Rimul
Encyclopedia
Rimul is a farm in the municipality of Melhus
in Sør-Trøndelag
county, Norway
. It is the scene of the murder of Håkon Sigurdsson (also known as Hákon Sigurðsson or Hákon Earl
) by his slave Tormod Kark
(Þormóðr Karkr), as described in the Saga of king Olav Tryggvason in Snorri Sturluson
's Heimskringla
.
in the municipality of Melhus
in Sør-Trøndelag
county, Norway
. There is a big stone lying nearby, thought maybe to be scene of Olaf's speech. This is, however, not proven.
The events are the theme of the opera Thora paa Rimol which was composed in 1894, but not performed until 2002 in Melhus, Sør-Trøndelag in occasion of the municipiality's 1000 year anniversary.
beneath a great stone. Later, after killing the Earl's son, Erlend (Erlendr) and lots of men of his hird
, Olaf Tryggvason arrived at Rimul with a group of local farmers, now supporting him. In the Heimskringla
, the story continues as follows:
Lying in the pig sty the same night, Kark killed Hákon Earl. He cut his head off and brought it to Olaf Tryggvason, expecting to collect the reward. Unfortunately, Olaf did not respect a slave murdering his own Lord
. Tormod Kark was himself decapitated. Both heads were reputedly set on stakes in Munkholmen
for people to spit at.
Melhus
Melhus is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Melhus...
in Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
county, Norway
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...
. It is the scene of the murder of Håkon Sigurdsson (also known as Hákon Sigurðsson or Hákon Earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
) by his slave Tormod Kark
Tormod Kark
Tormod Kark was the slave and friend of Håkon Sigurdsson . Hoping for a reward, Kark killed the wanted earl and brought his head to enemy Olaf Tryggvason, later king of Norway. The murder happened at Rimul in Melhus...
(Þormóðr Karkr), as described in the Saga of king Olav Tryggvason in Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson
Snorri Sturluson was an Icelandic historian, poet, and politician. He was twice elected lawspeaker at the Icelandic parliament, the Althing...
's Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
.
Location
There is still a farm named Romol in the western part of the village of MelhusMelhus
Melhus is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Melhus...
in the municipality of Melhus
Melhus
Melhus is a village and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Gauldalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Melhus...
in Sør-Trøndelag
Sør-Trøndelag
- References :...
county, Norway
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...
. There is a big stone lying nearby, thought maybe to be scene of Olaf's speech. This is, however, not proven.
The events are the theme of the opera Thora paa Rimol which was composed in 1894, but not performed until 2002 in Melhus, Sør-Trøndelag in occasion of the municipiality's 1000 year anniversary.
Historical references
Hákon Earl had a mistress named Thora (Þóra) at the Rimul farm. After their night in Jarlshola, Hákon and his slave went on to Rimul, seeking further shelter from Olav Tryggvason and his men, who were at that time searching for the Earl. Thora led them to a pig styPig Sty
Pig Sty is a sitcom that premiered on UPN on January 23, 1995 during that network's first season. Only 13 episodes were made. Pig Sty ran on Monday nights, after Star Trek: Voyager and Platypus Man...
beneath a great stone. Later, after killing the Earl's son, Erlend (Erlendr) and lots of men of his hird
Hird
The hird, in Norwegian history, was originally an informal retinue of personal armed companions, hirdmen or housecarls, but came to mean not only the nucleus of the royal army, but also developed into a more formal royal court household....
, Olaf Tryggvason arrived at Rimul with a group of local farmers, now supporting him. In the Heimskringla
Heimskringla
Heimskringla is the best known of the Old Norse kings' sagas. It was written in Old Norse in Iceland by the poet and historian Snorri Sturluson ca. 1230...
, the story continues as follows:
| Original text | English translation |
|---|---|
| Hann stóð upp í stein þann inn mikla er þar stóð hjá svínabølinu. Þá talað Óláfr, ok varð þat í røðu hans at hann myndi þann mann gøða bæði fé ok virðing, er Hákoni jarku yrði at skaða. Þessa røðu heyrði jarl ok Karkr. Þeir hofðu ljós hjá sér. Jarl mælti: "Hví ertu svá bleikr, en stundum svartr sem jorð? Er eigi þat at þú vilir svíkja mik?" "Eigi," segir Karkr. "Vit várum føddir á einni nátt," segir jarl. "Skammt mun ok verða milli dauða okkars." | Then Olaf held a speech out in the farm, he went up unto a great rock lying near the pig sty. Olaf spoke, and in his speech he said he would reward any man richly who could harm Hákon Earl. The Earl and Kark heard this speech. They had light where they lay. The Earl said: "Why are you so pale, yet sometimes black as dirt? It is not so that you wish to harm me?" "No," says Kark. "We were born on the same night," says the Earl. "Close will also our deaths be." |
Lying in the pig sty the same night, Kark killed Hákon Earl. He cut his head off and brought it to Olaf Tryggvason, expecting to collect the reward. Unfortunately, Olaf did not respect a slave murdering his own Lord
Lord
Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...
. Tormod Kark was himself decapitated. Both heads were reputedly set on stakes in Munkholmen
Munkholmen
Munkholmen is an islet north of Trondheim, Norway. It sits in the Trondheimsfjord about northwest of the island of Brattøra and the mouth of the river Nidelva. The islet has served as a place of execution, a monastery, a fortress, prison, and a World War II anti-aircraft gun station...
for people to spit at.