Ketil Trout (Iceland)
Encyclopedia
Ketil Thorkelsson, better known by his nickname Ketil Trout (in Old Norse
, Ketill hængr) or Ketil Salmon was a Norwegian
hersir
of the late ninth century who settled in Iceland
around 900 CE. He appears in Egil's Saga, the Landnamabok
, and other Icelandic sources.
Ketil was the son of Thorkel of Namdalen
, Jarl of Namdalen
, and Hrafnilda, the daughter of Ketil Trout
of Hrafnista. Ketil was a man of great wealth and a close friend and cousin of Thorolf Kveldulfsson
and his brother Skalla-Grimr
.
When he heard that Harald I of Norway
was launching an attack against Thorolf, Ketil was among the latter's allies who set out to support him. They arrived too late, and when the expedition arrived Thorolf had already been slain. In retaliation for Thorolf's death, Ketil gathered sixty warriors and raided Torgar
, home of Harek and Hrærek (the sons of Hildirida), who had slandered Thorolf to the king. Following this raid, Ketil loaded his allies, family and possessions onto two large longships
and set sail for Iceland
. They settled for the first winter on the eastern bank of the outer Rang River, but later moved eastwards and took land between "Thjors-river and Mark-fleet, from fell to firth, and made his home at Hof
by east Rang-river."
With his wife Ingunn Ketil had several children, including Storolf, Herjolf, Helgi, Vestar, and Hrafn Hængsson, the last of whom was one of the first Lawspeaker
s.
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
, Ketill hængr) or Ketil Salmon was a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
hersir
Hersir
A hersir was a local military commander of a hundred and owed allegiance to a jarl or king. They were also aspiring landowners, and, like the middle class in many feudal societies, supported the kings in their centralization of power. The hersir was often equipped with a conical helmet and a short...
of the late ninth century who settled in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
around 900 CE. He appears in Egil's Saga, the Landnamabok
Landnámabók
Landnámabók , often shortened to Landnáma, is a medieval Icelandic written work describing in considerable detail the settlement of Iceland by the Norse in the 9th and 10th centuries AD.-Landnáma:...
, and other Icelandic sources.
Ketil was the son of Thorkel of Namdalen
Thorkel of Namdalen
Thorkel of Namdalen was a Norwegian jarl in Namdalen who lived in the mid to late ninth century CE. Thorkel married Hrafnhilda, the daughter of Ketil Trout of Hrafnista. Their son, named Ketil Trout after his grandfather, was to become one of the major players in the early settlement of Iceland...
, Jarl of Namdalen
Namdalen
Namdalen is a traditional district in the central part of Norway, consisting of the municipalities Namsos, Grong, Overhalla, Røyrvik, Fosnes, Nærøy, Høylandet, Namdalseid, Flatanger, Lierne, Leka, Namsskogan, and Vikna, all in Nord-Trøndelag county. The district has two towns: Kolvereid and Namsos...
, and Hrafnilda, the daughter of Ketil Trout
Ketils saga hœngs
Ketils saga hœngs is a legendary saga from Iceland on the North Norwegian chieftain Kettil Trout from Ramsta in Hålogaland. It is one of the sagas called the Hrafnistumannasögur surrounding Ketil Trout and his relatives....
of Hrafnista. Ketil was a man of great wealth and a close friend and cousin of Thorolf Kveldulfsson
Thorolf Kveldulfsson
Thorolf Kveldulfsson was the oldest son of Kveldulf Bjalfasson and the brother of the Norwegian/Icelandic goði and skald Skalla-Grimr. Thorolf is a hero of the early part of Egils saga. According to that work, he served as a retainer of Harald I of Norway and fought on the latter's own ship at the...
and his brother Skalla-Grimr
Skalla-Grímr
Skalla-Grímr Kveldulfsson was a Norwegian, who was forced to emigrate to Iceland in the days of his enemy Harald Fairhair. His main claim to fame is that he was the father of Egill, but he also deserves a footnote in the history of Nordic literature for having composed the following stanza:...
.
When he heard that Harald I of Norway
Harald I of Norway
Harald Fairhair or Harald Finehair , , son of Halfdan the Black, was the first king of Norway.-Background:Little is known of the historical Harald...
was launching an attack against Thorolf, Ketil was among the latter's allies who set out to support him. They arrived too late, and when the expedition arrived Thorolf had already been slain. In retaliation for Thorolf's death, Ketil gathered sixty warriors and raided Torgar
Lofoten
Lofoten is an archipelago and a traditional district in the county of Nordland, Norway. Though lying within the Arctic Circle, the archipelago experiences one of the world's largest elevated temperature anomalies relative to its high latitude.-Etymology:...
, home of Harek and Hrærek (the sons of Hildirida), who had slandered Thorolf to the king. Following this raid, Ketil loaded his allies, family and possessions onto two large longships
Longships
Longships is the name given to a group of rocky islets situated approximately 1 miles west of Land's End, Cornwall, United Kingdom....
and set sail for Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. They settled for the first winter on the eastern bank of the outer Rang River, but later moved eastwards and took land between "Thjors-river and Mark-fleet, from fell to firth, and made his home at Hof
Hof
Hof may refer to:In places:* Hof, Germany, a city in Bavaria, Germany** Hof , a district in Bavaria* Hof, Rhineland-Palatinate, a municipality in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany* Hof, Iceland, a small village in Iceland...
by east Rang-river."
With his wife Ingunn Ketil had several children, including Storolf, Herjolf, Helgi, Vestar, and Hrafn Hængsson, the last of whom was one of the first Lawspeaker
Lawspeaker
A lawspeaker is a unique Scandinavian legal office. It has its basis in a common Germanic oral tradition, where wise men were asked to recite the law, but it was only in Scandinavia that the function evolved into an office...
s.