General Notes

EARLDOM of ORKNEY [NOR] - subject to King of Norway until after 1379

Ragnvald II Brusisson, Jarl of two-thirds at Orkney Autumn 1038, b. 1011. He was taken by his father to Norway in the spring of 1021 and left as a hostage with St. Olaf (1021-1028), attended him into exile at Novgorod, returned with him to Norway, and was defeated with him at the battle of Stikklestad (29 July 1030); but he escaped to Sweden with St. Olafís half-brother Harald Hardradi, then aged about fifteen and wounded in the battle. Thence in the spring of 1031 they went to Novgorod, where the Grand Duke Yaroslav made Harold, Ragnvald and his son Eilif, officers in his guard (Landvarnar-madr). Ragnvald, who "had the wardership of the land in the summers but was in Holmgard (Novgorod) in the winters," returned to Norway with Magnus the Good (then aged 11), son of St. Olaf, in 1036. As a result of the quarrel which ended this alliance, Jarl Ragnvald was killed by Thorfinnís chief minister, Thorkel Fosterer, in Dec. 1046. His wifeís name is not recorded. He had a son Eilif abovenamed, who does not appear ever to have claimed a share of Orkney.  [Complete Peerage, X:Appendix A:14]