Skalla-Grímr facts for kids

Grímr Kveldúlfsson, often known as Skalla-Grímr (which means "bald Grim"), was a famous Norwegian who lived a long time ago, around the 800s and 900s. He is a very important person in an old story called Egils saga. He is also mentioned in another old book, the Landnámabók, which tells about the first people who settled in Iceland.

Who Was Skalla-Grímr?

His Family and Relatives

Skalla-Grímr was the son of a man named Kveldúlfr Bjálfason and a woman named Salbjörg Káradóttir. He had one brother, Þorolfr. Skalla-Grímr was also related to Ketil Trout on his father's side. On his mother's side, he was related to Eyvind Lambi.

Skalla-Grímr married a woman named Bera Yngvarsdóttir. Together, they had two sons, Þorolfr and Egill. They also had two daughters, Sæunn and Þórunn. His family had roots in both Norwegian and Sami cultures.

A Conflict with King Harald

Skalla-Grímr's brother, Þorolfr, was part of King Haraldr Fairhair's group of followers. However, Skalla-Grímr's father, Kveldúlfr, did not want to promise his loyalty to the king. This caused some problems.

Sadly, King Haraldr had Þorolfr killed. This happened because two brothers, Sigtryggr and Hallvarðr, spread lies about Þorolfr to the king. They wanted to take Þorolfr's land. Skalla-Grímr and his father, Kveldúlfr, found the ship of these two brothers.

Skalla-Grímr, his father, and other warriors attacked the ship. They killed almost everyone on board, including two of the King's own cousins. This was their way of getting revenge for Þorolfr's death.

Moving to Iceland

After these events, Skalla-Grímr and Kveldúlfr decided to leave Norway and sail to Iceland. Kveldúlfr became very sick during the journey. He was getting old, and the intense battle had taken a toll on him.

Kveldúlfr died early in the trip. Before he passed away, he gave an important instruction to the captain of his ship. He told the captain to throw his casket overboard. He said that wherever the casket washed ashore, that is where they should settle in Iceland.

The ship captain followed Kveldúlfr's wish. When they arrived in Iceland, they found the casket had landed in the Mýrar area, near a place called Borg. Skalla-Grímr and the other settlers built their homes at Borg. They settled the entire region around that area.

Skalla-Grímr lived a long life and passed away at Borg.

Skalla-Grímr's Poetry

Skalla-Grímr was also known for writing poetry. He created many poems, and one famous verse he composed is:

Nú's hersis hefnd
við hilmi efnd;
gengr ulfr ok örn
of ynglings börn.
Flugu höggvin hræ
Hallvarðs á sæ.
Grár slítr undir
ari Snarfara.

Now the nobleman (Kveldúlfr) has gotten revenge on the king (Harald Fairhair);
now wolf and eagle walk over the king's children.
The cut bodies of Hallvarðr (Hallvarðr Harðfari and his people, the enemies) flew into the sea;
the grey eagle tears the wounds of Snarfari (Sigtryggr Snarfari was Hallvarðr Harðfari's brother).

A scholar named Bjarni Einarsson noted that this poem is special. If it is truly from the 800s, its use of rhyming words at the end of lines is very rare for Old Norse poetry from that time.

See also

In Spanish: Skalla-Grímr Kveldulfsson para niños