Thorolf Kveldulfsson
Encyclopedia
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 Battle of Hafrsfjord
. After Harald's conquest of Norway Thorolf became his governor over the northern region of Norway and was responsible for collecting tribute from the Saami
to the north. In this capacity he took part in an expedition by King Faravid
of Kvenland against the Karelians
.
Thorolf became involved in an inheritance dispute with the brothers Hraerek and Harek, who were distant kinsmen of his wife Sigrid. The brothers slandered him to King Harald, who grew increasingly suspicious of Thorolf (the situation was exacerbated by the refusal of Thorolf's father Kveldulf to swear allegiance to the king.) Ultimately, fearful of Thorolf's growing power, King Harald had him surrounded in his hall at Sandness and killed.
Skalla Grimr went with Olvir Hnufa
, his maternal uncle, to King Harald after Thorolf's murder. He demanded compensation, which resulted in his being chased out of the king's court. Together with his father Kveldulf, and their kinsman Ketil Trout
, Skalla-Grimr took revenge by killing those of Harald's servants who took part in Thorolf's killing before fleeing to Iceland
.
Skald
The skald was a member of a group of poets, whose courtly poetry is associated with the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age, who composed and performed renditions of aspects of what we now characterise as Old Norse poetry .The most prevalent metre of skaldic poetry is...
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:...
. Thorolf is a hero of the early part of Egils saga
Egils saga
Egils saga is an epic Icelandic saga. The oldest transcript dates back to 1240 AD. The saga is centered on the life of Egill Skallagrímsson, an Icelandic farmer, viking and skald...
. According to that work, he served as a retainer of 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...
and fought on the latter's own ship at the Battle of Hafrsfjord
Battle of Hafrsfjord
The Battle of Hafrsfjord has traditionally been regarded as the battle in which western Norway for the first time was unified under one monarch.The national monument of Haraldshaugen was raised in 1872, to commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord...
. After Harald's conquest of Norway Thorolf became his governor over the northern region of Norway and was responsible for collecting tribute from the Saami
Saami
Saami or SAAMI can stand for:*Sami people*Sami languages*Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers' Institute...
to the north. In this capacity he took part in an expedition by King Faravid
Faravid
Faravid was a legendary King of Kvenland who is mentioned in the Icelandic Egils saga from the early 13th century. According to the saga, Faravid made an alliance with Norwegians to fight against Karelian invaders. The saga mentions him in a 9th century context, but this is too early to be credible...
of Kvenland against the Karelians
Karelians
The Karelians are a Baltic-Finnic ethnic group living mostly in the Republic of Karelia and in other north-western parts of the Russian Federation. The historic homeland of Karelians includes also parts of present-day Eastern Finland and the formerly Finnish territory of Ladoga Karelia...
.
Thorolf became involved in an inheritance dispute with the brothers Hraerek and Harek, who were distant kinsmen of his wife Sigrid. The brothers slandered him to King Harald, who grew increasingly suspicious of Thorolf (the situation was exacerbated by the refusal of Thorolf's father Kveldulf to swear allegiance to the king.) Ultimately, fearful of Thorolf's growing power, King Harald had him surrounded in his hall at Sandness and killed.
Skalla Grimr went with Olvir Hnufa
Olvir Hnufa
Olvir Hnufa or Ölvir hnúfa was a Norwegian hersir and skald of the late ninth and early tenth centuries, known from, among other sources, Egil's Saga, Skaldatal and the Prose Edda...
, his maternal uncle, to King Harald after Thorolf's murder. He demanded compensation, which resulted in his being chased out of the king's court. Together with his father Kveldulf, and their kinsman Ketil Trout
Ketil Trout (Iceland)
Ketil Thorkelsson, better known by his nickname Ketil Trout or Ketil Salmon was a Norwegian hersir of the late ninth century who settled in Iceland around 900 CE...
, Skalla-Grimr took revenge by killing those of Harald's servants who took part in Thorolf's killing before fleeing 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...
.