Ketil Trout (Iceland) facts for kids

Ketil Thorkelsson was a brave Norwegian leader and military commander from the late 800s. He was also known by his nicknames Ketil Trout or Ketil Salmon because "hængr" in Old Norse means a male salmon or trout. Ketil later moved to Iceland around the year 900 CE. We know about him from old stories called Icelandic sagas, like Egils saga and the Landnámabók. These sagas tell us about the first people who settled in Iceland.

Ketil's Early Life and Family

Ketil Thorkelsson was the son of Hrafnhild and Thorkel. His father, Thorkel, was a powerful leader known as a jarl in a place called Namdalen. Ketil was a very wealthy man. He was also a close friend and relative of Thorolf Kveldulfsson and his brother Skallagrim. Ketil and his wife, Ingunn, had several children. Their children included Storolf, Herjolf, Helgi, Vestar, and Hrafn Hængsson. Hrafn Hængsson later became one of the first lawspeakers in Iceland. A lawspeaker was an important person who knew all the laws by heart and recited them at big meetings.

The Conflict at Torgar Estate

A place called Torgar was very important in Ketil's life. This large estate was first owned by Ketil's uncle by marriage, Brynjolf. Then it went to Brynjolf's son, Bard "the White." Bard was Ketil's cousin. When Bard died, he gave the estate to Thorolf Kveldulfsson. He did not give any part of it to his half-brothers, Harek and Hrærek. Bard thought they were not rightful heirs.

Harek and Hrærek were favorites of King Harald of Norway, also known as Harald Fairhair. They convinced King Harald to take Torgar from Thorolf. The king then gave the estate to Harek and Hrærek. But the brothers kept spreading bad rumors about Thorolf. They even convinced King Harald to attack Thorolf.

Seeking Justice for Thorolf

When Ketil heard that Thorolf was in danger, he quickly gathered other allies. They set out to help Thorolf. Sadly, they arrived too late, and Thorolf had already been killed. Ketil was very upset about his friend's death. To get revenge, Ketil gathered 60 warriors. They raided Torgar and attacked Harek and Hrærek. Both brothers were killed, and their property was taken.

Moving to Iceland

After these events, Ketil decided to leave Norway and move to Iceland. He, his family, and his allies sailed on two large longships. For their first winter in Iceland, they settled near the river Ytri-Rangá. Later, they moved further east. They claimed land between the rivers Þjórsá and Markarfljót. Ketil built his new home at a place called Hof.

See also

In Spanish: Ketil Thorkelsson para niños

• Ketils saga hœngs