Orkneyinga Saga: Harold Fairhair and Orkney Islands
The Orkneyinga Saga was written circa AD 1200 by an unnamed Icelandic author in the Old Icelandic language. This saga is the only medieval account specific to Orkney. The setting is placed during a time when Orkney earls (noblemen) were appointed to rule individual islands and the savage Vikings still fought over land. The saga is said to have been put together by numerous sources over years and is not solely based on true facts and history. On page 84 of "Presenting traditions in Orkneyinga Saga", Jesch concludes her argument with this statement, "Thus, Orkneyinga Saga is an appropriate laboratory in which to study the mechanisms by which history and fiction were combined to produce saga." It is safe to state that this saga is a blend of some fictional stories, legends, and historical facts. Within saga, you will discover vivid battles, hard drinking, family feuds, and even sorcery. A genealogy (ancestry) of the major characters is also provided, which is important for relating the saga characters with each other and even aids the people of Orkney in tracing their family tree. Ultimately, this saga describes the initial conquests of Orkney by Norway and gives us a historical narrative of the successive ruling of the Orkney earls. This saga is definitely one of the most important sources in understanding the origin and history of the Orkney Islands.
The picture above is Harold Hárfagri (Fairhair) reaching for his fathers hand while sitting down with his crown resting on his head. He was the king of Norway, the conqueror of Orkney, and a fundamental character in the Orkneyinga Saga. Medieval historians widely know Harold as the very first king of Norway. According to the saga, approximately around AD 890, the Norwegian king set sail westwards in hope to claim Orkney as his base. After dealing with Vikings on his voyage, King Harold was successful and appointed Earl Rognvald of Møre the earldom of Orkney as a sort of restitution for the death of his son. In chapter 5 of the Orkneyinga Saga, the author writes, "Guttorm was the name of Sigurd’s son; he ruled the lands one winter and died childless. And when earl Rognvald of Mæren learnt the death of that father and son, he sent his son Hallad west, and king Harold gave him the title of earl." Here, King Harold understands the fathers loss and displays sympathy by giving Earl Rognvald the earldom of Orkney. The tales of Harold’s conquests of Orkney begin after the first three chapters of the saga, which explains the mythical ancestry of the later earls. The history of the Orkney Islands would be completely different if it were not for Harold Fairhair. In conclusion, Harold is largely responsible for the way the islands were ruled since he was the one who assigned earls, also known as jarls, to control specific lands.
My map location displays the coordinates of the Orkney Islands, which is the main setting of the epic. The location also relates to my multimedia item, Harold Fairhair, because it is he who successfully conquered the islands.
Citations:
Anonymous. "Orkneyinga Saga." Sacred Texts. Evinity Publishing INC, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016.
Jesch, Judith. “Presenting traditions in Orkneyinga Saga.” Leeds Studies in English, 27 . pp. (1996): 84. Web.
