Saga Stories

The later sections of the Orkneyinga Saga describe a long and complex period in which Norse rule in Orkney gradually weakened, shaped by internal conflict, shifting loyalties, and increasing pressure from neighbouring powers. These chapters move away from the heroic consolidation of the earldom and instead focus on fragmentation, rivalry, and the slow erosion of […]

The Orkneyinga Saga provides one of the fullest narrative accounts of medieval Orkney, blending history, memory, and storytelling. Among its most substantial episodes are the rule of Rognvald Kali Kolsson and the building of St Magnus Cathedral at Kirkwall. These sections describe a period of consolidation, ambition, and political change in the twelfth-century earldom, set

The Orkneyinga Saga gives one of the clearest narrative accounts of how Christianity was established in Orkney, presenting the change as a political and social process rather than a sudden spiritual awakening. The saga was written in Iceland in the early thirteenth century, drawing on earlier oral traditions and historical memory, and it treats the

The Orkneyinga Saga is one of the most important narrative sources for understanding power, conflict, and governance in the Norse world of the North Atlantic. Written in Iceland in the early 13th century, it records events that took place mainly during the 10th and 11th centuries, focusing on the Earldom of Orkney. At this time,

Following the death of Rognvald Eysteinsson, the Earldom of Orkney passed to his son, Torf-Einar, one of the most influential early rulers in the islands’ Norse history. Torf-Einar earned his name from his mastery of peat cutting, a vital skill in the treeless Orkney landscape where peat served as the main source of fuel. His

Rognvald Eysteinsson, also known as Rognvald the Møre-Earl, was a prominent Viking nobleman of the 9th century, remembered for his role in the Norse expansion across the North Atlantic and for his founding influence on the Earldom of Orkney. A trusted ally and kinsman of King Harald Fairhair of Norway, Rognvald played a key part

The Orkneyinga Saga, written in the early 13th century, is one of the most important sources for the history of the Orkney Islands during the Viking Age. It chronicles the arrival of Norse settlers, the establishment of the earldom, and the often turbulent rule of the early Orkney earls. Among the first and most notable

The Orkneyinga Saga, written in the early 13th century, provides one of the most important historical and literary accounts of the Norse presence in the Northern Isles. It tells the story of how the islands of Orkney and Shetland became a key part of the Viking world, blending history, legend, and oral tradition into a