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The Heimskringla on Thorfin Sigurdsson

Heimskringla > The Chronicle Of The Kings Of Norway > 99. History Of The Earls Of Orkney.

attestation: Thorfin Sigurdsson was five years old when his father fell, grew to be stout and strong but ugly, and was severe, cruel, but clever.

"Thorfin Sigurdson was five years old when Earl Sigurd fell"

attestation: After Sumarlide's death, Thorfin claimed his share of Orkney but Einar refused, arguing Thorfin already had Caithness and Sutherland.

"After his death Thorfin claimed his share of the Orkney Islands. Einar replied, that Thorfin had the dominions which their father Sigurd had possessed, namely, Caithness and Sutherland"

attestation: Thorfin demanded his third of Orkney from Einar, who refused; Thorfin then collected a warforce from Caithness.

"Earl Thorfin was grown up he sent a message to his brother Einar, and demanded the part of the dominion which he thought belonged to him in Orkney"

attestation: Earl Thorfin sent Thorkel Fosterer to Orkney to collect his scat, but Einar blamed Thorkel for Thorfin's territorial claims.

"Earl Thorfin sent Thorkel Fosterer to the islands to gather in his scat. Now, as Einar gave Thorkel the greatest blame for the dispute in which Thorfin had made claim to the islands"
attestation: Earl Thorfin encouraged Thorkel to go to King Olaf in Norway, saying he would be highly respected among honourable men.

"The earl encouraged Thorkel much to go east to Norway to King Olaf. "Thou wilt be highly respected," says he, "wherever thou comest among honourable men""

attestation: Earl Thorfin visited King Olaf in Norway, received a large fully-rigged long-ship as a gift, and returned westward with Thorkel Fosterer.

"Earl Thorfin went east to Norway, and came to King Olaf, from whom he received a kind reception, and stayed till late in the summer. When he was preparing to return westwards again, King Olaf made him a present of a large and fully-rigged long-ship"

attestation: Thorfin demanded half the islands but Bruse refused, insisting on keeping two-thirds under their partnership agreement.

"Although Thorfin thought it would be more just that each of them had half of the islands, Bruse retained the two-thirds of the country"

attestation: Earl Thorfin traveled east to King Olaf hoping his previous friendship would help his case, but arrived after Bruse had already surrendered his domains.

"Thorfin the earl heard that his brother Bruse had gone east to King Olaf to seek support from him; but as Thorfin had been on a visit to King Olaf before, and had concluded a friendship with him, he thought his case would stand well"
attestation: Thorfin declined vassalage, saying he owed fealty to the Scottish king as an earl of Scotland.

"I cannot be your vessel for service, as I am an earl of the Scottish king, and owe fealty to him"
attestation: Thorfin submitted and became King Olaf's vassal as Bruse had done, though the king trusted him less due to his high-mindedness.

"he resolved to submit to the king and become his vassal, as Bruse had done"

attestation: Earl Thorfin accepted Thorkel on condition that he never leave Thorfin's side, defend his land, and execute all his wishes for life.

"go with me to the Orkney Islands, live with me, and never leave me but with my will, and be bound to defend my land, and execute all that I want done, as long as we both are in life"
attestation: Earl Thorfin said he would determine the money penalty himself rather than follow the king's judgment.

"The earl said he would talk afterwards about the mulct of money, but took Thorkel's oath upon the conditions"

attestation: Thorfin offered to take two-thirds and the defense burden while Bruse kept only one-third, and this exchange eventually occurred.

"Then Thorfin offered to him to exchange, and that Bruse should have one third and Thorfin two thirds of the land, but should undertake the defence of the land, for the whole"
attestation: Thorfin held two-thirds and Bruse one-third by the time Canute the Great conquered Norway and King Olaf fled.

"that Thorfin had two parts and Bruse only one, when Canute the Great subdued Norway and King Olaf fled the country"
attestation: Earl Thorfin Sigurdsson was the ablest and most powerful of all Orkney earls, ruling Orkney, Shetland, Hebrides, and great possessions in Scotland and Ireland.

"Earl Thorfin Sigurdson has been the ablest earl of these islands, and has had the greatest dominion of all the Orkney earls; for he had under him Orkney, Shetland, and the Hebudes, besides very great possessions in Scotland and Ireland"
attestation: Thorfin became earl at five, ruled more than sixty years, and died in his bed in the last days of Harald Sigurdson.

"Thorfin was a very great warrior. He came to the earldom at five years of age, ruled more than sixty years, and died in his bed about the last days of Harald Sigurdson"

attestation: Thorfin allowed Ragnvald a third of the land as his father Bruse had held at death, but Ragnvald claimed two-thirds as promised by Olaf the Saint

"Thorfin let Ragnvald have a third part of the land along with him; for so had Erase, the father of Ragnvald, had it at his dying day. Earl Ragnvald thought he should have two-thirds of the land, as Olaf the Saint had promised to his father Bruse"
relationship: Earl Thorfin was married to Ingebjorg the earl-mother, who was a daughter of Fin Arnason

"Earl Thorfin was married to Ingebjorg, the earl-mother, who was a daughter of Fin Arnason."