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The The Orkneyinga Saga on Liot

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

attestation: Liot, third son of Thorfinn Hausakliuf, defeated and killed his brother Skuli who had obtained an earl's title for Caithness from the King of Scots, becoming sole earl of Caithness and Orkney.

"Meanwhile Skuli, a fourth brother, had gone to Scotland and obtained an earl's title for Caithness from the King of Scots.[20] He was defeated by Liot, and slain in the Dales of Caithness, and thus Liot became sole earl of Caithness and Orkney."

attestation: Liót became Earl and a great chief; Einar Hardkiöpt was dissatisfied at not receiving the earldom and tried to raise men but the Orkneymen preferred Thorfinn's sons; the Earl eventually had Einar Hardkiöpt slain.

"Liót became Earl, and was a great chief. Now Einar Hardkiöpt had killed his kinsman, and was not any nearer the earldom than before. He was highly dissatisfied, and wished to collect men together and subdue the Islands by force."

attestation: Earl Magbiód came from Scotland with a large army against Liót at Skitten in Caithness; Liót's forces were outnumbered but he fought bravely, the Scots gave way and fled; Liót returned victorious but with wounds of which he died.

"When Earl Liót was in Caithness, Earl Magbiód came down from Scotland with a large army, and they met at Skida-mire (Skitten), in Caithness. Although Earl Liót's forces were not equal to those of the Scots, he fought so bravely that the Scots gave way, and the battle had not continued long when those of the Scots who were left alive fled, and many of them were wounded. Liót returned from the pursuit victorious, but with many men wounded, and he himself had received wounds, of which he died."