Eystein Glumra

Small Norwegian kingdoms around 930

Eystein Glumra (the noisy) also called Eystein Ivarsson (* around 805 in Nord-Trøndelag , Norway ; † 870) was a Norwegian nobleman who, according to the Norwegian royal saga Heimskringla, administered the provinces of Oppland and Hedmark in Norway as Jarl . Its importance lies in its descendants, which include the Jarls of Møre og Romsdal , (the Mørejarl) and the Jarls of Orkney , probably also the Dukes of Normandy , making numerous European dynasties descendants of Eystein Glumra.

origin

The Orkneyinga saga begins with listing the lineage of the later Jarls of Orkney and thus the - legendary - ancestors of Eystein Glumra: Fornjot, King of Finland and Kvenland was the father of Kari, the lord of the winds, this was the father of Jökull, the father of Frosti (Frost), the father of Snaer (Snow) the ancients, the father of Thorri, King of Gotland , Kvenland and Finland, the father of Gor (who received the islands when the conquered lands were divided, and was therefore called the Sea King, while his brother Nor took over the mainland, which was named after him Norway). Gor was the father of Heiti, the father of the Sea King Sveidi, the father of Halfdan the Old, who was the father of Jarl Ivar Halfdansson of Oppland , the father of Eystein Ivarsson Glumra. This genealogy can also be found (with slight deviations) in the collection of legendary Nordic genealogies Hversu Noregr byggðist ("How Norway was settled") which is only contained in the most important Icelandic manuscript collection, the Codex Flatensis (Icelandic: Flateyjarbók ) from the 14th century .

The ten generations enumerated in the saga would go back to the sixth century, but are obviously largely unhistorical, but towards the end they also contain some genuine oral traditions. In any case, the representation shows the importance of mythical ancestors for the self-image of the Nordic ruling classes at that time. This is also shown by the Hyndlulióð the song of Hyndla, (the last of the songs of the gods of the Elder Edda ), which mainly consists of the listing of Old Norse genealogies and calls those who do not know their ancestors a fool.

Halfdan the Old (* c. 750), named among the ancestors of Eystein Glumra, can be distinguished from another, more famous namesake, who appears in various sagas and poems and also in the aforementioned Hyndlulióð, who is said to have been born around 450, King of Ringerike was and, according to the collection of Scaldic poetry Skáldskaparmál by the Icelandic statesman and poet, Snorri Sturluson (* 1179, † 1241) is considered the most famous Nordic ruler of all time, from whom the dynasties of the most important Viking kings of Scandinavia are derived.

Life

Little is known about the life of Eystein Glumra. He was born around 805 in the province of Nord-Trøndelag and was Jarl of the provinces of Oppland and Hedmark , and therefore had a high rank, which is roughly between count and duke, granted his bearer extensive autonomy and was often de facto hereditary in the male line. Since Norway was then divided into a large number of small kingdoms, Eystein Glumra was one of the most powerful magnates in Norway due to the size of the territories he controlled. The historical province of Oppland roughly coincides with the modern province (Fylke) Oppland (capital Lillehammer , area 25,000 km²) which is centrally located in southern Norway. The historical province of Hedmark, roughly equivalent to the modern province of Hedmark ( Hamar administrative center , area around 27,000 km²), lies in the east of Oppland and has a long border with Sweden. Jarl Eystein was therefore probably also involved in the most important affairs of the country.

Jarl Eystein also witnessed a turning point in Norway. This, because at his time King Halfdan the Black (* around 810, † around 860) from the Ynglinger dynasty lived who, after the Heimskringla, ruled alongside his half-brother Olaf Geirstad-Alf as king, but initially only ruled the small kingdom of Agder and also ruled Vestfold this shared. However, he inherited his half-brother and, through extensive military campaigns, conquered other provinces such as Vestfold , parts of Vigulmark, Hadeland and Raumarike. He thus initiated the unification of Norway, which his famous son Harald Fairhair was supposed to achieve.

Marriage and offspring

Eystein Glumra was married to Aseda Ragnvaldsdatter (* c. 818,) who was a daughter of Ragnvald Olafsson, a famous Viking from Vestfold who was a grandson of the legendary King of Vestfold Olaf Geirstad-Alf (+ 827) (not to be confused with Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf († 934)) is said to have been. Progeny:

1. Rognvald Eysteinsson (Ragnvald Øysteinsson) «the wise», «the mighty» Jarl von Møre (* 836; † 890/900), & Hild Hrolfsdottir, a daughter of the Viking Hrolf Nefja. Their sons:
   1. Ivar Rognvaldsson
   2. Hrolf Rognvaldsson who is often identified with Hrolf "Ganger" (the walker), that is, with Rollo († 931), the progenitor of the Dukes of Normandy .
   3. Thorir Rognvaldsson
   4. Hrollaug Rognvaldsson
2. Malahule Eysteinsson (n.848), who is said to have accompanied his nephew Hrolf Rognvaldsson (Rollo von der Normandie) in 912 during the conquest of Normandy.
3. Sigurd Eysteinsson "the mighty" Jarl of Orkney (875–892)
   1. Guttorm Sigurdsson Jarl of Orkney (893-893)
4. Svanhild Eysteinsdatter, marries Harald I. Fairhair, King of Norway, and after Heimskringla gave him three sons:
   1. Bjørn Haraldsson "Farmann" (the merchant), King of Vestfold, († killed by his half-brother Erik I. Haraldsson called Erik Blutaxt (Norwegian: Eiríkr blóðøx) (* around 885; † 954), the favorite son and successor of King Harald Fair hair.
   2. Olaf Haraldsson Geirstadalf († 934), King of Vigulmark and after the death of his brother Bjørn also King of Vestfold , († in the fight against his half-brother Eric Blutaxt in Haugar outside Tønsberg .) After Heimskringla , he was the father of
      1. Tryggve Olavsson, King of Viken ( Rånrike and Vingulmark ); † 963) married to Astrid Ericsdatter, a daughter of Eric Bjodaskalle von Oprestad
         1. Olav I. Tryggvason King of Norway (995-1000)
   3. Ragnar Rykkel, King of Hedmark

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Norsk Biografisk Leksikon, (19 volumes. Oslo: Aschehoug, 1921–1982), FHL book 948.1 D36n., Volume 11, pp. 272–273.
2. ↑ Våre Forfedre, Bugge, Mogens Fraas, (Oslo: I kommisjon hos Cammermeyers Boghandel, 1939), FHL book 929.2481 B865b., P. 34.
3. ↑ Orkneyinga Saga Penguin Classics 1981 English translation: The Orkneyingers Saga (= Icelandic Sagas, and other historical documents relating to the settlements and descents of the Northmen on the British Isles. Volume III). Translated by George Dasent (1894). Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London. Reprinted in 1964 by Kraus Reprint. English text available under Sacred Texts and Northvegr ( Memento of the original from July 6, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . 
4. ↑ Orkeinga Saga op.cit , Chapter 2, p. 25.
5. ↑ germanicmythology.com
6. ↑ English translation of the song online, Stanza 14: sacred-texts.com
7. ↑ The Edda of Snorri Sturluson. selected, translated and commented by Arnulf Krause, Stuttgart, 1997.
8. ↑ Inglinga Saga Saga Ynglinga (in English)
9. ↑ European family tables : family tables for the history of the European states. New series (1978), Schwennicke, Detlev, (Marburg: Verlag von JA Stargardt, c1978-1995 (v. 1-16) - Frankfurt am Main: Vittorio Klostermann, c1998- Medieval Families bibliography # 552.), FHL book Q 940 D5es new series., Volume 2, Plate 105
10. ↑ Harald's saga hárfagra (Saga of Harald Fairhair) chap. 24
11. ^ The Genealogical History of the House of Arundel: Being an Account of the Origin of the Families of Montgomery, Albini, Fitzalan, and Howard, from the Time of the Conquest of Normandy by Rollor the Great Early, Yeatman, John Pym, FHL book Q 929,242 Ar84y; FHL microfilm 496545 ite., P. 80.
12. ↑ Genealogisk-historiske tabeller over de nordiske rigers kongeslægter (1856), Königsfeldt, JPF, (2nd edition. Kjøbenhavn: Trykt i Bianco Lunos bogtrykkeri, 1856), FHL microfilm 1,124,504, item 3., table 9 p. 110.
13. ↑ The saga of Olav Trygvason. In: Heimskringla.

literature

• Norsk Biografisk Leksikon. (19 volumes. Aschehoug, Oslo 1921–1982), FHL book 948.1 D36n., Volume. 11, pp. 272-273.
• Genealogisk-historiske tabeller over de nordiske rigers kongeslægter (1856). Königsfeldt, JPF, (2nd edition. Kjøbenhavn: Trykt i Bianco Lunos bogtrykkeri, 1856), FHL microfilm 1,124,504, item 3., Table 9, p. 110.
• European family tables. Family tables on the history of the European states. New episode Volume II: Detlev Schwennicke: The states outside Germany. (1978). Verlag von JA Stargardt, Marburg 1978–1995.

swell

• Heimskringla Sturluson, Snorri. Heimskringla: History of the Kings of Norway, trad. Lee M. Hollander. Reprinted University of Texas Press, Austin, 1992. ISBN 0-292-73061-6 .
• Saga of Olav Haraldson sacred-texts.com Heimskringla - SAGA OF OLAF HARALDSON
• Orkneyinga Saga: The History of the Earls of Orkney. Trans. Pálsson, Hermann and Edwards, Paul (1978). London: Hogarth Press. ISBN 0-7012-0431-1 . Republished 1981, Harmondsworth: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044383-5 .
• The Orkneyingers Saga ( Icelandic Sagas, and other historical documents relating to the settlements and descents of the Northmen on the British Isles , Volume III). Translated by George Dasent (1894). London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Reprinted 1964 by Kraus Reprint. Text available at Sacred Texts and Northvegr .
• "Hversu Noregr byggðist" (How Norway was settled) Germanic Mythology