Ljótólfr facts for kids

Ljótólfr was a small but interesting character in an old story called the Orkneyinga saga. This story was written around the year 1200. It tells us about the leaders, called earls of Orkney, who ruled the Orkney Islands a long time ago.

Ljótólfr lived in the mid-1100s. He was a nobleman, which means he was an important person with a high social rank. He lived on the Isle of Lewis, which is one of the Outer Hebrides islands off the coast of Scotland. Back then, the Hebrides islands were part of a kingdom called the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles.

The Orkneyinga saga says that Ljótólfr was friends with a famous Viking leader named Sveinn Ásleifarson. Sveinn is one of the main characters in the whole story. Ljótólfr even let Sveinn stay at his home on Lewis for a while. He also helped Sveinn's brother, Gunni, when Gunni was sent away from Orkney. Ljótólfr had a son named Fugl, who also appears in the story. At first, Fugl and Sveinn didn't get along, but a relative helped them make peace.

Some historians think Ljótólfr might be an ancestor of Clan MacLeod, a famous Scottish clan. While he might not be the direct founder of the clan, his story gives us a peek into the lives of people in the Hebrides during the Viking Age.

About Ljótólfr and the Saga

Ljótólfr is a minor character in the old Norse story called the Orkneyinga saga. He lived around the middle of the 12th century. The story says he lived on the Isle of Lewis, which is part of the Outer Hebrides. Ljótólfr had a son named Fugl, who is also mentioned in the saga. Fugl is also described as being from the Isle of Lewis.

Where We Learn About Ljótólfr

The main place we learn about Ljótólfr is from the Orkneyinga saga. An unknown writer from Iceland put this story together around the year 1200. People think the saga was based on old poems, stories passed down by talking, and other written records.

The saga tells the lives of many of the earls of Orkney. These were the powerful leaders who ruled the Orkney Islands between the 800s and 1200s. Historians say the saga is useful not just for the exact events it describes. It also shows us the ideas and beliefs that were important when the story was written. For example, some parts of the story might be exaggerated or changed over time.

Another old book that mentions Ljótólfr is a history of Orkney written in the 1600s. This book was written in Latin by Þormóður Torfason. It mostly follows the story told in the Orkneyinga saga.

The Hebrides in the 1100s

Locations mentioned in the article

In the 1000s, the earls of Orkney were very powerful. The Earl of Orkney, Þórfinnr Sigurðarson, even ruled other parts of Scotland like Caithness and Sutherland. He also seemed to control the western coast of Scotland and the Hebrides islands.

The Hebrides and the Isle of Man were often unstable during the 1000s and early 1100s. Many small kings and leaders fought for control. In 1079, a warlord named Gofraidh Crobhán managed to unite these islands into one strong kingdom.

Later, in 1098, the Norwegian king Magnús Óláfsson sailed to the Hebrides. He claimed control over the islands. He came back again in 1102. King Magnús wanted to unite Orkney, the Hebrides, and the Isle of Man under his son's rule. But in 1103, Magnús was killed in Ireland. After that, no Norwegian king visited the islands for over 150 years.

After Magnús died, the Outer Hebrides went back under the control of the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. The kings of this kingdom were smart and still recognized Norway's power. In 1156, the kingdom was split after a sea battle. A warlord named Somhairle mac Gille Brighde fought the Manx king Gofraidh mac Amhlaibh. The Outer Hebrides stayed with Gofraidh, but Somhairle ruled the Inner Hebrides. Two years later, Somhairle took over the Isle of Man and ruled the entire kingdom until he died in 1164.

Ljótólfr's Story in the Saga

One of the most important characters in the Orkneyinga saga is a Viking leader named Sveinn Ásleifarson. He lived on the island of Gairsay in Orkney. The story tells us that Sveinn's father, Óláfr Hrólfsson, supported Páll Hákonsson, who was the Earl of Orkney. They won a sea battle against a fleet led by Ölvir Rósta. Ölvir supported Rögnvaldr Kolsson, who had been made earl of half of Orkney by the King of Norway.

Later, Ölvir burned Sveinn's father, Óláfr, to death in his own house. Ölvir's grandmother, Frakökk, is shown as a bad person in the saga. She tried to get the Earldom of Orkney for her family, especially for Ölvir.

The saga says that Sveinn murdered one of the earl's followers in Orkney. He immediately ran away to the Bishop of Orkney. The bishop helped Sveinn by sending him to the Suðreyjar (the southern islands). He went to stay with Holdboði Hundason, a leader on the island of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides.

Later, Sveinn traveled to Atholl in Scotland and stayed there for a long time. From Atholl, Sveinn started heading back to Orkney by land. On his journey north, he passed through Thurso in Caithness. The saga mentions that Ljótólfr was with Sveinn. Sveinn had spent much of the previous spring with Ljótólfr.

The leader in Thurso was an earl named Óttarr. He was described as "a man worthy of honour." Earl Óttarr was Frakökk's brother. The saga tells us that Ljótólfr helped Sveinn and Earl Óttarr make peace. This happened after Sveinn's father was killed by Ölvir.

The saga also says that Sveinn went on many Viking trips. He traveled throughout the Hebrides and into the Irish Sea area. On one trip, Sveinn set up a base on the Isle of Man. There, he married a rich widow. Some time later, Sveinn and his men were attacked by Holdboði. Because of this, Sveinn left the island and sailed north to Lewis in the Hebrides.

Later in the saga, Sveinn's brother, Gunni Óláfsson, had children with Margrét Hákonardóttir. Margrét was the mother of Haraldr Maddaðarson, who was the Earl of Orkney. Because Gunni had a relationship with his mother, Haraldr sent Gunni away from the earldom. This caused bad feelings between Sveinn and the earl.

Sveinn then sent Gunni to stay with Ljótólfr on Lewis. Sveinn himself had stayed with Ljótólfr before. The saga also says that Ljótólfr's son, Fugl, was with Haraldr at this time. This meant there was a "coldness" or tension between Fugl and Sveinn. The saga tells a story where Sveinn stole a ship from Fugl. Fugl had been traveling to Orkney to meet Haraldr. However, a relative of Fugl's, named Anakol, became friends with Sveinn. Anakol managed to help Fugl and Sveinn make peace. Historians have noted that Anakol's name is Gaelic. Like Ljótólfr and Fugl, he is described as being from the Hebrides. The saga also says he came from a good family.

Possible Links to Clan MacLeod

Captain F. W. L. Thomas, a historian from the 1800s, thought that Ljótólfr was the founder of Clan MacLeod. He believed the clan was named after Ljótólfr. However, today, most people agree that the clan's founder was another man named Leod. Leod lived about 100 years after Ljótólfr.

Leod's name, and the modern family name MacLeod, are thought to come from the Old Norse name Ljótr. This name can mean "foul" or "ugly," but it can also mean "shining" or "bright." The name Ljótólfr is made of two parts. The first part, liút, comes from a Germanic word meaning "light" or "shining." The second part, ólfr, means "wolf."

Even though Ljótólfr is not thought to be Leod's direct ancestor, some historians still think there might be a connection. A clan historian from the 1900s, Alick Morrison, thought Ljótólfr could be an ancestor of Leod through his mother's side of the family. Morrison even suggested that Leod's name might have come from Ljótólfr.

Thomas' proposed connection between Ljótólfr and Þórketill.

The MacLeods have two main family branches. These are Sìol Thormoid (meaning "seed of Tormod" in Scottish Gaelic) and Sìol Thorcaill (meaning "seed of Torcall"). The Gaelic names Tormod and Torcall come from the Old Norse names Þórmóðr and Þórketill.

Thomas noticed that these names were also used by two men connected to Lewis. These men are mentioned in a 13th-century story called Hákonar saga Hákonarsonar. One of these men was Þórketill Þórmóðsson. The saga says he was killed near the Isle of Skye around 1230. Thomas thought this man could be Ljótólfr's grandson.

Another man in the saga, Þórmóðr Þórkelsson, had to leave Lewis. He left behind his wife, servants, and belongings. Thomas believed this showed that Þórmóðr lived on the island. Thomas noted that Þórmóðr Þórkelsson was married around 1231. If each generation is about 30 years, Thomas estimated Þórmóðr was born in 1201. His supposed father, Þórketill, would have been born in 1171. Þórketill's father, Þórmóðr, in 1141. And this man's father in 1111. Thomas concluded that the older Þórmóðr would have been born around the same time Ljótólfr lived on Lewis.

See also

• History of the Outer Hebrides