Rögnvald Brusason facts for kids

Rognvald Brusason was an important leader in the Orkney Islands a long, long time ago. He was an Earl of Orkney, which was like being a powerful ruler, sharing his power with another earl named Thorfinn Sigurdsson. We know a lot about Rognvald's life from an old story called the Orkneyinga Saga. He was known for being very popular and skilled.

Rognvald's Journey to Power

Rognvald's father, Brusi, took him to Norway when Rognvald was young. They went to the court of King Olaf Haraldsson. Brusi and Thorfinn were trying to decide who would get a share of the Earldom of Orkney. King Olaf decided to keep one share for himself and let Brusi manage it. He also kept Rognvald at his court.

The Orkneyinga Saga describes Rognvald as a very handsome man. It says he had beautiful golden hair, smooth as silk. He grew up to be tall and strong. People thought he was very smart and polite.

Rognvald was a loyal supporter of King Olaf Haraldsson, who later became known as Saint Olaf. Rognvald even went into exile with Olaf in a place called Kievan Rus. He also helped Olaf's brother, Harald Sigurdsson (also known as Harald Hardraade), escape after a big battle in 1030. While Harald went to Constantinople, Rognvald stayed in Rus. He served a ruler named Yaroslav the Wise. Rognvald finally returned to Norway in 1035 with Olaf's son, Magnus the Good.

Sharing the Earldom

While Rognvald was away, his father passed away. Thorfinn Sigurdsson was now ruling all of the Orkney Earldom. Rognvald asked King Magnus for his share of the Earldom. King Magnus agreed. He gave Rognvald three ships and put him in charge of Magnus's own share.

When Rognvald arrived in Orkney, he sent a message to his uncle Thorfinn. He asked for the two-thirds of the Earldom that King Magnus had given him. Thorfinn agreed to give Rognvald his father's share. He also gave him the share that Magnus claimed. Thorfinn said he didn't recognize Magnus's claim. He presented it as a gift to Rognvald.

For eight years, Thorfinn and Rognvald worked very well together. They fought against enemies in the Hebrides. They also raided lands in Scotland and England.

A Growing Conflict

However, the two earls eventually stopped getting along. The saga says their quarrel started when Kalf Arnesson arrived. Kalf was the uncle of Thorfinn's wife, Ingibiorg Finnsdottir. Kalf had many followers, which cost the Earls a lot of money. People started telling Thorfinn that he shouldn't let Rognvald have two-thirds of the islands.

Rognvald and Kalf Arnesson were not friends. The Orkneyinga Saga mentions that Rognvald almost attacked Kalf in Rus. Kalf had betrayed Saint Olaf, whom Rognvald strongly supported. Because of this, Rognvald refused to give up the third share that Thorfinn asked for. After this, their relationship got worse.

Rognvald was defeated in a sea-battle. He had to seek safety in Norway with King Magnus. Thorfinn then took control of the entire Earldom.

The Final Battle

Rognvald returned to Orkney with just one ship and a small group of brave men. He hoped to surprise Thorfinn and take back the Earldom. He succeeded in part, but Thorfinn managed to escape to Caithness.

However, Rognvald was soon surprised in his turn. He was trying to escape when Thorkell the Fosterer killed him. Rognvald's lap dog barked, giving away his hiding place.

Rognvald was buried on Papa Westray. The Orkneyinga Saga says that everyone agreed he was the most popular and talented of all the Earls of Orkney. Many people were sad about his death.

How the Earldom Was Divided

The Orkneyinga Saga talks a lot about different places. But it doesn't say much about how the shared Earldoms worked geographically. Some people think Brusi Sigurdsson's share was the "northernmost part of the isles." This might mean the islands north of the Orkney mainland.

It's also possible that Brusi's share was Shetland. Shetland was part of the Earldom during the Norse period. A later mention of Rognvald as "Lord of the Shetlanders" supports this idea. It is likely that Fair Isle was the boundary between these shares.

Rognvald's Lasting Impact

A later Earl, Rognvald Kali Kolsson, who lived in the 1100s, was given the name Rognvald. This was because Kali's mother believed Rognvald Brusason was the most skilled of all the Earls of Orkney. People saw this as a sign of good luck.

The Orkneyinga Saga doesn't say much about Rognvald's family life. It doesn't mention if he was married or had children. However, some historians believe that the mother of Magnus Barelegs might have been a daughter of "Ragnvald jarl." This "Ragnvald" has been identified by some as Rognvald Brusason.