Þórólfr Mostrarskegg
Þórólfr Mostrarskegg († around 918) was one of the first settlers in the Snæfellsnes region around Þórsnes near the Helgafell in Iceland . His biography is described in literary form with fictional and mythical elements in the Eyrbyggja saga . The historicity of Thorolf Mostrarskegg is controversial analogous to other people or characters from the early saga period.
Þórólfr's real name was Hrólfr Ǫrnólfsson. His father was a fisherman in Norway. Þórólfr's nickname “Mostrarskegg” means “Mostbart” in German, a topical allusion to its ability to drink. He is described as a great worshiper of Thor and was known for his numerous exceptionally elaborate sacrifices. As a result of the rigid policy of the Norwegian King Harald Fairhair against the autonomy of the tribal chiefs in the mainly northern regions of Norway, Þórólfr got into a conflict position with Harald, which led to his emigration to Iceland.
“Many of his friends decided to go with him. He demolished the temple, taking with him most of the wood from which it was built, and also the earth under the altar on which Thor (as an idol) had sat. Then Thorolf set sail ... Then Thorolf threw overboard the pillars of the high seat that had stood in the temple; a picture of Thor was carved in one of them. He decided that he wanted to settle there in Iceland, where Thor would let them come ashore ... He took land in the south of the fjord ... Then they searched the land and found that Thor on a promontory further to the sea ... with the other pillars had come ashore. Since then it has been called "Thorness". "
literature
- Jón Hnefill Aðalsteinsson: Þórsnes. In: Heinrich Beck, Dieter Geuenich, Heiko Steuer (eds.): Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde , Vol. 30. De Gruyter, Berlin / New York 2006, ISBN 3-11-018385-4 , pp. 498–501
- Hans Kuhn: Old Iceland. Diederichs, Düsseldorf - Cologne 1978, ISBN 3-424-00609-2 .
- Rudolf Simek , Hermann Pálsson : Lexicon of Old Norse Literature (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 490). Kröner, Stuttgart 1987, ISBN 3-520-49001-3 .
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Þórólfr Mostrarskegg |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Hrólfr Ǫrnólfsson (real name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | icelandic settler |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 9th century |
| DATE OF DEATH | at 918 |