The The Orkneyinga Saga on Erlend

The Orkneyinga Saga > For > Iv. The Earldom In The Norse Line, 872-1231.

• attestation: Erlend, son of Harald Slettmali who was killed by a poisoned shirt, seized half the Orkney earldom during Rögnvald's absence with support from King Eystein and Swein Asleifson.

  "Erlend, the son of the Earl Harald (Slettmali), who was killed by the poisoned shirt, had set up his claim to half the earldom after Rögnvald's departure. His cause was favoured by King Eystein, and espoused by Swein Asleifson"

• attestation: Erlend carried off Harald Maddadson's mother Margaret and took refuge with her in the Pictish tower of Mousa in Shetland, which two centuries before had sheltered another pair of lovers from Norway.

  "Meanwhile, Erlend had carried off Harald's mother Margaret (who seems to have been still a beautiful woman, though of very indifferent character), and fled with her to the island of Mousa in Shetland, where they fortified themselves in the old Pictish tower or borg of Mousa"

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xxiii > Of The Earls Paul And Erlend, And Genealogies.

• attestation: Earl Erlend's wife was Thóra, daughter of Sumarlidi Ospak's son; their sons were Erling and Magnus, their daughters Gunnhild and Cecilia; Cecilia married Isak and their sons were Indridi and Kol.

  "The wife of Earl Erlend, Thorfinn's son, was Thóra, the daughter of Sumarlidi, Ospak's son; the mother of Ospak was Thórdís, the daughter of Hall of Sída (in Iceland). Their sons were Erling and Magnus, and their daughters Gunnhild, and Cecilia, who was married to Isak, and their sons were Indridi and Kol."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Lxxxvii. > Of Earl Harald.

• attestation: Erlend son of Harald Sléttmáli obtained the title of Earl and half of Caithness from the young King Malcolm of Scots while Rögnvald was away; his foster-father Anakol was his right-hand man.

  "ERLEND, the son of Harald Sléttmáli, spent most of his time in Thórsá.

When Earl Rögnvald had left his dominions to go to Jórsalaheim, Erlend went to Malcolm,[398] the King of Scots, and requested him to give him an Earl's title, and Caithness for his support, as his father Earl Erlend had. And because Erlend had many friends, and Malcolm was a child in years, it was brought about that he bestowed the title of Earl on Erlend, and gave him the half of Caithness jointly with his kinsman Harald."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xc > The Reconciliation Of Earl Erlend And Swein.

• attestation: Earl Erlend returned from Norway with a mandate from King Eystein to take the Orkneys; Anakol and Thorfinn reconciled Erlend and Swein; they jointly attacked Earl Harald at his castle near Kjárekstadir and forced Harald to swear that Erlend should have his half of the Islands.

  "WHEN Swein and Anakol were lying off Hofsness, Earl Erlend arrived there from Norway. Anakol and Thorfinn endeavoured to reconcile him to Swein.

Earl Erlend then told the message from King Eystein, that he should have that part of the Orkneys which had formerly been held by Earl Harald.

It was in the evening of Michaelsmas that Harald and his men saw long-ships approaching, and suspecting them to be enemies, they ran from the ships into the castle.

Earl Erlend and Swein ran from their ships, and pursued Earl Harald to the castle, and attacked them both with arms and fire.

they agreed, on condition that Harald should swear to let Earl Erlend have his part of the Islands, and never demand it from him."

• attestation: Earl Erlend presented King Eystein's letters at a Thing at Kirkwall and the Bœndr promised obedience; he became ruler of all the Orkneys with an agreement that Rögnvald should have his half if he returned.

  "Earl Erlend and Swein called together a Thing-meeting with the Bœndr in Kirkiuvag, and they arrived from all the Islands. Earl Erlend pleaded his cause, saying that King Eystein had given him that part of the Orkneys of which Earl Harald had charge, and he requested the Bœndr to receive him, showing them King Eystein's letters, which proved his words. Swein, and many others of his friends and kinsmen, spoke in favour of the Earl; and at last the Bœndr promised obedience to Earl Erlend. Then he took possession of all the islands, and became ruler over them. It was an agreement between Earl Erlend and the Bœndr that he should not hinder Earl Rögnvald from taking possession of that part of the islands which belonged to him, if it should be granted him to come back"

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xcii > The Reconciliation Of The Earls Harald And Erlend.

• attestation: Earl Erlend and Swein arrived late in Orkney in autumn; Earl Rögnvald returned from Norway to his dominions in the Orkneys shortly before Yule.

  "Earl Erlend and Swein arrived rather late in the Orkneys in the autumn. This summer Earl Harald went east to Norway. At the same time, Earl Rögnvald and Erling Skakki came to Norway from Mikligard, and he arrived at his dominions in the Orkneys shortly before Yule."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xcvi > Battle Between The Three Earls.

• attestation: Erlend and Swein's night attack on Harald's fleet at Scapa killed a hundred men including Bjarni brother of Erlend Ungi; Earl Harald escaped to shore with only five men left; Erlend and Swein took fourteen ships.

  "This same night Earl Erlend and Swein attacked Earl Harald and his men, and took them by surprise, and they knew of nothing till they heard the battle-cry. They flew to arms, and defended themselves bravely. Many were killed, and the attack ended in this way—that Earl Harald leaped on shore when there were only five men left in his ship. Bjarni, brother of Erlend Ungi, a noble man, fell there, and a hundred men with him; and a great number were wounded.

Few of Earl Erlend's men were killed, and they took fourteen ships belonging to the Earls, with all the valuables they contained."

The Orkneyinga Saga > Chapter Xcvii > Earl Erlend'S Death.

• attestation: After Erlend's death, his men took refuge in St. Magnus's church at Kirkwall; the Earls pardoned them all upon oath of fealty; Jón Vœng was required to marry a woman he had gotten with child before he received pardon.

  "All Erlend's men went to Kirkiuvag, and took refuge in St. Magnus's church. The Earls went there, and a meeting for peace-making was held in the church. The Earls would not pardon Jón until he promised to marry the woman. All the men swore oaths of fealty to the Earls, and Jón Vœng became Earl Harald's steward."