Hildr Hrólfsdóttir facts for kids

Hildr or Ragnhildr Hrólfsdóttir was a brave woman from the 800s. She is mentioned in old stories from Norway and Iceland, like the Orkneyinga saga. Hildr was also one of the few women poets, called skalds, whose poems we still have today.

Who Was Hildr?

Hildr lived a long time ago, in the 9th century. She is known by two names in different old stories: Hildr and Ragnhildr. These stories help us learn about her life.

Her Family and Early Life

Hildr was the daughter of a powerful man named Rolv Nefia. He was a jarl, which was like a powerful chief or count, in a place called Trondhjem (now Trondheim). Her father often went on viking trips, exploring and sometimes taking things from other lands.

One summer, Rolv Nefia went on a viking trip to a place called Vík in Norway. This made King Harald Fairhair very angry. The king decided to banish Rolv Nefia from the land.

A Poet's Voice

Hildr tried to ask King Harald to forgive her father. She wanted him to be allowed to come back. But her plea was not successful. During this time, Hildr wrote a special poem. This poem is called a lausavísa, which means a "loose verse" or a single stanza. It is one of the very few poems written by a woman skald that we know about today.

Marriage and Famous Children

Hildr married a jarl named Rognvald Eysteinsson. He was the jarl of a region called Møre. Hildr and Rognvald had three sons together. Their names were Ivar, Thorir, and Rolv.

The Rise of Rollo

One of Hildr's sons, Rolv, became very famous. He was nicknamed Gǫngu-Hrólfr, which means "Rolv the Walker." This Rolv later became known as Rollo of Normandy. He was a very important viking leader who founded a powerful region in France called Normandy.

New Lands in the North

Hildr's oldest son, Ivar, sadly died while fighting to support King Harald Fairhair. To make up for Ivar's death, King Harald gave Hildr's family some islands. These were the Northern Isles, which include Orkney and the Shetland Islands. According to old stories, Hildr's husband Rognvald and his family took control of these islands in the late 800s.

After Rognvald, their son Thorir became the jarl of Møre, continuing the family's leadership.