Olaf Feilan
Encyclopedia
Olaf Feilan (c. 890-940) was an Iceland
ic gothi
of the Settlement period
. He was the son of Thorstein the Red
, jarl of Caithness
, and his wife Thurid Eyvindsdottir. After the death of his father Olaf accompanied his grandmother Aud the Deep-minded
to Iceland
, and settled with her at Hvamm in the Laxardal
region. Around 920 Olaf married a woman named Alfdis. Aud died at their wedding feast. The children of Olaf and Alfdis were Thord Gellir, Thora, Helga, Thorunn, and Thordis.
Olaf died around 940. His nephew Olaf the Peacock
was named after him.
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...
ic gothi
Gothi
A goði or gothi is the Old Norse term for a priest and chieftain. Gyðja signifies a priestess.The name appears in Wulfila's Gothic language translation of the bible as gudja for "priest", but in Old Norse it is only the feminine form gyðja that perfectly corresponds to the Gothic form...
of the Settlement period
Settlement of Iceland
The settlement of Iceland is generally believed to have begun in the second half of the 9th century, when Norse settlers migrated across the North Atlantic. The reasons for the migration may be traced to a shortage of arable land in Scandinavia, and civil strife brought about by the ambitions of...
. He was the son of Thorstein the Red
Thorstein the Red
Thorstein the Red or Thorstein Olafsson was a viking chieftain who flourished in late ninth-century Scotland. He was born around 850 AD and was the son of Olaf the White, King of Dublin, and Aud the Deep-minded, who was the daughter of Ketil Flatnose...
, jarl of Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
, and his wife Thurid Eyvindsdottir. After the death of his father Olaf accompanied his grandmother Aud the Deep-minded
Aud the Deep-Minded
Aud the Deep-Minded was an earlier settler in Iceland.-Biography:...
to 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...
, and settled with her at Hvamm in the Laxardal
Laxardal
The Laxardal is a region in northwestern Iceland. It was the setting for the Laxdaela saga and the home of such famous early Icelanders as Aud the Deep-minded, Hoskuld Dala-Kollsson, Hrut Herjolfsson, and Olaf the Peacock....
region. Around 920 Olaf married a woman named Alfdis. Aud died at their wedding feast. The children of Olaf and Alfdis were Thord Gellir, Thora, Helga, Thorunn, and Thordis.
Olaf died around 940. His nephew Olaf the Peacock
Olaf the Peacock
Olaf the Peacock or Olaf Hoskuldsson was a merchant and chieftain of the early Icelandic Commonwealth, who was nicknamed "the Peacock" because of his proud bearing and magnificent wardrobe. He is a major character in the Laxdaela Saga and is mentioned in a number of other Icelandic sources...
was named after him.