #just like halfdan highleg in the orkneyinga saga

[scotianostra]

On April 16th 1117 Earl Magnus of Orkney, later St Magnus, is betayed and murdered by his cousin Håkon on the island of Egilsay in Orkney.

Quite a long post, but I feel I don’t know enough about the subject to do the post justice, so the following is from the wiki page. 

Saint Magnus, Earl Magnus Erlendsson of Orkney, sometimes known as Magnus the Martyr, was Earl of Orkney from 1106 to about 1115. His story is told in two sagas, Magnus' saga (the shorter and longer one) and one legend, Legenda de sancto Magno.

Magnus's grandparents, Earl Thorfinn and his wife Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, had two sons, Erlend and Paul, who were twins. Through Ingibiorg's father Finn Arnesson and his wife, the family was related to the Norwegian Kings Olav II and Harald II.

Born in 1075, Magnus was the son of Erlend Thorfinnsson, Earl of Orkney, and he first served Magnus III of Norway as skutilsvein (approx. Chamberlain), who took possession of the islands in 1098, deposing Erlend and his brother, Paul. Paul's son, Haakon Paulsson, then became regent on behalf of the Norwegian prince, Sigurd, who made Haakon earl in 1105.

According to the Orkneyinga Saga, Magnus had a reputation for piety and gentleness, and was rejected by the Norwegians, refusing to fight in a Viking raid in Anglesey, Wales, because of his religious convictions, instead staying on board his ships during the Battle of Anglesey Sound, singing psalms. He was obliged to take refuge in Scotland, but returned to Orkney in 1105 and disputed the succession with his cousin Haakon.

Having failed to reach an agreement, he sought help from King Eystein I of Norway, who granted him the earldom of Orkney and he ruled jointly and amicably with Haakon until 1114.

Their followers fell out, and the two sides met at the Thing (assembly) on the Orkney mainland, ready to do battle. Peace was negotiated and the Earls arranged to meet each other on the island of Egilsay, each bringing only two ships. Magnus arrived with his two ships, but then Haakon treacherously turned up with eight ships.

Magnus took refuge in the island's church overnight, but the following day he was captured and offered to go into exile or prison, but an assembly of chieftains insisted that one earl must die. Haakon's standard bearer, Ofeigr, refused to execute Magnus, and an angry Haakon made his cook Lifolf kill Magnus by striking him on the head with an axe. It was said that Magnus first prayed for the souls of his executioners.

According to the sagas, the martyrdom took place after Easter, on April 16 . The year is often given as 1115, but this is impossible: 16 April fell before Easter that year.

Magnus was first buried on the spot where he died. According to his legend, the rocky area around his grave miraculously became a green field. Later Thora, Magnus' mother asked Haakon allow her to bury him in a Church. Haakon gave his permission and Magnus was then buried at Christchurch at Birsay.

There were numerous reports of miraculous happenings and healings. William the Old, Bishop of Orkney, warned that it was "heresy to go about with such tales" and was then struck blind at his church but subsequently had his sight restored after praying at the grave of Magnus, not long after visiting Norway (and perhaps meeting Earl Rognvald Kolsson).

Magnus's nephew, Rognvald Kali Kolsson, laid claim to the Earldom of Orkney, and was advised by his father Kol to promise the islanders to "build a stone minster at Kirkwall" in memory of his uncle the Holy Earl, and this became St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall. When the cathedral begun in 1137 was ready for consecration the relics of St Magnus were transferred, and in 1917 a hidden cavity was found in a column, containing a box with bones including a damaged skull. These are held without (much) doubt to be the relics of St Magnus.

In the Faroes, the St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkjubøur was built around 1300 A.D., at the time of Bishop Erlendur. It is quite sure that the church was used for services (though it never was finished, or has been destroyed later), for estimated relics of Saint Magnus were found here in 1905. Kirkjubøur is one of the most important Faroese historical sites and expected to become a World Heritage Site. In total there are 21 churches in Europe dedicated to St Magnus.

There are two Icelandic sagas of St Magnus's life, Magnus' saga the shorter and longer as well as the account in the Orkneyinga Saga. In addition to this there are several devotional works in Gaelic and Latin about St Magnus, including a legend, Legenda de sancto Magno. Saint Magnus is the subject of the novel Magnus by Orcadian author George Mackay Brown, which was published in 1973, and St Magnus, Earl of Orkney by John Mooney. In 1977 Peter Maxwell Davies wrote a one-act opera, The Martyrdom of St Magnus, based on Mackay Brown's novel.

The pics include  relics believed to be Magnus, discovered in the Cathedral in Kirkwall in 1919, the other is a reconstruction of how he might have looked. 

#Scotland #scandinavia #Orkney #vikings #Northern Isles #Norway #religious figure #religious history #history #matyr

[historyboy78]

I received promotional copies today for Stormforge, ready to post out for review, very exciting 😊 Stormforge is due for release on the 27th January 2020. My first novel, my first Viking Saga ❤️📚 #viking #vikings #novel #saga #author #history #orkneyinga (at Great Leighs) https://www.instagram.com/p/B5FgJO-AgLw/?igshid=vqsrz2ys4lbf

#viking #vikings #novel #saga #author #history #orkneyinga

[bluesman56]

Kirkwall High Street by Tony Via Flickr: The Kirkwall town was first mentioned in Orkneyinga saga in the year 1046, when it was recorded as the residence of Rögnvald Brusason, the Earl of Orkney, who was killed by his uncle Thorfinn the Mighty.

#East Mainland #GBR #Kirkwall #Orkney #Scotland #United Kingdom #britain #europe #geo:lat=58.98431915 #geo:lon=-2.95822652 #geotagged #island #©2021 Tony Sherratt #2021 09 19 151210 #Architecture #building #high street

[women-of-1000]

Princess Olith

We’re not actually sure whether Olith was this princess’s name. All we know about her origins is that she was (probably) the youngest daughter of King Malcolm III of Scotland. Her two oldest sisters were married off to Scottish Christian nobles, but she was sent to Orkney to marry Earl Sigurd the Stout. Sigurd had only recently converted to Christianity, and only did it because the king of Norway threatened to kill him if he didn’t. After all, Orkney was still part of Norway then, not Scotland. Sigurd was at least twenty years older than Olith and had three grown sons from a previous relationship.

But it was his son with Olith who would go on to inherit the earldom, and her religion which would win the day in Orkney. Thorfinn was described in the Orkneyinga Saga as “unusually tall and strong, an ugly-looking man with a black head of hair, sharp features, a big nose and bushy eyebrows”. As the grandson of a king, he had a privileged succession over his older brothers, something which caused plenty of drama in 11th century Orkney.

When Sigurd died at the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, Thorfinn was only five years old. He was sent to live at his grandfather’s court in Scotland, only returning to Orkney later to claim his birthright as earl. We don’t know anything about what happened to his mother during this time. Had she already passed away? Or did she return to her family home, a widow with her little son in tow? I pictured her here exploring the strange Neolithic ruins of her new home in Orkney at the Ring of Brodgar. We are three times closer in time to her than she was to them.

Third illustration in the Women of 1000 series, March 2018

#history #historical #art #traditional art #scotland #viking #medieval #women #womenof1000 #europe #christian

[trans-marcus-brutus]

I bring to you 1 (one) chaotic pansexual viking.

#thorfinn sigurdsson #pansexual #thorfinn raven feeder #macbeth #vikings #orkneyinga saga #thorfinn #look I only know this dude thru Macbeth don’t @ me #look at that top energy #so different from his cousin macbeth #bJSKFF OK IM DONE #my art #artists on tumblr #digital art