The The Orkneyinga Saga on John

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

• attestation: Earl John was slain at an inn at Thurso in 1231 by Snækoll Gunnason (grandson of Earl Rögnvald Kali Kolson) and others in a feud connected with King Hakon's commissioner Hanef Ungi.

  "In 1231, Earl John having become involved in a feud with Hanef Ungi, a commissioner whom King Hakon had sent over to the Orkneys, Snækoll Gunnason, grandson of Earl Rögnvald (Kali Kolson), and Aulver Illteit, they attacked him suddenly in an inn at Thurso, set fire to the house, and slew him in the cellar, where he had sought to conceal himself."

• attestation: The ancient Norse Earldom of Orkney, which had ruled continuously since 872—a period of 350 years—became extinct with Earl John's death in 1231, and the earldom passed to the house of Angus.

  "Thus the ancient line of the Norse Earls, that had ruled the Orkneys since 872—a period of 350 years—became extinct, and the earldom passed into the possession of the house of Angus."

The Orkneyinga Saga > part large and all well equipped, was divided into two squadrons, one of

• attestation: John Earl of Orkney was betrothed to King Eirik's infant daughter Ingibiorg in 1299, an unlikely match given the age difference, but similar contracts were not unusual in the period.

  "we find in the Icelandic Annals that he was betrothed to King Eirik's daughter in 1299. The statement is explicit, and though it may seem strange to us that an infant scarcely two years of age should be betrothed to a man of forty"